A POPULAR cross-Oxford bus service, linking Barton and Kidlington, is being scrapped because roadworks are causing too many delays.

From Sunday, April 1, Stagecoach's No 7 route will be split into two sections, running between the city centre and Kidlington (7A and 7B) and the city centre and Barton (7C).

Passengers wanting to make a journey across the city will have to change buses in the centre. Through fares will still be available.

Stagecoach said the decision had been taken because roadworks at The Plain roundabout and in High Street over the coming months would cause severe disruption, making it impossible for drivers to maintain schedules.

Simon Mathieson, local bus manager for Stagecoach in Oxfordshire, said: "With hindsight I think we should have made this decision before the Green Road roundabout work started, so our passengers could have had a more reliable service. However, we knew that the through journeys were popular, so we tried to keep them running.

"Cross-city services are becoming more and more difficult to run, due to traffic congestion and roadworks."

The company said there would still be the same frequency of buses - every five to seven minutes - on the two sections of the route. Through passengers will have to walk between Queen Street and Magdalen Street.

The move comes less than two years after the Oxford Bus Company axed its direct link between the two areas.

Barton bus user Sue Holden was not convinced by Stagecoach's reasons for the change.

She said: "It has got to be an economic decision. If it was anything other than that, they would surely not have taken this step.

"It's a shame, because sometimes I think companies should cut their losses a bit and do things for the community."

Oxfordshire County Council said work in High Street was due to be completed this month. Work on the pavements on Magdalen Bridge in April and May will not affect traffic flow and all roadworks in High Street and at The Plain should end in October.

Spokesman Paul Smith said that after this, no major roadworks would be needed for at least 20 years.

New route 7 timetables will be available shortly, from Stagecoach's Travel Shop at Gloucester Green bus station, by calling 01865 772250 or at the Stagecoach website.