Two celebrities have pledged their support to a festival to celebrate Oxford streets.

Alex James, the bass player with Blur, and one of the BBCs Castaways, Francie Smee, have agreed to back Oxford City Council's 'Streets For People Day' on Saturday, September 22, which aims to celebrate the streets of Oxford as social spaces - as opposed to just being for traffic.

It will be the third time the event has gone ahead in Oxford, and coincides with International Car Free Day.

Events will take place in the city centre and across the county and will include childrens' activities and entertainment as well as an open-air market in Broad Street, Oxford.

The aim is to encourage the use of 'sustainable' transport and ensure that the needs of pedestrians, cyclists and people using public transport are met.

There will also be free travel for under 16s in the county on Oxford Bus Company, Stagecoach Oxford and Thames Travel vehicles. There is a maximum of three free child fares for each accompanying adult.

Mr James, who now works as a dairy farmer in Kingham, near Chipping Norton, said: "This is a wonderful scheme. Oxford is a rare thing - a city designed around pedestrians rather than cars. That is something to be celebrated."

Francie Smee, from Summertown, runner up on Castaway, also pledged support.

She said: "My three month stay on a New Zealand island as a BBC castaway reinforced my belief that fresh air and exercise have the most beneficial health advantages. Therefore, by walking or cycling to work not only will you benefit, but so will Oxford."

The city council is encouraging people to hold street parties, and can grant temporary street closure orders. In Wolvercote, residents plan to introduce a voluntary £1 toll at exits to the village to highlight their efforts to become a low carbon community.

To find out more, visit www.oxford.gov.uk/news/ streetsforpeople.cfm