A controversial £300,000 traffic calming scheme proposed for Banbury is "a recipe for road rage and accidents", a county councillor has warned.

Cllr Kieron Mallon (Conservative), who represents Banbury Easington, fears the plans - which include road humps, cycle lanes, and cycle priority boxes in South Bar, Horsefair and North Bar - could also affect police, fire, and ambulance services.

Under the proposals, put forward by county council planners, motorists would use the inner relief road and Hennef Way as the Banbury through-route.

The plans were first published last year but were sent back for a rethink after the council received hundreds of letters objecting to the scheme.

But Cllr Mallon, speaking at a county council meeting, accused officers of ignoring the opinions of residents in a bid to get the scheme passed. He said they had "watered down" their objections in reports to councillors, and condemned the attitude of planners as "high handed" and "patronising".

He added: "The whole handling of this scheme has been a farce from the start, and there's a clear consensus in Banbury that this scheme is inappropriate and unwan- ted. The majority of people do not want the historic part of their town ripped out."

Cllr Keith Mitchell (Conservative), who represents Bloxham, said the scheme was an "obstacle race".

However, Banbury Neithrop councillor Margaret Ferriman (Labour) said the scheme provided a "vision" for overcoming Banbury's gridlock problems and she criticised Cllr Mallon and Cllr Mitchell for attacking transport planners.