Oxford's historic High Street is being overwhelmed by 2,500 bus services a day, claims a hotelier.

And Jeremy Mogford, the owner of the Old Bank Hotel, says he is preparing to pay for an independent survey to highlight the damage being inflicted on the city's most famous street.

Mr Mogford said he had decided to bring in consultants after being driven to despair by the number of buses thundering past his hotel and adjoining restaurant, the Quod.

He believes that buses in the High should no longer be viewed as the answer to the city's transport problems - but rather "a monster" that is destroying the city's historic heart.

Mr Mogford said: "The county council's own figures suggest there are more than 2,500 bus journeys along the High daily.

"I have lived and worked in Oxford for 30 years. The High is no longer an attractive place to walk and shop. It has been allowed to become a giant bus park."

He said buses now obs- cured the architecture and polluted the air so much that guests at the Old Bank and Quod frequently asked to be moved from bedrooms or tables facing the street.

Mr Mogford added: "The time has come for the councils to show some imagination and really think about what can be done. Historic Oxford is being taken for granted and the street that triggered the Oxford Transport Strategy has ended up becoming its ultimate cas- ualty."

He said taking London buses out of the city centre should be a priority. His preferred solution would be to create bus hubs near the city centre, where passengers could switch to smaller, eco-friendly buses.

Philip Kirk, managing director of the Oxford Bus Company said more than 50 per cent of all journeys into the centre of Oxford were made by bus and any High Street bus restriction would cause great inconvenience.