FROM teddy bears for glum commuters to an onboard chip maker – artists from across the county are going head to head with their designs for a bus of the future.

Stagecoach in Oxfordshire has created an online pop-up gallery of pieces they received for their ‘Bus of the Future’ competition, including a Zeppelin bus and one with five decks.

The competition saw Oxfordshire people of all ages compete with their visions of how buses will develop over the years – with a focus on being environmentally-friendly.

Members of the public have been casting their votes for their favourite schemes on the company's Facebook page. The work receiving the most support will be displayed on nearly 100 buses. The winner will also receive a £500 prize

Karen Coventry, business development manager at Stagecoach in Oxfordshire, said: “We want to thank everyone who has invested their time and entered the competition.

“We hope the designs will inspire everyone to continue to think about being greener with their travel – and you never know, one of the designs might be on our roads one day.”

The competition was launched to celebrate the Oxford’s Green Week, which took place last month, as well as marking the bus company’s very own 'Green Month’ campaign to raise awareness of greener and smarter travel.

The designs include a bus that is carried by a helium filled balloon. The bus was named the ‘Helios Zeppelin Bus’ by its creator, 44 year-old Daniel Emlyn-Jones from East Oxford.

He said: “Imagine drifting effortlessly above traffic jams and air pollution while sipping a gin and tonic. Imagine the Oxford skies full of these gloriously coloured babies. It can happen. It will happen. The future is ours.”

Another of the buses includes teddy bears for passengers who have had a bad day and want a cuddle. The bus, designed by eight-year-old James Clayton, of Barton, also included a chip maker for hungry commuters, as well as solar panels on the roof to power the vehicle's lighting and heaters.

The youngster said: “I thought about how people feel so I put some cosy stuff on the bus and then I had some fun with my ideas. Buses are my most favourite thing in the world and I love to collect timetables."

For more information search for Stagecoach in Oxfordshire on Facebook.