MORE buses in Oxford will return to Queen Street this weekend after it was reopened.

The street had been closed by Oxfordshire County Council since June 6 to allow construction work at the Westgate Shopping Centre.

But it reopened last week, with bus companies saying they would reinstate bus stops there.

Routes that will now pass through Queen Street again include the 35 and 300,

Oxford Bus Company managing director Phil Southall said: “We’re very pleased Queen St has reopened, and it’s also great news for our customers who have endured lengthy diversions and longer walks to bus stops during the closure.

“We will be restoring services 35 and 300 to using Queen Street from this coming weekend too.

“Whilst the flow of traffic has improved with St Aldates being less congested, unfortunately the closure has impacted on the number of people we have been bringing into the city and we hope the reopening will restore peoples confidence in coming to Oxford.”

Stagecoach Oxfordshire managing director Martin Sutton added: “Buses have been back in Queen Street for a week and buses are running well.

“I am sure that many of our customers will appreciate not having to walk quite so far to catch their bus home”

It comes after bus companies warned the temporary closure of Queen Street was slowing down journeys as traffic congestion worsened.

There were proposals to permanently close the road to buses from next autumn when Westgate reopens, due to concerns that increased numbers of shoppers would make continued use of the route by buses unsafe.

But last month county council transport boss David Nimmo Smith said this would be postponed for at least six months so the council could monitor the situation.