Letter: Cars vs trains

Sir: John Muldoon's call for the return of litter bins on the London Underground (letters, 27 May) is likely to go unanswered.

London Underground managers have told me privately that they are reluctant to bring back litter bins because there is no evidence that they contribute to making stations tidier. Without them, most people tend to put their sweet wrappers and dirty tissues in their pockets and handbags. According to this theory, those who drop their rubbish on the platform would do so anyway, litter bins or not. And, of course, London Underground saves millions on the expense of emptying the bins and disposing of their contents.

CHRISTIAN WOLMAR

London N19