A controlled parking zone to stop commuters' cars clogging up Headington's streets has been rubber-stamped.

The zone will now come into force in September after it was officially given the go-ahead at a meeting of the county council's transport implementation committee.

The scheme will aim to encourage workers from large employers such as Oxford Brookes University and the John Radcliffe Hospital to use the city's park-and-ride buses, rather than parking outside people's homes.

A review of the scheme will take place when building work at the Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre, and the Manor and John Radcliffe hospitals has been completed.

The council is now consulting residents to find out if they want the scheme extended to surrounding areas, including Headington Quarry.

But Quarry residents fear the historic character of their area will be wrecked by controlled parking.

Marie Vickers, co-ordinator of the conservation group, Friends of Headington Quarry, said: "The zones shouldn't apply here, because commuter parking isn't the problem.

"They will spoil the conservation area with signs and double yellow lines and it seems an unnecessary and punitive invasion."

Mrs Vickers said a public meeting to discuss the zones, to be held at the Gladstone Road Community Centre at 7.30pm on May 10, was organised by the county council at short notice.

James Gagg, county transport planner, said: "We have already completed an informal consultation and taken on board residents' comments to see where we can amend the plans. We're having the meeting to show amendments to the plans in the Quarry area."

He said a decision on whether to implement controlled parking in Quarry would be made at the traffic implementation committee in June.