Oxford City Council has come up with a potentially revolutionary 'park and ride' scheme for HGVs.  

The local authority is keen to restrict lorries' access to the city centre and might introduce a low emission zone.

Speaking to the Oxford Mail, councillor and executive board member for Cleaner, Greener Oxford John Tanner said talks could be held with major supermarkets to see if a system could be introduced where gas-guzzling trucks are parked on the outskirts of the city and their goods are then transported into the centre of town via smaller, more eco-friendly vehicles.

"I think it has its advantages for retailers because it means the lorries have to make one stop off the ring road and it would be faster," he was quoted as saying.

Oxford is not the only part of the UK to outline plans to create an emission-free zone.

Such schemes already exist in London and Norwich and the BBC reported in June that Bristol could be the next place to follow suit.