Request for bus ban on Queen Street in Oxford declined

One of the main entrances to the new Westgate Oxford shopping centre is on Queen Street

A request to ban buses from a major street in Oxford city centre has been declined by the secretary of state for transport.

It was submitted due to safety concerns about more people using Queen Street because of the Westgate Oxford shopping centre opening.

But the Department for Transport has declined Oxfordshire County Council's request due to a lack of evidence.

More data will now be gathered by the council in 2018.

One of the main entrances to the new shopping centre is on Queen Street, which is closed to cars but used by buses and taxis.

The closure request was referred to the Transport Secretary Chris Grayling in July after two bus operators, Stagecoach and the Oxford Bus Company, objected.

A spokesperson for Oxfordshire County Council said it would wait until "at least February" before gathering further data.

This is to allow them to assess the shopping centre's impact once the majority of the shops are open, and the Christmas shopping period has passed.

They added buses were likely to continue using Queen Street for "at least another six months" before any revised request is submitted to close the road.