Keith Mitchell, the leader of Oxfordshire County Council, has angered anti-car campaigners by refusing to participate in Oxford's Car Free Day, dismissing it as "silly tokenism".

As its name suggests the annual event, organised by Oxford City Council, aims to get as many people who work in the city to leave their cars at home for a day.

Last year an estimated 700 people took part - including the Lord Mayor - and this year the event will be on September 22.

However, Mr Mitchell, who lives near Adderbury, 23 miles north of Oxford, said it would just be too inconvenient to leave his BMW Z3 at home and use public transport to travel to County Hall.

He said: "Announcing a car free day seems to me to be silly tokenism. My house is a mile or so from Kings Sutton railway station, which enjoys possibly half a dozen stopping trains in a day.

"I used to keep horses but no longer do. The road leading from my house to Adderbury village with its bus stop is busy and fast, with no pavement. Problem one on car free day is how to get to the nearest public transport."

The county council has already been criticised for allowing motorists to park for free in Oxford after it waived charges at hundreds of on-street spaces at a time the authority plans to charge Oxford residents for a permit to park outside their house.

James Styring, of Oxford cycling pressure group Cyclox, said: "The county Conservatives say they will not favour any form of transport over another, but as Cyclox points out people don't exactly need to be encouraged to drive they do need to be encouraged to cycle and walk."

But Mr Mitchell added: "Problem two is the practicality of getting around to do my job in a rural county, to a tight timetable and probably with evening meetings until late.

"The odds of being able to do without my Z3 for a day are quite remote."

Keith Mitchell