A reduction in the number of London coaches travelling along Oxford's High Street should be central to improvements to the historic road, transport planners will be told.o Traders claim the 2,500 buses and coaches a day thundering up the High Street could be significantly cut if up to a third of London coaches could be kept away from the city centre.

And they are calling for fines generated by the bus gate to be used for improvements to the famous street.

At a meeting to discuss future plans for the High Street, council officers will be asked to investigate the idea of some London buses running to and from park-and-rides on the edge of the city.

University colleges in High Street added to the pressure on the county council warning that the road was being turned into "a giant bus station", with their students having to endure "24-hour noise and air pollution."

Graham Jones, of Oxford High Street Business Association, said any improvements package should address the issue of 250 coach trips a day to the capital.

He said: "We believe there is now an opportunity to see whether the huge volume of buses could be slowed down, with some coach journeys to London starting at the park-and-rides.

"There is no absolutely need for all the London coaches to come into the city centre. They could start off from Redbridge, for example, and then pick up passengers at the Thornhill park-and-ride.

"People from Witney could get a London bus from Pear Tree or Water Eaton.

"It would also have the additional benefit of saving many people from having to travel into the city centre to catch a bus."

Martin Sutton, managing director of Stagecoach, owners of the Oxford Tube, said: "We will be happy to engage with and look at any proposal coming out of the discussions.

" If there was an alternative to the High Street in terms of access to the city centre we would be happy to consider it. But the number of passengers using the service is continuing to grow."

Philip Kirk, managing director of the Oxford Bus Company, said: "The coaches and buses coming into the city are part of the economic lifeblood of Oxford.

"There are large numbers of passengers picked up and set down on the High Street and in Headington."

David Marcus, manager of Reginald Davies jewellers in High Street, said: "This is the most famous high street in the country. Some of that cash could be invested in repairs for the High Street."