The BBC has ordered its flagship motoring show back to Oxford after admitting bias in its reporting of the city's controversial transport strategy, writes Mark Templeton.

Corporation bosses have demanded a "more balanced" reshoot of the Top Gear show broadcast on BBC2 last November - at a cost of thousands of pounds to the licence-fee payer.

The programme, presented by Quentin Willson, was accused of deliberately filming empty buses and not using footage of people who said the scheme was working.

The show said Oxford was a "city completely off its head". Quentin Willson described the £20m scheme, aimed at cutting congestion and pollution, as a "sinister plot that would have Inspector Morse baffled". Oxfordshire's Chamber of Commerce and Oxford Bus Company complained to the BBC about the way it handled the subject claiming it was "ridiculous and damaging".

The bus firm also accused Top Gear of coming to Oxford with a "predetermined intention to rubbish" the OTS.

Now the Beeb's own watchdog, the Programme Complaints Unit, has admitted the show was unfair.

Fraser Steel, head of the unit, said in a letter to Oxford Bus Company: "The intention was to produce a piece of lively journalism which surveyed the situation from the motorist's standpoint and I think this was legitimate. "However, the BBC has standards of fairness, accuracy and due impartiality which all programmes are expected to observe in a way appropriate to their format and brief.

"The challenge for programmes like Top Gear is to keep these standards without blunting their journalistic edge or losing their appeal to their particular audiences.

"Having investigated your points, I would accept that the item in question did not meet this challenge."

Jonathan Radley, marketing manager of the Oxford Bus Company said: "They deliberately waited in areas where buses were empty because they had just dropped passengers off and were turning around in order to embark on another journey." He added: "It was a sham of a programme and I'm glad the BBC has now officially recognised that."

David Young, director of environmental services at Oxfordshire County Council, added: "I know for a fact they talked to people who praised the system but that was never broadcast.

"The licence-payer did not get a balanced view of what is a balanced transport system. My door was open to Mr Willson at the time but he chose not to use it and I now look forward to him returning."

Ann Brett, Deputy Director of the Oxfordshire Chamber welcomed the apology and added: "We hope the BBC's strong statement on this will encourage others to join the chamber in highlighting the positive state of business here." But County Cllr John Power, who appeared on the programme, said: "I think the programme was fair and accurate. It was meant to give the views of car drivers and that's exactly what it did."

The show's producer Julie Clive and presenter Quentin Willson both declined to be interviewed. They will not face any internal disciplinary procedures as a result.

A BBC spokesman said: "In order to set out the broader picture, Top Gear will have further coverage of the OTS in the near future."

Story date: Tuesday 01 February

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