Plans to slow 'rat-run' traffic through a village have received a mixed reaction.

Oxfordshire County Council has unveiled a series of measures to slow down traffic through Crawley, claiming it is being used by drivers avoiding congestion in nearby Witney.

The plans have been broadly welcomed, but one councillor has opposed the measures, saying they are unnecessary.

The county council is proposing to extend a 30mph speed limit along Dry Lane and introduce a traffic-calming scheme.

Cabinet member for transport David Robertson said: "Our aim is simply to slow traffic speed approaching the residential and industrial areas of Crawley and improve safety for every- one."

Rodney Rose, county council member for Crawley, said: "Rat running is a problem. If you stand in the village and see the amount of traffic trying to avoid Witney, you'd be surprised. And it is pretty fast, so traffic calming is definitely needed."

Parish council chairman Colin Dingwall said: "We do get more traffic than we are due, and some of it is quite fast. It is particularly dangerous in some places as there are no pavements.

"We want to slow traffic down - but don't want huge humps all over the place."

But Steve Hayward, a lorry driver, who represents Witney West on the council, said: "I drive an articulated lorry up and down that road. You have to drive carefully, but it is perfectly adequate.

"Every road is a rat run to the people who live there. We have this problem right across the county."

He said a link road between Burford Road and Crawley Road would relieve pressure on the village.

If you wish to comment on the proposals, write to the Director for Environment and Economy, c/o Ron Groves House, 23 Oxford Road, Kidlington OX5 2BP.