The future investments agreed include an amended offer for park and ride bus travel in Oxford, with the introduction of a £3 combined ticket, covering 16 hours’ parking and return bus travel for up to five people, from mid-August until the end of March 2027, and additional benefits for other groups; including for NHS and school staff working in Oxford.

Councillor Gareth Epps, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport, said: “The temporary congestion charge is giving residents and visitors to the city faster journeys, cleaner air, reduced traffic and safer streets.

“We now have an opportunity, with the funding from the scheme, to support some measures with lasting impact that will improve convenience and road safety for the most vulnerable road users. The measures we have agreed to fund today go some way towards tackling some of the persistent traffic problems we’ve seen, and also help to spread the benefits of the scheme as widely as possible, ensuring workers in our schools and hospitals, too, see the benefits.”

Free park and ride bus travel was first introduced on 29 October to support the temporary congestion charge, which has been implemented as an interim measure while Botley Road remains closed, preventing the start of the traffic filter trial.

Other initiatives that will be funded by the temporary scheme include:

• Free weekday park and ride parking and free or discounted weekday bus travel for NHS and school staff working in Oxford – subject to further discussion with NHS trusts, schools and Oxford City Council.
• Hospital express park and ride services.
• Free bus travel for six months per participant in the council’s Connect to Work programme for 2026 - 27.
• Active travel infrastructure work to address 'missing links' in the active travel network, including pedestrian crossings, side road entry treatments, and secure cycle parking.
• Investigating a limited trial of subsidised bus season tickets for certain communities.

Up to two adults and three children with a valid park and ride parking ticket are currently able to claim free travel to and from park and ride sites in the city. The tickets must be obtained from the bus driver at a park and ride site, and are valid on any Stagecoach, Oxford Bus Company or Thames Travel bus that stops at a park and ride site in Oxford, not just named park and ride services. 

Further details about agreed initiatives will be made available on the council’s website.

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The amended proposals include an amended offer for park and ride in Oxford, with the possible introduction of a £3 combined ticket until the end of December 2026, and additional benefits for other groups; including for NHS and school staff working in Oxford.

Free park and ride bus travel was introduced on 29 October to support the temporary congestion charge, which has been implemented as an interim measure while Botley Road remains closed, preventing the start of the traffic filter trial.

Other proposed initiatives that could also be funded by the temporary scheme include:

• Free weekday park and ride parking for NHS and school staff working in Oxford for nine months from 1 June 2026, for work travel.
• Free weekday bus travel for NHS and school staff working in Oxford for nine months from 1 June 2026, for work travel.
• Hospital express park and ride services for 12 months from 1 October 2026.
• Active travel infrastructure, including pedestrian crossings, side road entry treatments, and secure cycle parking.
• Free bus travel for six months per participant in the council’s Connect to Work programme for 2026 - 27.
• A limited trial of subsidised bus season tickets for certain communities.
• Improved active travel infrastructure to deal with 'missing links' in the active travel network as already identified in council policy and plans.

Councillor Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport Management said: “The temporary congestion charge is giving residents and visitors to the city faster journeys, cleaner air, reduced traffic and safer streets.

“We now have an opportunity, with the funding available, to explore some ideas with lasting impact that will improve travel safety and the environment. I look forward to cabinet discussing this in more detail next month.

“It’s my hope that some of these lasting benefits from the temporary congestion charge will also support the transition to the traffic filters trial after Botley Road reopens.”

The free park and ride bus travel offer is currently set to continue until 31 May 2026.

Up to two adults and three children with a valid park and ride parking ticket are able to claim free travel to and from park and ride sites in the city. The tickets must be obtained from the bus driver at a park and ride site, and are valid on any Stagecoach, Oxford Bus Company or Thames Travel bus that stops at a park and ride site in Oxford, not just named park and ride services. 

Further details about proposed initiatives will be made available when confirmed by cabinet.

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Free park and ride bus travel was introduced on 29 October to support the temporary congestion charge, which has been implemented as an interim measure while Botley Road remains closed, preventing the start of the traffic filter trial. 

The continued offer of free park and ride bus travel is one way that income from the council’s temporary congestion charge scheme could be spent. Other proposed initiatives that could also be funded by the temporary scheme include:

• Free weekday park and ride parking for NHS and school staff working in Oxford for nine months from 1 June 2026, for work travel.
• Free weekday bus travel for NHS and school staff working in Oxford for nine months from 1 June 2026, for work travel.
• Hospital express park and ride services for 12 months from 1 October 2026.
• Active travel infrastructure, including pedestrian crossings, side road entry treatments, and secure cycle parking.
• Free bus travel for six months per participant in the council’s Connect to Work programme for 2026 - 27.

Councillor Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport Management said: “The temporary congestion charge is giving residents and visitors to the city faster journeys, cleaner air, reduced traffic and safer streets. 

