BUS stops will be moved out of Queen Street from Sunday, July 19 as part of the scheme to make one of Oxford’s busiest shopping streets more pedestrian-friendly.

Oxfordshire County Council has now released full details of where the Queen Street bus stops will be relocated to and the bus services that will be affected. But it warned there could be confusion over the first few days as city bus-users come to terms with the changes.

The bus stops are being moved to St Aldate’s, Castle Street, New Road and High Street, as the first part of the Transform Oxford scheme, which will eventually lead to the pedestrianisation of much of the city centre.

Critics of the plan had warned the pavements on St Aldate’s would not be wide enough cope with the extra passengers, leading to congestion and bus-users spilling on to the road.

But Oxfordshire County Council says bus stops on affected streets will have new or improved bus shelters and enhanced passenger information.

County Hall expects the bus stop switch will cut by a third the number of buses travelling through Queen Street. But the shopping street will not be fully pedestrianised until 2011, during a later phase of the Transform Oxford scheme.

Before the July 19 start date, a new zebra crossing will be installed across New Road at its junction with Castle Street, to help passengers get to their new bus stops. It will be further up the road from the current crossing.

The footpath is also being widened at New Road between Castle Street and County Hall to help cope with the extra bus passenger numbers.

In recent weeks the council has been contacting major employers and schools warning about the bus changes. Council helpers will also be on hand in Queen Street during the early days of the change-over to point passengers to the correct stop. There will also be information points at Carfax and the Castle Street/New Road corner.

Ian Hudspeth, pictured, the county council cabinet member for growth and infrastructure, said: “Many people have looked for years for the reduction or removal of buses from Queen Street. This first phase of Transform Oxford makes significant progress in that direction.”

“It must be understood that any changes always present difficulties and challenges and undoubtedly in the first few days there will be issues to be ironed out as we go along.”

Shoppers will also have to put up with months of extensive building work on Queen Street stretching into the autumn, with resurfacing work and pavements being widened to create more space for pedestrians.

The Lib Dems had the plan to move bus stops out of Queen Street ‘called in’ at the county council, fearing it would increase congestion in St Aldate’s and the High Street, while worsening air quality.

Bus firms also opposed the plan, arguing that Queen Street should have been pedestrianised in one go.

Source: Witney Gazette