HEADINGTON residents fear they will have to walk the length of six football pitches to access their own homes if plans for "Access to Headington" go ahead.

The £12.5m scheme has been proposed by Oxfordshire County Council to reduce congestion and make it easier to reach sites such as the John Radcliffe Hospital.

The local authority has been displaying its latest version of the plans in venues around the area, including in Titup Hall Drive on Wednesday, where residents said they were "worried" about the scheme.

Peter Barker, a retired Cheney School teacher from Gathorne Road, said: "I'm in complete despair at the moment because I don't feel as if £12.5m is worth the value of what the project will bring to the area.

"Instead, the scheme is set remove all of the parking on Windmill Road, which is ridiculous as it will mean some people will have to walk an incredibly long way to get to their homes from their cars.

"This would be very unsafe for those who are disabled or those with grandchildren, like me."

Mr Barker's wife, Joy, said Windmill Road residents were considering concreting over their gardens in order to secure a parking space on the road.

She said: "The impact that changes to parking will have on the area is quite something and could even change the nature of Headington.

"If people feel as if they have to concrete over their drives, it will change from a residential to area of one which lends itself to Houses of Multiple Occupancies and student living."

Mike Ratcliffe from the Highfields Association said he hoped the people behind Access to Headington consult the people living in the area.

He said: "We know the pattern of the roads and know how they change throughout the day.

"So I hope they will listen to us during the consultation period."

Junctions set to be changed as part of the scheme include Cherwell Drive; the JR entrance in Headley Way; Headley Way and London Road; London Road and Windmill Road; Windmill Road and Old Road; Gipsy Lane and Old Road; Churchill Drive and Old Road; and The Slade and Horspath Driftway.

Windmill Road resident Geoff Sutton said it was "unacceptable" for those living in the area to have to walk a long way to their cars.

He said: "From what I can see, residents may have to walk up to 600 metres to their car, 200 metres minimum.

"I feel as if we're being walked all over by those behind the scheme."

Mr Sutton, a a governor at Windmill Primary School, said he thought the lack of parking on the road would be a real safety issue for pupils.

He said: "There is currently a heavy flow of traffic along the road, which probably goes at about 20 miles per hour.

"But if you take away the car park and places to park along the road, speeds will increase and if a child is hit at 30 or 35 miles per hour, they may well die.

"We want Access to Headington to consider the safest options."

The final public exhibition takes place tomorrow at St Andrew's Primary School in London Road.