DIRECT bus links to airports and hospitals could be just the ticket to make Bicester's Park and Ride a transport hub.

While official usage data is not available, it is regularly far from full so there have been calls to expand the destinations buses go travel to.

Bicester Town Councillor Les Sibley said now is the time to make better use of the £3.5m park and ride by putting in place a wider range of routes.

He said the free park and ride - which opened in November as the first new one in the county outside Oxford for a decade - is not being used to its full potential and should be serving residents better in a growth town.

The park and ride was built off the A41 near Kingsmere Village at the junction of Vendee Drive.

It currently serves the S5 Oxford route between Bicester and Oxford, and at peak times runs a shuttle to and from Bicester Village.

Mr Sibley said: "The park and ride needs to operate for a growing Bicester, the town is a destination.

"It is there to be used and we should take advantage of it. I think an airport bus coming into Bicester would be a fantastic opportunity.

"It would be great to see a more direct route to the hospitals as well - not only Oxford but the Horton in Banbury too."

The town councillor for Bicester West raised suggestions prior to the park and ride opening and plans to send a letter to Oxfordshire County Council, as well as bus operators to re-appeal for the new services.

The council has said usage of the park and ride will increase.

OCC spokeswoman Emily Reed said: "It is very well known that Bicester is a town that is already growing and is forecast to grow a great deal more.

"It makes absolute sense, where possible, to have infrastructure in place to cope with that future growth in population and housing. The Park and Ride in the town will come into its own as the town continues to grow."

Mr Sibley also wants more local buses to use the park and ride to incorporate hospitals in the county as well as services to the new Tesco and Wyevale garden centre off the A41.

Another suggestion he has put forward includes getting the current Kingsmere bus, which loops around Vendee Drive and Middleton Stoney, to reverse its route to head down past the superstores and into the park and ride.

Mr Sibley added: "There are many benefits that can come from the free park and ride, just by using a bit of imagination.

"It would be giving people the routes that they want to get to, meaning more people will use the buses and less congestions on our roads."