PROPOSALS for a new monorail system between Witney and Oxford have been criticised as a “bridge too far.”

New Zealand company SkyCabs International wants to build its first network in West Oxfordshire after it demonstrates the concept in Auckland next year.

Chief executive Hugh Chapman claimed the £205m project would allow passengers to travel between Witney and Bonn Square in 17 minutes and could be extended to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Headington for an extra £45m.

But Witney mayor Jim King said the proposals, which have been submitted to Oxfordshire County Council as part of the consultation on alleviating congestion on the A40, were not workable.

Witney Oxford Transport Group also expressed concerns about the monorail.

Mr King said: “I just think of the cost. I do not know where they would find the money from.

“The bigger the cost the less affordable it becomes.

“I do not think you would be able to get a monorail system into Witney, you would have to go quite high to avoid commercial vehicles.

“The monorail is probably a brilliant idea in principle but I think it is a bridge too far .”

The SkyCabs elevated small group automated rapid transport (ESGART) system would be made up of 160 cabs which could carry eight seated and eight standing passengers.

The computer controlled electric cabs would sit alongside an elevated beam which would run the length of the route.

Mr Chapman said they would travel at an average speed of 37mph and would stop at 16 stations along a route which would follow the A40 to Eynsham and then the Eynsham Road and Botley Road to Bonn Square where they would turn around and return to Witney.

He said: “SkyCabs has the smallest overhead structure and the smallest footprint for highest capacity of any two-way transport system.

“The SkyCabs line would showcase a grand view of Oxford for both visitors and residents while providing fast and attractive on-demand service for commuter, business and local trips.

“We are preparing to prove the system with a short line at the University of Auckland during 2015. A lot of engineering work has been done and is being progressed ready for the line.

“SkyCabs is the horizontal equivalent of a vertical lift.

“Little waiting and a fast trip on demand.”

The proposals were put forward in response to an ongoing consultation on improving the A40.

Last month county council leader Ian Hudspeth put forward five initial options – a £50m bus lane, a £120m dual carriageway, a £165m guided busway, a £240m tramway and a £285m railway.

Witney Oxford Transport Group officer Hugh Jaeger said other options were more viable.

He said: “If you look at the options the county council has put forward all those options will allow you to make onward connections, a monorail is a completely self-contained unit.

“Thank you very much to SkyCabs International for looking across the globe and offering to solve our problems but I think there are a lot of problems with their proposal.

“We cannot see how the monorail is better than using another more established form of public transport.”

The consultation on the county council’s A40 proposals will run until Sunday, November 8, and can be viewed at oxfordshire.gov.uk.

County council deputy director for strategy and planning Bev Hindle said: “One of the aims of the A40 consultation is to stimulate a broad debate on how the problems along the A40 could be resolved. “We welcome suggestions which will be considered by cabinet when they discuss the results of the consultation in the new year.”