Traders and delivery drivers using Oxford's Covered Market are to be given special permission to go against the city's transport strategy.

When the Oxford Transport Strategy was introduced in 1999, access to the High Street was restricted to buses and taxis during the day, and Cornmarket Street was pedestrianised.

Many businesses complained that their takings decreased, but Covered Market traders were particularly angry because the new regulations caused access problems for delivery drivers.

The county council agreed the new one-way restriction along Market Street was unacceptable and agreed to help out.

The council decided ten named traders could use passes to get through the barrier in Oriel Square before driving along Merton Street.

Trips were supposed to be limited to 40 a day, but monitoring took place and found that some drivers were breaking the agreement by taking the short cut after the agreed deadline of 10am.

Today's Oxford Transport Strategy Working Party was due to be told by David Young, director of environmental services:

"The Covered Market Traders Association has now requested consent for the same traders to be allowed through the Oriel Square barrier at any time of the day and in both directions."

The working party is expected to recommend the request be aggreed to on a 12-month trial basis,.