OXFORDSHIRE County Council says it doubts bus companies’ proposals to cut vehicle numbers in the city centre by a quarter and deliver the early pedestrianisation of Queen Street.

Oxford’s two main bus companies yesterday set out how they hoped to take buses out of Queen Street as early as next year, two years ahead of Oxfordshire County Council’s own schedule for pedestrianisation.

Oxford Bus Company and Stagecoach also revealed they are looking to introduce joint ticketing and joint timetabling to reduce the number of buses clogging up Oxford’s historic streets.

The managers of the rival bus companies signalled their readiness by offering to form a ‘quality bus partnership’ with the county council.

But Ian Hudspeth, the county council’s cabinet Member for Transport, said: “The Oxford Bus Company has admitted that changing even just its ticketing system could take 18 months — doing so for both companies may be even more complicated.

“To put it mildly, I’m not convinced that they can bring about the changes quickly enough to justify putting off this year’s Queen Street scheme. If we go along with the bus companies’ suggested way forward on this scheme we could have far too long to wait.” allowed under Government legislation.

Since the county council announced its Transform Oxford programme to pedestrianise much of the city centre, there has been a public show of unity between County Hall and the bus firms.

But the council made clear its unhappiness with the alternative plans from the bus companies.

Ian Hudspeth, county council’s cabinet Member for Transport, said: “The Oxford Bus Company has admitted that changing even just its ticketing system could take 18 months — doing so for both companies may be even more complicated. To put it mildly I am not convinced that they can bring about the changes quickly enough to justify putting off this year’s Queen Street scheme.

“If we go along with the bus companies’ suggested way forward on this scheme we could have far too long to wait before the ball starts rolling.”

The bus companies had criticised County Hall’s “piecemeal” plans to remove bus stops this summer, long before full pedestrianisation. It warned the two stage approach would clog surrounding streets.