THE man who dedicated his working life to improving transport at the John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, has been honoured with a lasting tribute at the site.

NHS managers have revealed a new 500-metre long cycle and footpath which weaves through the grounds of the Headington-based hospital will be named after transport director David Edwards, who died suddenly last year.

Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Trust facilities and estates director Ian Humphries announced the news at a party held in memory of the father-of-two.

David Edwards Way is open to the public and links the hospital's entrances at Osler Road and Sandfield Road.

It runs alongside a bus-only link road which its namesake worked hard to develop as part of a £500,000 improvement scheme.

Mr Edwards's wife, Carol, of Tackley, said: "I am delighted with the trust's idea, and honoured on Dave's behalf.

"I hope that people will now enjoy using the new cycling and walking route, which runs through a beautiful part of the hospital's grounds."

The hospital's new transport measures, including a second bus-only link lane entering the hospital from Saxon Way, opened in October last year, not long before Mr Edwards died.

Both new bus routes cut down journey times for passengers and use new barrier technology preventing other drivers from using the bus-only roads.

They were part of a scheme put in place to cut down on an increase in traffic caused by the transfer of 1,200 staff and services from the old Radcliffe Infirmary in Woodstock Road to the JR's new West Wing.

Mr Edwards played a major part in the project, which also included the cycle path and the highly successful Water Eaton park-and-ride to the JR, which opened this year.

ORH spokesman Elika Saedi said: "David was a keen cyclist, runner and advocate of green and public transport.

"The cycle/bus roads were just one of many of David's achievements for the trust, its staff and visitors, and the naming of the road seemed the most fitting tribute to him."