As Anthony Bramley-Harker noted in last week’s Observer (New life for rail line, Letters, May 31), more and more high rise buildings are going up around us in Watford, and there seems less and less space for greenery. Most of the front gardens of older houses in this area seem now to be paved or tarmacked over, and I was shocked to see the large area in front of a brand new house similarly treated so not a blade of grass could grow anywhere on it. A major new road has cut through Oxhey Park and most of the green space beside it will shortly be built on to provide leisure facilities.

It occurs to me that one thing that could be done to improve our environment without too much upheaval would be to plant substantial trees along Tom Sawyer Way, turning it into an avenue. They would help veil the impact of the giant warehouses and blocks of flats going up along that wide and currently rather bleak road. In due course they could provide the sort of welcome green shade that we enjoy on Deacon’s Hill.

Maybe this could be another project worthy of an application to the Urban Tree Challenge Fund Mr Bramley-Harker mentions.

Jean Alexander

Oxhey Road, Watford