Proposed 20mph speed limits on most of Oxford's roads would be enforced "softly", County Hall has said.

County councillor Ian Hudspeth, cabinet member for transport, said a scheme would only be actively policed in areas where exceptional problems arose.

Mr Hudspeth and road safety officer Geoff Barrell spoke to the city council's south east area committee as part of an informal initial consultation on the plan.

Mr Hudspeth said: "This is the 10th meeting across Oxford we have attended in just over five weeks.

"We have had a lot of contact with people about this proposal — we are in listening mode at the moment."

When asked how the 20mph limits would be enforced, he said: "It will be what we call soft enforcement. It will involve police pulling cars over and talking to drivers rather than issuing them with a ticket straight away."

He acknowledged that Association of Chief Police Officers guidelines state officers would not routinely enforce such limits, adding that offenders would be dealt with in a similar way to those who drive while using a mobile phone.

He also said the scheme would be monitored at regular intervals to identify problem areas.

A county council booklet handed out at the meeting stated: "With limited police resources the speed limit is expected to be self-enforcing although enforcement will be carried out where there are exceptional problems."

The south east area committee, made up of city, county and parish councillors from the area, gave its full support in principal to the 20mph proposals.

Val Smith, a Blackbird Leys city councillor and Leys and Lye county councillor, said: "Lots of people are saying 'no, it won't work', but I think it will as long as people realise it's for their benefit. It is beholden to all of us to protect everybody.

"I think it is a brave step to take and one we should certainly be taking."

Rose Hill and Iffley city councillor Ed Turner — the deputy leader of Oxford City Council — said as many roads as possible should be limited to 20mph.

He added: "There are lots of different people in all parts of the city and this really unites them. I think it would be better for it to be more of a blanket scheme rather than less of one. There is real merit in slowing the rest of the traffic down."

Road safety officer Mr Barrell said: "It is not cut and dried, it is still open for debate."

For more information visit oxfordshire.gov.uk/20limits