I WAS most interested in your lead story on August 9th suggesting the creation of a new rail freight hub at Rotherwas, and perhaps a new passenger service from Leominster through Hereford to Rotherwas and a reopened station at Holme Lacey.

Whilst rail certainly could make a valuable contribution to Hereford’s transport needs, I doubt if the proposal described would suffice. In my view it would be much better to reopen the line to Holme Lacey in the form of a modern urban passenger tramway, and to extend it north past Hereford railway station, round the old Brecon curve and back down to the former Barton station site near Bulmers.

It was a huge mistake to allow building to encroach on the old railway alignment south of Bulmers, but a tramway requires far less space then a heavy rail route and if some means could be found to extend the tram line south to Belmont, it might be possible to create a fantastic park and ride service for the city from two or three points on such a tram route.

Where space can be created, modern passenger tramways can coexist with traffic on ordinary roads, and stopping places can be numerous.

The infrastructure and civil engineering costs are far lower than those for a conventional railway, and in the next couple of years some useful tramway rolling stock may be on the market.

The original 1990s tram fleet in Manchester, for example, is due to be replaced in 2014, and perhaps refurbished vehicles might meet the needs of Hereford.

If anyone in local government in Hereford has the gumption to look at this possibility, they should do so as a matter of urgency.

The tramway plan might require a single track flyover to take the line over the railway near the hospital and down through Station Approach, and this would have to be accommodated in plans for the new link road through Edgar Street.

This proposal surely deserves serious thought, lest a wonderful opportunity to ease the city’s congestion be lost.

DR MARTIN CONNOP PRICE, Eastfield Road, Ross -on-Wye.