OXFORD Civic Society and pensioners in Oxford have urged the county council to rethink key elements of Transform Oxford, a scheme to pedestrianise parts of the city centre.

Last week, Oxfordshire County Council set aside £1.2m for the first part of the plan to reduce the number of buses in the city’s historic streets and main shopping area.

Phase one should see a cut in buses in Queen Street, with pavements widened and bus-stops removed in the summer and relocated to Castle Street, New Road and St Aldate’s.

Ian Hudspeth, county cabinet member for transport, has been presenting the plans at meetings across Oxford. But any hopes that the multi-million-pound scheme would be universally welcomed have been dashed.

About 100 penisoners filled the Town Hall earlier this month, with many complaining that the plans would mean them facing longer walks to the shops and longer waits for buses. Many were particularly upset at a proposal to stop all buses at The Plain, at the end of High Street, and provide shuttle buses into the city centre. And now Oxford Civic Society’s detailed response to Transform Oxford will come as a further blow to County Hall transport planners.

Tony Joyce, chairman of the society, is urging the council to ditch proposals to fully pedestrianise George Street by 2010, warning the the knock-on effect of more buses using St Giles’ will damage the environment around the Martyrs’ Memorial. He said the society was also opposed to the creation of a new bus interchange at The Plain.

Mr Joyce added: “The society concludes that on present evidence, pedestrianising George Street and moving the buses northwards from Magdalen Street into St Giles’ is impractical, because of its adverse effect on two major city streets (St Giles’ and Beaumont Street) and on access by public transport to the city centre, the railway station and the West End. It also considers that the interests of all those living in the eastern half of the city and beyond must be protected when considering how far it is feasible to reduce the number of buses using the High Street.

“The proposal to force passengers to transfer to shuttle buses at The Plain should be dropped as disruptive to bus services and damaging to the environment in East Oxford.”

Mr Joyce added: “There is no real need to pedestrianise George Street, and redesigning Frideswide Square should be tackled as a priority. We believe new legislation will allow the council to negotiate with the bus companies to reduce the number of buses using routes like the High Street, so there will be no need for a new interchange at The Plain.”

Cyclists have also met with the county as part of the consultation and demanded assurances that the pedestrianisation would not result in cyclists being banned from parts of the city centre.