MIKE Usherwood's letter (December 2) points out the advantages of making Elvington into a regional airport.

This is such an obviously good idea except for those living in or around Elvington itself that one would assume it would win huge support.

But experience suggests that, shopping centres excepted, big ideas no longer flourish around York. A northern ring road without a dual carriageway and the failure to build a York Parkway railway station - too late now that a supermarket has been built on the obvious site - are examples of short-term cost-saving winning over long- term common sense.

York is not just a city it is a regional centre. It's time to think big again.

Henry Scrope,

New Parks,

Shipton-by-Beningbrough

York.

Updated: 08:40 Saturday, December 06, 2003