I started to read the piece about the pedestrianisation of Widemarsh Street with a sense of disbelief and irritation until I came to Maurice Jones's comments and realised that there is sanity in Hereford after all.

Hereford boasts an attractive and thriving retailing heart. The greater part of it is traffic free and so it should be. Do motorists go into shops? No, surprisingly, pedestrians are the people who keep the city centre alive!

Of course, these same pedestrians probably transform themselves into motorists to get in and out of the place, but Hereford is a relatively small and compact centre and there is a sufficient number of carparks on the edges of the pedestrianised area to cater for all of them.

I have always thought that the presence of moving traffic on that part of Widemarsh Street to the city centre side of the A438 is totally out of place. On the occasions when I have been in the area, at 'traffic free' times, I have noticed a more relaxed attitude among shoppers.

Let traffic into those parts of the city where it may serve a useful commercial or otherwise purpose; there are enough points of access from the arterial road system, but keep the shopping centre traffic free and safe for shoppers.

Richard Toseland, Peterchurch.