AS a fan of modern architecture I was attracted to Roger Sutton’s cable car proposal. Moreover I know Roger and believe he has Malvern’s interests at heart.

He rightly says debate should be about facts. With some regret, I’m not persuaded these ‘facts’ support his vision.

We’ve been reminded that many of Europe’s mountain ranges have cable cars accessing high-altitude ski slopes, restaurants or viewpoints.

But the Malverns aren’t ‘mountains’. Lots of people climb them for the gentle exercise and the marvellous views. Others don’t: because they’re old, ill or unfamiliar with the hills.

Would enough of either group use a cable car instead? ‘Enough’ to provide the £6,250 daily or £1.65million annual income required to meet its £6million capital cost – a figure that excludes, for example, the bizarre plan to turn the ground-level Waitrose car park into a multi-story structure?

I suspect not. I’ve seen no research to suggest otherwise and even less supporting the curious claim that half the population can’t climb the hills because of age or disability when fewer than 20 per cent of us are disabled, over 65 or both.

The scheme’s also been compared with Derbyshire’s Heights of Abraham. Access there is extremely steep with an alternative walk taking several hours, while the site includes a cave tour, tower, restaurant, play area, visitor centre and much else. This is, in other words, a large but remote commercial tourist destination.

By comparison, I can reach the hills from Westminster Bank in about 10 minutes. Other routes are shorter and many are accessible to mobility vehicles. The hills are building-free and ‘all’ you can do when you reach one summit is walk to another.

Decisively, the Conservators, who own the hills, say current legislation forbids a cable car.

Is it likely an MP will table a Bill altering their terms of reference, win time for debate and have it passed against the wishes of the Conservators and many local people? I suspect not.

Since 1942, Malvern’s biggest employer has been a world leader in electronics and we have many other high-tech firms. Roger and I have discussed a visitor centre reflecting our technology heritage and if he or others revive the idea, they’ll certainly have my support.

David Robertson

West Malvern