A special fleet has been launched by Oxford Bus Company to cope with the annual influx of foreign language students to the city.

It is hoped the Q buster buses will ease pressure on the existing services and make life more comfortable for the company's regular passengers.

Passengers who regularly use the buses become frustrated in the summer months, being forced to wait behind a queue of students.

Oxford Bus Company operations director Louisa Weeks, said: "The scheme represents quite a bold move for us.

"We realise the overseas students who come to the city in the summer make a dramatic contribution to the area's economy.

"But in the past it's been extremely frustrating for us as often, without warning, anywhere between 30 and 100 students can turn up at a bus stop to catch one of our regular services.

"It means the buses are very crowded, our regular passengers can't get on and it is unnecessarily difficult for everyone.

"Now we have managed to liaise with two of the Language Schools - STS and EF - who have given us details of their travel plans.

"We have dedicated an extra six buses and drivers to the Q buster service and the specially signed vehicles will be allocated to deal with the students."

Ms Weeks appealed to other language schools to get in touch to make similar arrangements and added: "We don't want anything other than a tip-off about their travel plans.

"There is no need for their students to queue for buses, if they tell us where they are travelling from and to we can lay on one of these extra buses.

"It's a win-win situation for everyone."

Boglarka Jacso, a spokesman for STS, said: "The Q buster buses will make life a lot easier for everyone."