THERE has been much talk, and some action, towards pedestrianising town centres, with varying degrees of success.

The essential objectives of pedestrianisation have been to reduce vehicle/pedestrian conflict in the interests of safety, and to improve the air quality in town centres.

Simply excluding private cars, to replace them with buses has either not been achieved, or simply resulted in higher levels of pollution from diesel buses.

While trams and metro systems have been introduced in various cities, to provide public transport and transport links, they have required massive investment and extensive civil engineering, putting them beyond the reach of most local authorities.

A simpler way forward is needed. What appears to have been overlooked is that Britain has a long history of narrow gauge and miniature lightweight railways.

If miniature railways can be used to transport people around holiday resorts and zoo's etc, why not town centres?

Preston's Central Bus Station with its western apron divided by a shopping mall, would leave an area between the Guildhall and the bus station, that could be developed as a light railway station. Bus passengers or carpark users would have medium speed access to other part of the town centre, or be able to return to the bus station.

A narrow gauge light railway could have tracks on the existing road surfaces, to provide a round-the-town-centre continuous hop-on, hop-off service.

Ray Johnson, Ribbleton, Preston.