LANGUAGE students could be directed away from busy shopping areas to specific meeting points in the city in a bid to stop overcrowding.

The idea was suggested at a crunch meeting of bus companies, police officers and councillors at Oxford Town Hall.

Another idea tabled was to broaden a bus pass scheme for language students in the city.

The meeting was called amid concerns about anti-social behaviour, litter in parks and queues for public transport.

Representatives of three or four language schools attended to discuss the complaints.

Cllr Bob Timbs, city council board member for crime and community safety, said: “A lot of students congregate in Cornmarket Street and Carfax.

“At the meeting they were looking at an idea of base camps and telling the students to meet there away from shoppers, giving them a bit more freedom to move about and get on with shopping.

“The bus companies were looking at their procedure – EF [language school] gives students bus tickets when they arrive so they don’t pay cash on the buses and we are looking at the other language schools to give all students a bus pass when they arrive so that they can quickly get on the bus and sit down.

“Both bus companies were there at the meeting.”

He added: “What came out of the meeting as well was that it’s not just the language students from schools in Oxford. A lot are coming in on buses into Oxpens Road from elsewhere and we believe they cause problems in Cornmarket and Carfax.”

Mr Timbs added representatives from three or four Oxford language schools had attended the meeting.

Peter Wilkinson, of Rose Hill Residents’ Association, said: “That’s appalling. How many language schools are there in the city, 30 to 40?”

The working group will meet again early next year, after the idea of creating specified gathering points for students and the plan of a bus pass scheme have been investigated further.

Chief Inspector Cecilia Agger, who chaired the meeting, said: “This show of support from the language schools to work with us and our partners is testament to the concern shown by all parties. This plan will help us further decrease robberies of foreign students, a figure that has been falling year-on-year during the summer.”

Ruth Chambers, executive director of EF language school Oxford, attended the meeting.

She said: “I think everyone concerned is working towards the same purpose, to make sure that international students here in the city throughout the year and through the summer are contributing to the city in a positive way.”