Sir, I see that the Green Party has again jumped in with both feet without bothering to look fully into the legal situation behind the timetabling of the tour buses (Letters, May 19).

Like all buses, they are required to register a timetable and adhere to it. These are Government rules and cannot be easily changed. They cannot just run buses ad hoc when they feel there might be a need for them on the streets.

I would not disagree that they can sometimes be seen running down High Street in Oxford almost empty and at a speed of 20mph or less, but isn't the speed limit in most of the areas they operate 20mph anyway?

They also act as a natural speed limiter to those vehicles which would otherwise speed along High Street and other areas.

Perhaps they are sometimes a little on the empty side, but it is not unknown to pick up a coach party of 40 or more and suddenly they are full. That is the nature of the job. Each bus is serviced regularly and has to pass an emissions test laid down in law before it is allowed back on the road.

All the buses pass well inside the limit.

Oxford is not like Bath with five companies operating in competition.

At a peak, only ten buses operate, with six being the normal figure.

That is one every ten minutes, hardly a huge amount compared with other bus companies.

The Green Party would be better employed leaving the open toppers alone and looking more closely at what can be done to stop motorists driving through the bus gates at will each day, totally disregarding the signs saying this is not allowed, or perhaps looking at the greater problem of cyclists who daily ignore road signs and traffic lights, putting not only themselves but others in mortal peril.

Michelle Stevens, Cutteslowe