Rush hour traffic in Oxford may crawl along at 20mph - but that snail's pace speed is no slower than it was 20 years ago.

The figures, just released by the Government, will come as no great surprise to Oxford commuters.

But motorists snarled up in Oxford's jams can at least comfort themselves with the thought that they are better off than travellers in central London who move, on average, at 10mph.

Geoff Barrell, a road safety engineer with Oxfordshire County Council, said: "Oxford is unusual. Park and Ride means the amount of cars coming into Oxford has barely changed in 20 years. We were full up before anyone else.

He added: "People would probably be better off on a horse.

"It would be faster and more environmentally friendly because we could sweep up the muck and use it on our cabbages.

"Something has got to change and what we should be looking at is increasing the overall speeds but not necessarily for those travelling by car.

"We can't cater for unrestrained growth of the car."

He said there was not enough investment in alternative forms of transport such as buses and cycle lanes because people were 'addicted' to their cars.

"You might be stuck in congestion but you're not next to someone who's drunk or snarling like you might be on a bus," he said.

AA spokesman Rebecca Rees, said: "Oxford certainly has its share of problems. It's not as bad as central London but it's still among the worst places for congestion.

"We always advise people travelling to Oxford to use Park and Ride."

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