PEOPLE living in Oxford could be in line for valuable discounts under a new card scheme being dubbed a "Passport to Oxford".

Oxford City Council has launched a study into introducing a free, city-wide card entitling holders to a raft of benefits.

The idea is for it to become an all-embracing card for access to leisure centres, libraries, museums and other tourist attractions.

It could even include discounted theatre tickets, restaurant tables and shopping.

It would replace cards issued by the city council, including Slice cards for reduced leisure centre admission.

Other towns and cities including Swindon, Reading and Windsor, operate similar schemes.

Council deputy leader David Rundle said: "This is not a money-saving measure from the council, but it's a way of assisting all council taxpayers at a time when we know hard times are biting.

"We want to make this a significant part of what we are trying to do over the next couple of years.

"It's about making the city more accessible for all its citizens."

No details have yet emerged about exactly which attractions could be involved in the project, but among the most popular in Oxford are university colleges and the Ashmolean Museum in Beaumont Street.

The Passport to Oxford card is seen as an obvious way to address the issue of free swimming for teenagers.

Since it was introduced in 2006, free swimming for under-17s has cost the authority thousands of pounds.

Oxford was unable to offer free swimming only to those living in the city because discriminating against people on where they live is contrary to European law.

The council has committed £13,000 to fund a study into seeing if the idea can work.

Mr Rundle said: "The city is a huge draw regionally and internationally, which has advantages to the economy, but we don't get this at the expense of our residents - for which we want the city to be as accessible as possible.

"If we can get something like this going, I would see it as one of our biggest achievements."

Town Hall experts are modelling their feasibility study on the Advantage card available to those living in the borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, where residents receive monthly special rates on BUPA healthcare membership, Windsor Castle, Legoland and even car parks.

A city council spokesman said: "We will be looking to see whether a scheme like this could work in Oxford.

"Ideally, residents would be able to pay less for facilities and we hope our local partners would also come on board and offer a wide range of discounts and offers."