Bringing in a new ‘pay as you go’ bike hire scheme in Oxford could cut tens of thousands of car journeys in the city, according to a residents' group.

Oxfordshire Liveable Streets said estimates show there could be as many as 193,000 journeys by bike hire scheme in Oxford if take-up was similar to the scheme in London.

In London, there were more than 11.5 million annual bike hires from the Santander bike hire scheme, for a population of around 9.6 million, according to Transport for London.

Extrapolated for Oxford, the group said it would equate to 193,000 more bike journeys and 71,500 fewer car journeys every year.

These figures could potentially be higher as it doesn’t include the number of journeys by private bike hire operators providing ‘dockless’ bike hire.

Zuhura Plummer, campaign director of Oxfordshire Liveable Streets, said: "Getting on a hire bike can be an easy way to get around our city - often quicker than in a car.

"Lots of people want to cycle but don’t know how to maintain bikes, or have secure bike parking. This solves both those problems and people can get around and get fit for very little money with these bikes.”

Similar schemes exist around the country to provide bikes, e-bikes and e-scooters on a monthly or pay-as-you-go basis.

Alison Hill, chairwoman of Cyclox, an Oxford-based cycling campaign group, added: "We need to catch up with other cities who have been ahead of Oxford on this.

"This research confirms what we have been advocating for years: cycling can play a big role in tackling congestion and air pollution."

Oxfordshire Liveable Streets points to the example of a cycle courier service delivering medication to Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust which was delivered by vans previously.

Oxford-based Pedal and Post delivers products including cancer treatments to wards, day treatment areas, and pharmacies at the John Radcliffe and Churchill hospitals by bicycle.

According to NHS data, the delivery time from Baxter Healthcare in Cowley to the hospital sites has halved.

Chris Benton, managing director at Pedal and Post, said: "This demonstrates how moving to emission free courier services can actually improve patient care while also tackling the climate emergency, promoting active travel, improving local air quality, and congestion."

Meanwhile Care Outlook, a service commissioned by Oxfordshire County Council which provides care as part of the county council’s Home First initiative, has started offering an ebikes scheme to carers free of charge.

Oxfordshire Liveable Streets said the option of cycling available to care workers in the city "minimises time wasted in traffic and the delays this can cause – enabling them to provide better care to residents.

"It also opens up work to those who do not have a driving licence or access to their own vehicle."