AN ambitious — and dare we suggest expensive — idea to build a new bridge over the A40 to connect the Barton and Northway estates is inevitably going to raise many eyebrows.

Planners are looking at ways to ease the impact of plonking 1,000 new homes on the north west edge of Barton and ways to sort the nightmare that is negotiating the Green Road roundabout in and out of the estate.

Of course the Barton Bridge, as it has been dubbed, is just an idea, but planners say they are giving it serious consideration.

But a bridge that only allows buses, cyclists and pedestrians. Surely not?

It sounds a good idea, but how long before cars would be allowed to use it.

And what about the cost?

True, some of it would be met by contributions from housing developers, but Oxford City Council has a track record of coming up with expensive pie-in-the-sky schemes that sound jolly good, but never see the light of day.

In this instance, if 1,000 homes are really going to be built in Barton then it is crucial the necessary infrastructure is in place to support them.

But a bridge that cars cannot use? That sounds rather daft to us.