Way back when dinosaurs roamed the earth and I was a student at a famous university, no undergraduate was allowed to own a car. There was no parking at all for students - just an awful lot of bike racks and buses.

I have never been fitter in my life than I was when biking strenuously around the town (usually late and hungover), and because there were so many of us, the car drivers got used to being careful. There were cycle-lanes and bikes were allowed in the pedestrianised areas. It was by far the best way of getting around.

Obviously disabled and mature students should have dispensation from this rule, but if you're young and fit why would you need to sit and drive everywhere? I expect some of the Tremough students drive up to Truro to use the leisure centre gym ... to keep fit!

The other side of the coin is plenty of provision for bikes and public transport. Frankly, Cornish public transport is a disgrace. There should be more trains at less ridiculous times on the branch line to and from Falmouth, which should allow bikes on board. There should also be a very frequent subsidised hopper bus going from Tremough campus to the station, down to Commercial Road and back to the station again - free for students and people arriving by train. Why isn't it running already?

The ridiculous dependence we all have on cars will have to stop soon anyway - why not think ahead? Penryn could become the first ecologically-rational town in Britain.

Patricia Finney, c/o Moorish Things, Higher Market Street, Penryn