Sir, Brenda Boardman (Business page, October 20) is correct - we can't carry on flying ever more and further.

Nationally, we could use taxation to reduce flying, but as with driving, the taxes would have to be huge to have the required effect. So there has to be a cultural shift against flying. Where better to start than here, when better than now?

Thirty years ago, this city was one of the first to decide that car-use couldn't expand indefinitely, and that the "public" elements of our transport system had to be streamlined. Our bus lanes have been a huge success, reducing operating costs and providing a real alternative to the car on many corridors. Oxford is one of the few cities in Britain where catching a bus is culturally quite normal. We must do the same with flying.

The alternatives exist - there are fast trains to the south of France if you want sunshine, and a leading European city only 100km away for cutting-edge consumerism.

And for when we can convince ourselves that there really is no reasonable alternative, the impact can be minimised by flying with one of the more cramped operators, and travelling light. Long-haul, it is better to fly off-season, to break the journey, and to take several weeks to make the most of it.

Flying is a like a mighty sword - it should be treated with respect, and used with great care.

Richard Mann, Oxford