Plans to pedestrianise Oxford’s main city streets and keep buses out of Queen Street have outraged pensioners.

About 100 OAPs filled the Town Hall yesterday to question Oxfordshire County Council over its ‘Transform Oxford’ scheme, set to begin this summer.

The first stage of the three-year project would relocate all bus stops from Queen Street to Castle Street, New Road and St Aldate’s, and see it pedestrianised.

The council is also considering stopping all buses from the east of the city at the Plain, with giant shuttle buses into the centre along High Street.

Campaigners said last night they were delighted that so many pensioners turned out to voice their opposition.

The main complaints were that the elderly and ill would face much longer walks, especially to the shops in Queen Street, and they would have to wait longer for buses and connections.

Michael Rogers, of Littlemore, said he and his neighbours already had to get two buses if they want to travel the three miles into the city centre.

The changes would mean they needed three — two to reach the Plain and then the shuttle into the centre.

He asked whether county council transport chief Ian Hudspeth would really listen to the voices of the ill and old.

He said: “Older people find walking long distances difficult.

“We live in an ageing society, but people with age-related medical problems, such as poor mobility, have legal rights which have to be recognised by all Government controlled authorities and organisations.”

Bill Jupp, from Marston, said: “Older people want to go from A to B to get into town, and town means Carfax to them, it doesn’t mean The Plain. Don’t take away our services, they have been hard fought for.

“Thirty years it took to get our bus pass, now we want the service to go with it.”

Mr Hudspeth, unable to attend the meeting, sent principal transport planner Craig Rossington to field questions.

He said there were currently too many buses, dirty, cluttered streets and poor quality paving and the proposed transformation would help make the city better for everyone.

Faced with a series of critical questions and comments, Mr Rossington said: “We will take your comments into consideration.”

He also told Mr Jupp: “Even at peak hour there are still buses that are not full and that is something that we need to tackle.”

The Transform Oxford scheme also proposes to pedestrianise parts of George Street and Magdalen Street.

Pensioners’ Forum chairman Margaret Simpson said: “I think the fact so many older people came to the meeting, especially with the recent cold weather, shows just how strongly the feeling is about the plans.”

awilliams@oxfordmail.co.uk