News that a proposed park and ride scheme has been thrown out was greeted with delight by parish councillors.

Kidlington Parish Council fought the plans for the 1,000-space car park, next to the grain silo off Banbury Road, Kidlington, from its inception.

Now the scheme, crucial to the success of Oxford's Transport Strategy, has been turned down by a Government inspector because it could cause further traffic congestion.

Council clerk Trish Redpath said: "We are delighted. The parish council has put a lot of effort into fighting the plan. "The idea is a good one, but we thought it would be better on a site further out of town. The present proposal would mean have meant more people driving into Kidlington."

The grain silo site actually lies within the parish of Gosford, but no one from Gosford and Water Eaton Parish Council was available to comment.

The county council's environmental services director, David Young, said yesterday he was "disappointed" with the ruling and that he hoped Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott would overturn the decision. City council leader John Tanner added: "Oxford badly needs a fifth park and ride. All the car parks are full each weekend, particularly with Christmas shoppers at this time of year. I hope John Prescott comes up trumps and gives this important scheme the go-ahead."

A public inquiry was held into the park and ride scheme earlier this year. While the Government inspector has re-examined the case and refused planning permission, the final decision rests with Mr Prescott.

In his ruling, the inspector for the Government Office for the South East said planning permission was being refused because the council's own traffic impact assessment underestimated future traffic flows in the area.

Story date: Tuesday 14 December

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.