Conservatives have claimed the TV savaging given to the Oxford Transport Strategy was fully justified.

Although county officers believe the strategy has been good news for the city, the Tories have backed BBC's Top Gear presenter Quentin Willson, who said the OTS had been an attack on motorists.

Cllr Keith Mitchell told a full meeting of the county council that it should apologise for its policy.

He said: "I have often argued that the strategy is a simple attack on motorists and a waste of money rather than a genuine attempt to provide an alternative means of transport.

"I have also held the view that those who seek to act as apologists for the scheme have little of substance to say.

"I believe the almost hysterical reaction to the episode of Top Gear broadcast last Thursday underlines the weakness of the arguments of those who extol the virtues of the OTS. It did not surprise me that a motoring programme took a motorists' view of the changes. Indeed, it would be a foolish person who thought they would do anything else."

Transport chiefs condemned the programme, pointing out that there were many benefits of the OTS including the new traffic-free Cornmarket Street, quicker bus times and cleaner air. Private cars are no longer allowed to drive through parts of the city centre during specified times.

Story date: Thursday 18 November

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