More than 250 people have signed a petition opposing the 155-space depot, costing £6m, planned for Langford Lane, Kidlington.

Before Christmas, only four objections had been received by Cherwell District Council. But as news of the plan spread, more residents added their names.

Cllr Andrew Hornsby-Smith, who opposes the depot, said: "This is the wrong place. People would be kept awake all night if this goes ahead. It would generate a lot of extra traffic through the village and cause parking problems.

"Not enough thought has gone into the choice of site and the noise assessment is totally inadequate." North Kidlington Residents Action Group (NKRAG) has written to the council demanding that the scheme be thrown out.

NKRAG spokesman Bob Swan-Taylor said: "Pollution is our main concern. I've been here 15 years and the environment is being ruined.

"A bus depot would be horrendous. It would be noisy and floodlit. That light would flood our homes and keep us awake.

"If it goes ahead, north Oxford would suffer a tremendous increase in the number of buses congesting the area." Inglis Lyon, Stagecoach Oxford's managing director, said he was upset by the residents' opposition, because his company had invested millions in Oxford.

He said: "A screen will prevent noise transfer to the houses. I don't think people realise what is being proposed. It's not a dirty bus garage."

The planning committee is expected to consider the application on February 17.

Story date: Friday 04 February

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