Plans for improving bus services submitted to government
Oxfordshire’s delivery plan for improving bus services in 2025 - 26 is set to be submitted to the government so that the latest grant can be released.
The document, outlining how Oxfordshire County Council plans to spend more than £15 million allocated to its bus service improvement plan (BSIP), has been approved by the council.
Paul Fermer, Oxfordshire County Council’s Director of Environment and Highways, said: “Many thousands of people in Oxfordshire rely on the bus for their travel needs. Working in partnership with our bus operators, we will continue to invest in improving public transport in the county during 2025 - 26 and beyond.
“While we can’t do everything we would want to do, we have prioritised the schemes based on their importance in improving things for passengers, as well as their deliverability within the time and budgets allowed.”
Items in the delivery plan were drawn up and approved by Oxfordshire’s bus enhanced partnership board, made up of Oxfordshire County Council in its role as local transport authority and the bus operators.
Much of the shorter-term revenue funding is earmarked for the continuation and enhancement of existing subsidised services and fare initiatives, such as the multi-operator MyBus ticket and reduced Sunday fares in December.
There are plans to carry out a bus stop audit and create a bus stop design guide with some of the funding.
Routes set to benefit include those servicing Oxford’s John Radcliffe Hospital, Botley Road while it is still closed at the railway bridge, and vital rural services. Nearly 30 routes are in the delivery plan, including some linking Oxfordshire with locations over the county border.
Careful consideration was given to a number of proposals submitted by partnership members and others, with selected schemes striking an appropriate balance between cost, demand, deliverability and availability of complementary funding.
The capital element of the funding is for investment in infrastructure such as road improvements to benefit bus passengers, safer bus stops, shelters and stations, and equipment for improving ticketing and information.
A significant element of this is earmarked for a vehicle improvement fund, to which operators can bid for contributions towards upgrades such as new zero emission buses, improved ticketing technology and an enhanced customer experience.
Other projects include the installation of traffic signal bus priority schemes; three bus priority schemes, plus the feasibility and design work for two more locations; new and upgraded real time passenger information screens; and improvements to Gloucester Green bus station in Oxford.
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