PLANS to pedestrianise Queen Street could be have to be abandoned if an Oxford college continues to block a new bus turning circle.

Oxfordshire County Council has launched a public consultation on a scheme to fully pedestrianise the street in time for the opening of the revamped £440m Westgate Centre in October 2017.

To remove buses from Queen Street transport bosses want to construct a turning circle on the corner of Worcester Street, Park End Street, and New Road.

But Nuffield College has objected because it could affect future development of Worcester Street car park, which it owns.

Oxford City Council leader Bob Price said the objection was a "fly in the ointment" as progress continued with the Westgate Centre construction work, including a flagship John Lewis department store.

He said: "We have always said we support the pedestrianisation of Queen Street and we understood the idea of the turning circle had been accepted and everything seemed to be fine.

"But now Nuffield College has said that is not the case and clearly that puts a fly in the ointment.

"The Westgate Centre development is not affected by this, but the traffic arrangements need to be finalised as soon as possible."

Mr Price warned that pedestrianisation could be "threatened" if there was no agreement regarding the turning circle.

He added: "The character of the city will be changed by the new Westgate Centre - the footfall in Queen Street and Bonn Square will increase so the conflict between pedestrians and buses could be more serious.

"I think the experience of Queen Street over the past few months when the buses have not been there has shown it can be a more civilised place."

Mr Price said the only way to achieve pedestrianisation in Queen Street if the turning circle was not allowed would be for buses to turn around in Frideswide Square, but he did not think this was a realistic alternative as it would not be supported by bus companies or the county council.

Earlier this month it emerged that paving used in a £6.7m redesign of the square was cracking and a roundabout opposite the Royal Oxford Hotel was not big enough for large vehicles.

County council cabinet member for transport David Nimmo-Smith said he was disappointed that a problem had arisen at a "relatively late stage."

He added: "We are not really in a position to go back to the drawing board - we need to sit down with Nuffield College and see how we can overcome these concerns - Frideswide Square is not designed for more buses."

County council spokesman Martin Crabtree added: "We have been speaking, and continue to speak to the college."

Gwilym Hughes, the college's head of endowments, said: "At the moment we are waiting for proposals to come back to us from the county council that we can look at together.

"Clearly we will have to listen to what they say and what their thinking is."

Stagecoach Oxfordshire said earlier it would accept Queen Street pedestrianisation if turning arrangements were provided and Oxford Bus Company director Phil Southall said the turning circle was a "pre-requisite" for the closure of Queen Street to buses.

The county council's consultation on Queen Street pedestrianisation ends on October 14.