Pensioners are drawing up objections to plans to turn a quiet cul-de-sac outside their retirement apartments into a busy through-road.

They are opposing Oxfordshire County Council's plans to open up Wessex Way in Bicester to create a one-way route into Chapel Street as part of improvements to Market Square.

Burton Whitehead, chairman of Saxon Court Residents' Association, said: "We do not want to be bloody-minded over this proposal, but we have bought our apartments and pay for council services like everyone else.

"We want to play our part in the town. But we want to know what the alternatives are to opening up Wessex Way."

The plan was backed by the county, district and town councils.

But Labour county councillors -- including Bicester member Les Sibley -- succeeded in forcing a review of the decision.

Saxon Court's residents are preparing their objections ahead of a meeting of the county council's environmental scrutiny committee on December 18.

Mr Sibley, who is also a town councillor, told residents that the county did not look at alternatives before recommending Wessex Way should be opened.

"When a consultation exercise was mounted there was no consensus on what option to follow," he added.