RETAILERS will be relied on to draw up plans encouraging shoppers and staff to ditch their cars as fears grow over access to the new £440m Westgate centre.

It comes as a number of key local authority projects designed to reduce congestion may now be delayed until after the opening day in October sparking fears of 'huge traffic problems'.

These include:

p A decision on whether buses will be allowed in Queen Street

p Seacourt Park and Ride expansion

p Electronic parking information signs along key routes

John Lewis, Primark, Next and other stores employing more than 40 people will be made to assign a 'Travel Plan Champion' and put together a package of 'nudges' to prompt shoppers and the centre's 3,000 employees to leave their cars at home.

They will be told to give out 'positive messages' that alternatives to cars are quick, convenient and inexpensive to influence shoppers' behaviour.

The estimated number of shopping trips could rise from five million to 15 million each year.

Two of the biggest employers - John Lewis and Primark - have also been ordered to install showers so staff will be more inclined to cycle to the centre.

But electronic information signs detailing the number of spaces there are in the city centre and at Park and Rides - highlighted in the plan to deter drivers at peak times - will not be ready.

Meanwhile plans to pedestrianise Queen Street remain in the hands of the Transport Secretary and an expansion of Seacourt Park and Ride has not moved forward.

The Westgate car park has fewer spaces than before to discourage drivers but the temporary multi-storey facility at Oxpens and another car park at Osney Lane could remain in place giving motorists more parking spaces.

Oxford Civic Society chairman Ian Green said the wider plan to keep vehicles moving was inadequate.

He said: "The Westgate has been in the planning for the best part of four years but the access arrangements are still in a very poor state.

"It's not just the Queen Street issue but access to the whole of the Westgate."

He added that pedestrian and cycle access to the site was also 'ill-thought-out' and would lead to more people using cars.

He said: "It's extremely disappointing that this development, which could have been used to enhance the city centre is likely to cause huge problems."

But Westgate Oxford Alliance has drawn up its own 'ambitious' travel plan which its retailers and restaurants will have to adhere to for the next five years.

These include a prize draw to reward shoppers who use the Park and Ride, bus, train or walk or cycle to the centre.

It encouraged click and collect schemes to point shoppers towards off-peak times and store managers will sit in on meetings to make sure all retailers are following the plan.

Brendan Hattam, general manager, said: “We have worked hard together with our retailers to create an ambitious travel plan to maximise awareness of sustainable travel options to Westgate, ensuring they are convenient and attractive to all staff and visitors.

"We are committed to minimising traffic disruption during peak times, whilst attempting to increase the proportion of people walking, cycling and using public transport to access Westgate and decrease the proportion of single occupancy trips by car.”

The flagship store John Lewis - set to employ 300 people - will draw up its own travel plan within three months of the centre's opening.

A spokesperson said: “We’re pleased to be opening our next shop in a city that’s so well known for cycling, and are working with Westgate on plans to make travelling to and from the centre sustainable.”

City council leader Bob Price praised the 'sensible' plan and said traffic issues were in a 'good state' ahead of the opening on October 24, but warned of weekend traffic slowing travel times.

He said: "There's a lot of information out there about the importance of not bringing cars into Oxford.

"It's a limited number of spaces in the Westgate car park but there's also the existing Oxpens temporary car park so I don't think there will be an issue of lack of spaces.

"The bus companies have done a remarkable job in that you can get to Oxford by bus from pretty much anywhere in the county and there is also the train of course.

"What we need to be aware of is that at peak times, especially weekends, there will be slow moving traffic along access roads such as Botley Road.

He added: "We would like to have Queen Street pedestrianised and the Park and Ride in place and the electronic signs but people can use the website for that information."