AN extended pavement featuring bus-stops in Oxford High Street has caused a bottleneck for buses, a city councillor has warned.

Keen cyclist Colin Cook, who represents the Jericho and Osney ward on the city council, said the extended pavement was designed to accommodate more bus passengers following the opening of the Westgate Centre last month.

But Mr Cook said the it was now causing a bottleneck for traffic, particularly buses in the rush-hour.

He added that cyclists in the city were also concerned the High Street was now more dangerous for cyclists.

He added: "This bus-stop near the junction with Turl Street is definitely causing a problem – it's a real bottleneck, a pinch-point and it has made the situation much more dangerous for cyclists.

"The idea was to increase the width of the pavement to cater for the increased number of passengers following the opening of the Westgate Centre.

"There is more room for bus passengers but the highways engineers have over-compensated and made the pavement too wide.

"Now there is a bottleneck it's much more difficult for cyclists at this point – there's usually a bus smack in front of you and it's more difficult to get round them."

Labour city councillor Mr Cook said Oxfordshire County Council, as the transport authority, needed to address the issue.

He added: "I gather one possibility, which has been discussed, is to remove a parking bay on the other side of the High Street. Something needs to be done."

Simon Hunt, a spokesman for Cyclox which represents cyclists in Oxford, was less concerned about the pavement extension.

He said: "If there is a bit more pavement width for pedestrians then that will be good for them.

"There is a pedestrian crossing about 10 metres away and that creates a natural break in the traffic.

"There are frequent interruptions in the traffic flow because of the crossing so I don't think the situation is too bad for cyclists in this part of the High Street, or for cyclists coming out of Turl Street onto the High Street."

There is a bus gate in High Street, which uses camera enforcement to restrict normal traffic from using the road between 7.30am and 6.30pm.

Earlier this year it emerged that drivers have paid out about £6m in fines over 10 years.

Mr Cook has received an email on the issue from Oxfordshire County Council's Andy Warren, project manager for major infrastructure delivery.

It said: "You will have noticed the recent changes to High Street in relation to numerous bus stops, taxi and loading facilities.

"As a result of some of these changes, traffic congestion has increased and in addition some safety concerns for all users have arisen.

"To address the immediate situation, it has been proposed that bus stop L2, and the relevant bus services that use it, be relocated further west towards Carfax.

"This requires a new length of bus stop clearway.

"Further changes to traffic regulation orders in the area may be proposed in the near future and further consultations will be held on those where applicable."

Mr Warren did not say when the L2 bus stop may be moved.