THE long-awaited pedestrianisation of Oxford’s busiest shopping street is set to get the go-ahead next week – despite fewer than four in 10 people supporting Oxfordshire County Council’s plans.

County Hall will announce it is moving ahead with its £985,000 scheme, with work to begin at the end of June.

A number of modifications have been made to the original proposals, in the face of concerns expressed by civic, pensioners and cyclists groups.

But a week today, approval will be given to all key elements of the controversial scheme, which promises to initially remove a third of the buses clogging up Queen Street, with all bus stops taken out and moved to St Aldate’s, Castle Street and New Road.

Pavements will also be widened to create more space for pedestrians, the road resurfaced and new benches and cycle racks added.

Work is expected to be completed by the early autumn.

Queen Street will not be fully pedestrianised until 2011 at the earliest, with calls from Oxford Bus Company and Stagecoach to pedestrianise the street in one go being rejected.

The results of consultation on the plans show that only 39 per cent of respondents backed the Queen Street plan, with 34 per cent against and 27 per cent expressing no view.

Ian Hudspeth, the county council’s cabinet member for transport, said: “We have been very careful to consult and we have made every effort to reach out and offer people a chance to have their say. Changes have been proposed as a result of the feedback we received.”

But Michael Hugh-Jones, of the Oxfordshire Pensioners’ Action Group, said: “They clearly haven’t listened to what my group and Oxford Civic Society have been saying.

“It would be far better to do this with the agreement of the bus companies. But the council cabinet seems to want to rush this through before the elections.

“It’s an awful lot of money to spend on something that’s going to mean elderly and disabled people having to struggle an extra 100 yards to bus stops with their shopping. And the whole thing is going to have to be rehashed in two years time.”

About 1,000 people attended more than 50 meetings about Transform Oxford, and leaflets were sent to every home in the city. Of the 225 responses about the wider project, 46 per cent were positive, 38 per cent against and 16 per cent expressed no clear view.

County Hall plans to pedestrianise George Street and Magdalen Street next year, with Broad Street next in line.

Frideswide Square should be redesigned in 2011.