Prostitues may finally face antisocial behaviour orders - a year and a half after police first announced they would use the orders against women who are repeatedly caught soliciting.

Oxford city councillor Sajjad Malik praised police for dealing with the problem in Cowley Road, but said Asbos should have been introduced earlier.

In February 2005, the Oxford Mail reported that police were planning to use Asbos against Cowley Road's vice girls. Since then, three women have signed acceptable behaviour contracts (ABCs) promising to curb their behaviour, but none has been given an Asbo.

Speaking this week, Mr Malik said: "The number of them (prostitutes) has gone down and the girls are not seen as much as they used to be.

"So far, the police have put good efforts into dealing with them, but they need to keep going.

"I welcome Asbos, but they are only a short-term solution and they should have been imposed a long time ago."

Pc Al Muir, community beat officer for St Mary's Ward, said police had been working to clamp down on prostitutes in East Oxford, but had to collate plenty of evidence.

He said: "We have to prove to a court that they have been soliciting, so we have to see them approaching people, or going up to a car window."

He said the first time prostitutes were caught within 12 months, they would be cautioned, the second asked to sign an ABC and the third time they could be arrested.

So far, two prostitutes have been convicted by Oxford magistrates of soliciting.

Nadia Gregor, 23, of Speedwell Street, admitted the offence in December 2005 and was given a six month conditional discharge and ordered to pay £43 costs.

Sammy-Jo Kerry, 18, of no fixed address, admitted the offence in August and was fined £50.

Pc Muir said: "We are looking at going for Asbos as well. We want to speak to our partner agencies to see if we have enough evidence there.

"Most of these girls have heavy class A drug dependencies and are doing it to feed their habit. Really you have to give them a chance to reform and curb their behaviour."

Pc Muir added kerb crawlers, particularly men who specifically came to Oxford to find a prostitute, would also be targeted by police.