TAXIS will be allowed to drive along Oxford's Cornmarket later this year under controversial plans to help people access the Westgate shopping centre.

Following the closure of Queen Street to taxis, Oxfordshire County Council has approved a new rank in pedestrianised Cornmarket for cabs to turn around.

The move has been welcomed by cabbies, who will be able to drive as far down as McDonald's, but others fear it is "asking for trouble" in the shopping street.

Thames Valley Police said it could be a risk to pedestrians and Oxford Pedestrian Association said the city's only pedestrian-friendly street would become more polluted.

Councillor John Sanders, shadow cabinet member for environment, said: "We really shouldn't have vehicles in a busy street like Cornmarket.

"For taxi drivers to do a U-turn there is asking for trouble and it will change the way people use the street."

Thames Valley Police's statement said: "Taxis turning and waiting on Cornmarket could compromise pedestrian safety.

Oxford Pedestrian Association said: "We do not support the proposed use of so much of Cornmarket as a long turning place for taxis, even if it is limited to outside the hours of 10am-6pm, on the grounds that this is not a suitable use of a pedestrian-friendly street and will also raise air pollution in this area.

The county council's traffic order will see the taxis using the Carfax end of Cornmarket Street as its rank – moved from the end of Queen Street – between 6pm and 10am seven days a week.

Taxis will be allowed to drive down 50 metres of the otherwise pedestrian-only street in order to turn around.

The City of Oxford Licensed Taxicab Association (COLTA), which represents the drivers of the 107 black cabs, backed the new rank and said it would improve people's experience in Oxford.

COLTA secretary Sajad Khan said: "We welcome the taxi rank in Cornmarket and we are pleased the council has introduced it, it will allow us to transport people where they need to go once Queen Street is closed.

"The Carfax rank is by far our busiest area though, and we have asked the council to give us one or two spaces for cabs outside Lloyds Bank."

He added that a proposed rank by Shepherd and Woodward in High Street was too far down and it was vital to be able to give people the best access to and from the city centre at all times of day.

Oxfordshire County Council responded to the objections by saying: "The only space for a taxi rank is Queen Street, as now, or Cornmarket.

"Cornmarket is slightly wider and expected to be less busy than Queen Street."