A campaign to counter the "systematic vandalism" of Oxford High Street has been launched by university colleges and businesses.

Colleges and traders say life is being made intolerable by the noise and pollution from 2,500 buses thundering along the street every day.

The campaign will call for a big reduction in buses and the removal of London and airport services.

And it will challenge the city and county councils to accept full responsibility for the sorry state of Oxford's "architectural jewel."

The campaign, called High Priority, will be headed by Jeremy Mogford, the owner of the Old Bank Hotel, who is the new chairman of the High Street Business Association.

And university colleges with medieval frontages on the street, have agreed to throw their weight behind an impressive alliance that will press for a fundamental switch in planning and transport policy and seek to make the "desecration of the High Street" a national issue.

The campaign will also push for repaving work to be resumed, after an improvements scheme was abandoned because of lack of funding. With repaving at the Cornmarket and Magdalen Bridge ends complete, it is claimed that leaving the middle section unfinished has resulted in an "ugly mish mash".

The decision to come out fighting was taken at a meeting of the Alliance on Tuesday nightJuly1, when it was claimed warnings about the decline of the world famous street were being ignored.

There was anger that improvement work is being limited to resurfacing the road, said to be close to collapse because of the volume of heavy buses.

The lack of investment in one of the city's greatest assets was compared with millions being spent on London Road to speed up bus journeys and the scheme to regenerate the city's West End.

Alliance spokesman Graham Jones said: "The High Street is an iconic streetscape, but one where the resident and visitor experience has been devalued.

"Because of our very serious concerns about the High Street, we are going to campaign for genuine improvements. We will be working closely with the colleges and all of those with a stake in the High Street area and seeking specialist advice."

Colleges have also expressed fears about pollution and vibrations damaging the fabric of buildings.

The bursar of All Souls, Thomas Seaman, has complained about his college's 600-year-old gateway being hidden by "hideous street signage and buses stopping and starting their journeys 24 hours a day".

Mr Mogford said: "We think the time has come to start banging the drum to get both the county and city council to recognise what the High Street means to Oxford, in terms of both heritage and tourism.

"In the first instance we would like to see London buses taken out. This is something that could be done relatively easily."