More councillors than passengers boarded a new bus service launched yesterday to cut congestion at two Oxford hospitals.

The Stagecoach 600, from Thornhill park-and-ride to the Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre and the Churchill Hospital, in Headington, was launched with a VIP trip for hospital directors and county councillors.

But only one fare-paying passenger used the service during the morning. The service was set up by Oxfordshire County Council, the Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Trust and the Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre.

Staff who live along the M40 corridor and have been banned from parking at the hospital have criticised the service.

David Edwards, ORH transport strategy manager, said: "It's difficult to convince staff not to use their cars. We've had a fair amount of resistance, but the reality is that we can't go on increasing the amount of people driving to work.

"We've had to make changes -- we had no choice. This service gets closer to most of our hospital entrances than any of the car parking spaces.

"I think the very sight of the bus driving around will encourage patients and staff to use it. It'll save them the hassle of trying to park."

The service runs from 7am to 7pm on weekdays, at 20 minute intervals during peak times and every half hour at other times.

A return ticket costs £1.40, which coupled with a 60p parking fee to be introduced at Thornhill park-and-ride, will cost the same as four hours' parking at the hospitals.