A CALL for an integrated transport system in Oxfordshire has come from Banbury MP Tony Baldry.

He wants rail, road, and bus services to be included in a countywide travel strategy as part of a plan to encourage 'community" train services.

Mr Baldry said north Oxfordshire was missing out on Government subsidies for rail journeys, and he called for a review of community rail partnerships.

He said: "The Government took control of community rail from Network Rail at the end of last year. So far substantial subsidies have been invested in Exeter, Bristol, and elsewhere, but not to services in north Oxfordshire."

In a speech to the House of Commons, Mr Baldry suggested that growing road congestion in Oxfordshire would lead to further dependence on the rail network, but warned that train operator First Great Western would be unable to meet investment needs.

Mr Baldry said: "Oxfordshire is a fast-growing county. Banbury is expanding at ever-increasing rates.

"First Great Western is a long-distance train operator and seems unconcerned about the transport needs of counties such as Oxfordshire.

"The system is not integrated. The county council looks at roads and bus services and is able to subsidise loss-making bus routes and to consult with people. But it has no involvement with rail services.

"At a local level, we do not have an integrated community transport strategy, because rail is left in limbo.

"First Great Western and other train operators depend largely on the contractual obligations placed on them by the Government.

"Train operators seem not particularly interested in subsidising loss-making community lines in counties such as Oxfordshire, and therefore there is spiralling decline."