“I’m very pleased that we’re now able to discuss how we invest further in giving people more choice and convenience when it comes to getting to and around Oxford, including to major hospital sites. 

“It’s my hope that some lasting benefits from the temporary congestion charge will also support the transition to the traffic filters trial after Botley Road reopens.” 

The free park and ride bus travel offer is currently set to continue until 31 May 2026.

Up to two adults and three children with a valid park and ride parking ticket are able to claim free travel to and from park and ride sites in the city. The tickets must be obtained from the bus driver at a park and ride site, and are valid on any Stagecoach, Oxford Bus Company or Thames Travel bus that stops at a park and ride site in Oxford, not just named park and ride services. 

Further details about proposed initiatives will be made available when confirmed by cabinet.

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Free park and ride bus travel was introduced on 29 October to support the temporary congestion charge, which has been implemented as an interim measure while Botley Road remains closed, preventing the start of the traffic filter trial. 

The offer of free park and ride bus travel is one way that income from the council’s temporary congestion charge scheme is being spent. Further plans for investment will be considered by the council’s cabinet at a public meeting later in the spring. 

Councillor Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport Management said: “The temporary congestion charge is giving residents and visitors to the city faster journeys, cleaner air, reduced traffic and safer streets. 

“I’m very pleased that we’re able to continue to invest in free park and ride bus travel which helps to further reduce traffic, giving people faster buses and more choice and convenience when it comes to getting to and around the city, including to major hospital sites.” 

Up to two adults and three children with a valid park and ride parking ticket are able to claim free travel to and from park and ride sites in the city. The tickets are valid on any Stagecoach, Oxford Bus Company or Thames Travel bus that stops at a park and ride site in Oxford, not just named park and ride services. 

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The data from Go Ahead, which owns six local bus companies including Oxford Bus Company and Thames Travel, shows overall year-on-year passenger numbers are approximately 8 per cent up since the introduction of the congestion charge. A third of this increase is on park and ride services with the remaining two-thirds on non park and ride services, with significant growth on routes serving the city from other areas like Didcot, Abingdon and Wallingford.  

The county council’s temporary congestion charge is at points on six roads in Oxford and was introduced on 29 October. It is designed to reduce traffic in the city while Botley Road remains closed, and the start of the council’s traffic filter trial is delayed. 

Councillor Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport Management, said: “It’s wonderful to see this increase in bus use, which is in large part due to our temporary congestion charge in the city, making it possible for bus operators to improve and extend services. 

“The congestion charge is part of how the council is improving transport choice and connections among our local communities, enabling more people to choose bus for their journeys. With our offer of free park and ride travel, and new and improved bus services around the city, buses are becoming a great choice for more people. The more people use bus services, the more we all benefit; from less traffic, faster journeys and cleaner air.  

“We’re continuing to watch the impacts of the temporary congestion charge carefully as residents, visitors and businesses adjust to it.”  

Luke Marion, Managing Director of Oxford Bus Company, said: "It's been very encouraging to see the increased numbers of people using buses since the county council's temporary congestion charge came in at the end of October. 

“The reductions in congestion that have been delivered by the congestion charge scheme, and the free park and ride travel promotion that it funds, have helped buses run more quickly in the city, meaning we can offer customers faster journeys and also use buses that were previously stuck in congestion to provide extra services for the community. 

“With these extra services and faster journeys helping to attract more passengers, we can have more confidence moving forwards to invest more in the network to help grow passenger numbers further." 

Monitoring data for the scheme is now published for November, December and January, with some data sets not yet available. Travel patterns and external factors will continue to change. The data that is being collected will build a picture over time of how the scheme is working and highlight any issues the council may need to address. 

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ENDS 

Notes to editors 

Bus patronage data is provided by bus operators. 

About the temporary congestion charge  

A charge of £5 per day is payable to drive a car without a permit through the six congestion charge locations. Cars with permits and all other vehicles can go through the temporary congestion charge locations for free.  

There are permit types available that allow free travel through the congestion charge points. Permit applications covering different circumstances can be made from the county council website, including for residents, traders, carers and blue badge holders. To find out about different permits and exemptions, visit the congestion charge website.  

Those driving in a car without a permit can pay the congestion charge online by midnight on the day after driving through one of the six charge locations – no account is needed. There is also an option to pay by phone. 

Locations and operating times:

• Marston Ferry Road and Hollow Way - Monday to Saturday - At peak times between 7am to 9am and 3pm to 6pm
• Hythe Bridge Street, St Cross Road, St Clement’s Street and Thames Street - Monday to Sunday - 7am to 7pm 

The scheme will remain in place until the traffic filters trial is introduced, once Botley Road reopens, expected to be August 2026.

The county council’s temporary congestion charge is at points on six roads in Oxford and was introduced on 29 October. It is designed to reduce traffic in the city while Botley Road remains closed, and the start of the council’s traffic filter trial is delayed. 

