A campaign to scrap charges at Swinford Toll Bridge has gathered momentum, with hundreds more signing a petition and Tory leader David Cameron lending his support.

Jane Tomlinson's call for the 5p charge for crossing the bridge to be abolished has been supported by 400 people frustrated by the delays caused by queuing to pay.

Mrs Tomlinson, an artist, of Eynsham, travels each day by bus to Oxford and is so sick of the slow progress off the bridge that she launched an online petition.

She met Witney MP David Cameron last week and is to meet county council cabinet member for transport David Robertson.

She said: "It's been very positive and encouraging. David Cameron has said he unequivocally supports a compulsory purchase order being put on the bridge by the county council. It's not his job to sort this out, but he can help us campaign.

"I am hoping to put the case for compulsory purchase to David Robertson when I see him. So far everybody I have talked to is in favour of the tolls being done away with.

"I have had some hate mail since having publicity, but the person did not give any proper reason and wouldn't enter into any debate, which I thought was very cowardly and stupid."

Mrs Tomlinson also met a senior manager from Stagecoach, whose buses cross the bridge more than 70 times a day and pay 20p a time.

The company, which pays by account so its buses do not have to stop, is in favour of a bus lane being introduced.

Martin Sutton, director of Stagecoach Oxfordshire, said: "The bridge does cause a delay of about 20 minutes, particularly in the mornings and at peak times.

"Whether this is caused by the paying of the toll or not, I don't know. But we would like a bus lane to be introduced, from the roundabout at the A40 to the bridge, as this would encourage people to use the bus."

The county council has included a bus lane on the approach to the bridge in its five-year transport strategy plan, but Mrs Tomlinson does not think this will be enough.

She said: "I support the building of a bus lane because it encourages more people to use public transport, but I can't help thinking of my poor, frustrated fellow citizens who have no choice but to use their cars to get where they need to be.

"There is an elephant on the table here which everyone can see, but no-one will deal with.

"A bus lane is one of the many ways to alleviate traffic queues and time wasting for a small number of bridge users, but it doesn't tackle the heart of the matter.

"It's another measure which skirts round it. I wonder if the thousands of pounds of public money used to build a bus lane wouldn't benefit more people if it was put towards compulsorily purchasing the bridge and scrapping those tolls."

An average of 10,000 drivers cross the bridge every day.