Where Professor Alan Simpson's ideas (Vision for York: the new city beautiful report) are helpful is in the discussion of things that would add to York's attractiveness. In my opinion, where they are ridiculous is in mucking around with what the city already has.

The worst suggestions are the pedestrian bridge by the Museum Gardens and the Great Street, both completely unnecessary. York has Micklegate (the Viking Great Street, as another letter writer pointed out) and plenty of other “great” streets already. They happen to be small but very beautiful. It would be crazy to run a tram along narrow city-centre streets.

His more constructive ideas are ones such as better using the Foss Basin, but others are totally unrealistic. He says he wants more green space and then talks about having tram routes on the strays… this is not just “controversial”, it’s barmy and deeply worrying.

It also ignores the need to protect what is there now: a fantastic historical city which needs investment in the right areas. The Great Street Micklegate has independent shops closing. We should be supporting such businesses and recognising what is already there. If I mention to people in London (where I now live) that I’m from York, they always say how lovely the city is. Why mess about with that reputation? A facelift could help, but the last thing York needs is major surgery for perceived problems that don’t really exist.

Tom Derbyshire, Shepherds Bush, London