THE manager of the new Westgate centre has said transport bosses should stick to their guns over a decision to pedestrianise Queen Street.

Development manager Sara Fuge said keeping the street clear of buses was ‘vital’ to the success of the centre and encouraging people to explore the rest of Oxford.

But the city’s bus companies and Oxfordshire County Council are locked in talks over the issue, with an ‘experimental traffic order’ to pedestrianise the street still being drawn up.

The situation would then be monitored once the centre opens in October, before a permanent solution is decided on.

Ms Fuge said: “When people come to the Westgate, which could be around 15 million visitors each year, we want them staying in the city and going beyond the centre to places like the Covered Market and other independents.

“I understand people getting in and out of Oxford by bus but pedestrians need to be able to move freely through Queen Street.”

She added: “Also if you look at the shopping habits of people in the pedestrianised Cornmarket Street compared to Queen Street, they are more likely to mill about for longer in Cornmarket but they have to be careful with the vehicles in Queen Street and are less likely to go into the shops there.”

She said the Westgate Oxford Alliance was working closely with the county council and bus companies, but that it was up to them to come up with a solution.

Oxford City Council and Westgate Oxford Alliance have firmly backed pedestrianisation with £2m being pledged towards improving the street, and the county council has also contributed.

But following intervention from the city’s two major bus companies, Stagecoach and Oxford Bus Company, over fears it would cause ‘gridlock’ by cutting off a route used by buses to turn around, the county council decided to work on an experimental traffic order.

Phil Southall, Managing Director of Oxford Bus Company said: “We appreciate that Westgate management will be concerned about their development and getting the best for their customers.

“However, we are deeply concerned about the flow of buses and traffic in general around the whole city centre and the impact this will have on everybody, not just shoppers.

“The impact that the closure of Queen St will have is a critical issue and we can’t emphasise enough how important it will be.”

Mr Southall said the firm was still working with the county council and would be deciding whether or not to object once the order was produced.

A further complication arose last week when the county’s cabinet member for transport, David Nimmo Smith, lost his seat on the council in the local elections.

Oxfordshire County Council spokesman Martin Crabtree said: “Cabinet agreed that officers will work on the proposal for an experimental traffic regulation order that would pedestrianise Queen Street – this work is still ongoing.

“The proposal will be subject to consultation and would be presented to Cabinet for a decision.

“The intention is for the experimental traffic order to be in place in time for the Westgate Centre opening and it would be monitored with a decision taken on any permanent solution after a suitable period of time.”