Cautious welcome for city bus ban

Bus stops in Queen Street will be moved to make it safer for shoppers

Radical plans to ban buses from Oxford city centre and make it more pedestrian-friendly have received a cautious welcome.

Bus companies have recognised that enhancements can be made but warn that good access to the heart of the city must be maintained.

Meanwhile, businesses said they wanted to see increased value for money and "not just an expensive makeover".

The county council proposals aim to make the city more welcoming and safer.

Stagecoach in Oxfordshire said it was "receptive to any proposals to enhance the attractiveness of Oxford City Centre".

In a statement, managing director Martin Sutton, said: "Oxford has the highest level of bus use of any similar sized city in the UK, and it is essential that bus users are not disadvantaged by bus stops being moved to remote and inconvenient locations.

"Good access to the heart of the city must be maintained, especially for elderly and less mobile passengers and for those wishing to make connections."

I don't think it will mean fewer people coming, it will probably mean more people Corinne Grimley Evans Oxford Pedestrians Association

Philip Kirk, managing director at the Oxford Bus Company, said: "Overall, we are enthusiastic about helping to bring improvements to the central area."

The council has admitted that the plans are "radical". Bus stops will be moved and there are plans to introduce state-of-the-art tram-like vehicles.

If approved, work will start in Queen Street next year and will include diverting traffic and landscaped roads.

Noam Bleicher, from Bus Users UK in Oxford, called the scheme "drastic".

"I think phase one is feasible but the county will have to think long and hard about how it accommodates those people who will have a very long walk between buses when they change," he told BBC Oxford.

Oliver O'Dell, from OX1 which represents businesses in the city centre, is concerned about the impact of construction work.

If the plans are approved work could start in Queen Street next year

"I think what businesses want to see at the end of the day is significant improvements in value for money and not just an expensive makeover," he said.

"I think the details as they are in the plans will provide that but it's how you get from the beginning to the end."

Under the plans bus routes would be diverted, pavements would be widened and the road landscaped.

George Street and Magdalen Street could also be pedestrianised in 2010, which could lead to the creation of outdoor street cafes and restaurants.

It was welcomed by Corinne Grimley-Evans of the Oxford Pedestrians Association.

"I don't think it will mean fewer people coming, it will probably mean more people because it's such a more pleasant experience. Safer, quieter," she said.

The county council said it was committed to the proposals but would seek views from local people and interested parties.