Shoppers will have to wait three years until Oxford's Queen Street is free of buses, writes Andrew Ffrench.

The warning came yesterday as city councillors on the highways and traffic committee discussed a planning application for the new 20m Westgate shopping centre development.

Work is expected to begin on revamping the centre in spring, but could take three years to complete. Pedestrianising Queen Street is a key aim of the Oxford Transport Strategy. It would help shoppers who have already benefited from buses being re-routed away from Cornmarket Street.

But bus company bosses have asked councillors not to pedestrianise neighbouring Queen Street until a new bus 'hub' has been built. Highways committee chairman Jean Fooks said: "Shoppers should not expect Queen Street to be pedestrianised until the hub is operational and that could be three years away.

"They will have to be patient, but there is no alternative."

Oxford Bus Company spokesman Jonathan Radley said: "We recognise the public demand for Queen Street to be pedestrianised and go along with it, but it won't be possible just yet." The outline planning application for the Westgate redevelopment, submitted by Capital Shopping Centres, is expected to be approved today.