THE long-running saga over whether buses will be allowed in Queen Street when the Westgate Centre reopens looks set to be decided by Government intervention.

A decision will be referred to the Department for Transport unless the city’s two main bus operators withdraw their objections by this afternoon.

But Oxford Bus Company re-affirmed its objection yesterday and said the ban would have a ‘long-term negative effect’ on the city.

Managing director, Phil Southall, said its buses would end up travelling an extra 149,000 miles causing longer journey times and damaging the city’s air quality in the process.

He said: “The county council has suggested the displaced buses could go to St Aldates – the worst area of air pollution in Oxford, by a considerable margin.”

Oxfordshire County Council said public safety was an issue if buses were to compete with thousands of pedestrians for space.

Mr Southall said: “While safety is always an important consideration, attached to it is often a high level of emotion which can cloud one’s judgment.

“It would be foolish to allow the hysteria of the minority to cause long-lasting damage to our city.”

He added that 48 per cent of people opposed the ban during a consultation with just 33 per cent backing it.

Councillors will be asked to approve an experimental order for buses to be banned from the street for 18 months from the centre reopening.

Negotiations have continued over recent days but the deadlock is unlikely to be broken ahead of today’s county council cabinet meeting.