Staff at an Oxford hospital have threatened to quit rather than accept a ban on driving to work.

Managers at the Churchill Hospital, in Headington, want to withdraw parking permits for workers living near the M40, including people travelling from High Wycombe and Aylesbury.

They will be expected to use a new bus service from Thornhill park-and-ride to the Old Road site.

The proposals are part of an expansion to the Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Trust transport scheme, including the neighbouring John Radcliffe Hospital and the Radcliffe Infirmary, in Woodstock Road.

But staff have threatened to leave their jobs if the park-and-ride strategy is introduced, claiming it could add up to 40 minutes to their working day.

One nurse, who declined to be named, said: "This new bus service will run every 20 minutes, so if you narrowly miss one you'd have to wait 20 minutes for the next one.

"If you work until 5.30pm, you could suddenly have a very long day before you get home in the evening.

"It could also cost an extra £400 out of your salary and we feel a bit victimised.

"People will definitely try to get jobs elsewhere."

Managers have launched a consultation about the plans, which could also include raising the 20 per cent staff bus travel discount to 30 per cent.

People who work shifts, are disabled, or need their car for work, will be allowed parking permits, but the annual £20 fee would rise to as much as £40 for people earning more than £25,000 a year. David Edwards, ORH transport strategy manager, said: "This really will be a change of lifestyle for many people and some journeys may be lengthened, but we had to do something.

"Oxford City Council has made it clear that our plans to build new hospital buildings cannot include extra parking and we have to find ways of getting staff to work without their cars.

"I'm well aware of the strength of feeling about this."

JR staff who live along the number 35 Abingdon-Oxford bus route will also be banned from driving to work.

They will be expected to use the Oxford Bus Company service, which is being expanded to run every 15 minutes directly to the hospital.

Mr Edwards said: "Driving from Abingdon to the JR costs at least £4 a day, not including car maintenance, and by bus it would cost £1.50 a day, so I think people will find it's a viable option."