OXFORD folk who have made efforts to travel in a green and eco-friendly way have been recognised under a new awards scheme.

Oxford City Council awarded its first Green Travel Awards to four individuals and two organisations for their work encouraging alternatives to driving in the city.

John Tanner, council cabinet member for a cleaner, greener Oxford, and Lord Mayor Mary Clarkson handed out bus passes donated by Stagecoach and Oxford Bus Company to the winners.

Mr Tanner said: “We are extremely keen to encourage green travel and we make it as difficult as possible for people to get around the city in their cars.

“But if you look at the jams coming into Oxford every day, we have got a long way to go and we could do more for cyclists and for pedestrians.

“It’s the way forward – it’s healthier, more effective and it makes for a better city.”

The two organisations nominated were Oxford Brookes University, for schemes including the subsidised Brookes Bus service and cycling incentives at the university, and support services contractors Amey Oxford, which encourages staff to cycle to work and has brought alternative-fuelled vehicles into its 4,000-strong fleet.

Schoolboy Ianto Cannon, from Iffley Fields, received an award for his work promoting cycling.

Cliff Jordan and Abi Johnson, two of the founders of Oxcar, aimed at getting people to avoid using their cars, also received awards.

Mr Jordan, of Cowley, said: “We are very pleased with how it has grown with several hundred members.

“We reckon it has displaced at least 70 cars that are no longer on the streets so we believe it is achieving its aims.”

James Styring, from cycling organisation Cyclox, said he was surprised to be nominated but happy to accept on behalf of the group.

New initiatives planned include bike “hubs” in the basements of city-centre buildings, linking up county cycle routes and introducing a Bike Polite scheme to educate cyclists not to ride on pavements, or jump red lights.

Mr Styring said: “What Cyclox has done is the result of dozens of activists and hundreds of supporters.”