A major expansion of Oxford's park-and-ride bus network is being proposed, with three major car parks planned for county towns.

Oxford pioneered park-and-ride in Britain in 1973 and has one of the most heavily-used systems.

County council highways staff now want to extend the network by providing car parks and bus terminals on the outskirts of three county towns.

Officers believe long-distance services from Abingdon, Bicester and Witney would reduce the number of car journeys into Oxford and to the city's park-and-ride sites.

Principal planning officer Roger O'Neill said: "Park-and-ride sites to serve Oxford should be considered near the three towns but the environmental and traffic impact would need to be carefully considered.

"Dedicated bus lanes will be important at key locations to avoid congestion and ensure reliability."

One possibility is a bus service with a part-guided busway linking Abingdon and Oxford.

Potential terminal sites include land west of the A34 Abingdon south interchange, in Marcham Road, or at Lodge Hill, near the Abingdon north interchange.

The public's views are being sought on proposals involving development of the road and rail networks from 2006 until 2021, as part of the county council's Transport Networks Draft Strategy Review.

The Abingdon guided bus and park-and-ride scheme would not happen until at least 2011.

There are also long-term plans for a site south west of Bicester, which could also be a location for housing, and next to new homes at North Curbridge, on the outskirts of Witney, which would be developed after 2011.

The council has already backed plans to build a guided busway to Witney in 10 to 15 years' time.

Cherwell District Council has allocated land for a park-and-ride in Bicester, off Oxford Road and Middleton Stoney Road.

Les Sibley, county councillor for Bicester North, said: "Drivers are rat-running through Chesterton and Wendlebury to avoid jams at junction 9 of the M40. Park-and-ride would take an awful lot of traffic off the road."

Steve Hayward, county councillor for Bampton, said: "People in west Oxfordshire use park-and-ride a lot -- mainly the one at Seacourt -- but having one in Witney itself would be a very good thing. The site at North Curbridge is a good one, but needs some modification from Downs Road onto the A40.

"People already park in the streets of Witney and the town centre car parks, which are free, then get the bus into Oxford.

"We have also looked at another site in Ducklington, where the land is council-owned, and a lorry park could be included there as well."

Abingdon South county councillor and executive member, Neil Fawcett, said: "It would remove thousands of car movements a day into Oxford and help relieve congestion."

The final strategy is expected in July next year.