The published data includes car and bus journey times, and park and ride usage. Data is presented alongside figures for the same month in the previous year for comparison and is published each month. This is the third month of data published for the temporary scheme. 

Councillor Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport Management, said: “It’s very encouraging to see how many people have taken up our offer of free park and ride bus travel into the city with the congestion charge, with reduced traffic on key routes enabling improvements to bus services to be made across the city. Compared to January 2025, January 2026 saw 33 per cent more cars entering the Redbridge park and ride site, which is a really significant increase. Entries to park and ride sites have increased year on year, particularly at the Redbridge and Peartree sites, and there is still plenty of capacity. 

“Park and ride is an increasingly convenient way to visit Oxford, and the more people use it, the more we all benefit.  

“It’s still too early for us to draw firm conclusions and we will continue to watch the impacts of the temporary congestion charge carefully as residents, visitors and businesses adjust to it.”  

Luke Marion, Managing Director of Oxford Bus Company, said: “We've been really encouraged with the take up of the park and ride offer. More people using park and ride has a really positive impact for the wider bus network across the city, with the traffic that it takes off the roads directly supporting faster journeys on buses across the city, and beyond. We've introduced improvements to some of our longer-distance services from 22 February, to match the improvements already made to most city routes, so the benefits are spreading far and wide.” 

Monitoring data is now published for November, December and January, with some data sets not yet available. Travel patterns and external factors will continue to change. The data that is being collected will build a picture over time of how the scheme is working and highlight any issues the council may need to address.

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About the temporary congestion charge 

A charge of £5 per day is payable to drive a car without a permit through the six congestion charge locations. Cars with permits and all other vehicles can go through the temporary congestion charge locations for free.  

There are permit types available that allow free travel through the congestion charge points. Permit applications covering different circumstances can be made from the county council website, including for residents, traders, carers and blue badge holders. To find out about different permits and exemptions, visit the congestion charge website.  

Those driving in a car without a permit can pay the congestion charge online by midnight on the day after driving through one of the six charge locations – no account is needed. There is also an option to pay by phone. 

Locations and operating times:

• Marston Ferry Road and Hollow Way - Monday to Saturday - At peak times between 7am to 9am and 3pm to 6pm
• Hythe Bridge Street, St Cross Road, St Clement’s Street and Thames Street - Monday to Sunday - 7am to 7pm

The scheme will remain in place until the traffic filters trial is introduced, once Botley Road reopens, expected to be August 2026.

On Wednesday 29 October, Oxfordshire County Council launched its scheme to reduce congestion to make buses quicker and more reliable and walking and cycling safer and more attractive. 

To coincide with the launch of the temporary congestion charge, the council is offering free park and ride bus travel. Up to two adults and three children with a valid park and ride parking ticket are able to claim free travel from park and ride sites in the city. 

The tickets will be valid on any Stagecoach, Oxford Bus Company or Thames Travel bus that visits an Oxford park and ride site, not just branded park and ride services.  

Councillor Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport Management said: “The temporary congestion charge is part of a range of measures to deliver our vision enshrined in our Local Transport and Connectivity Plan: better public transport, cleaner air, safer roads and better conditions for walking, cycling and wheeling. 

“We will be watching the impacts carefully as residents, visitors and businesses adjust to the temporary congestion charge.” 

Luke Marion, Managing Director of Oxford Bus Company said: "It's been an encouraging start to the council's new temporary congestion charge scheme, with some noticeable reductions in traffic congestion being seen from our real-time data. We've already seen more than 10,000 people taking up the new free park and ride offer on our services, and a 10 per cent increase in the overall use of park and ride in line with our initial expectations. 

“While we did have some challenges with roadworks affecting the Redbridge site on the first day of operation, these were swiftly resolved and we're looking forward to seeing our wide-ranging service enhancements coming into force from this coming Sunday, 9 November." 

Chris Hanson, Managing Director for Stagecoach West said: “The introduction of the Oxford temporary congestion charge has proven to be a success thus far, encouraging a noticeable shift towards more sustainable modes of transport. We are keen to see even more people making the switch to bus travel as a reliable, affordable, and environmentally friendly way to move around the city, with our service improvements taking place this month.” 

The temporary congestion charge is in place at points on six roads in Oxford. Cars with permits and all other vehicles can pass through the charge locations for free. Without a permit, a charge of £5 per day will be payable to drive a car through the six congestion charge locations. 

Over 63,000 permits have been issued to date. Permit applications can be made from the county council website, including for residents, traders, carers and blue badge holders. To find out about different permits and exemptions, visit the congestion charge website. 

Those driving in a car without a permit can pay the congestion charge online by midnight on the day after driving through one of the six charge locations – no account is needed. You can also pay in advance for multiple days – this option requires you to open an account. There is also an option to pay by phone.  

Notes

• Each congestion charge location covers just one point on the road. Cars can use the road on either side of these locations at any time without a permit.
• There are directional signs providing drivers advance warning of the charging locations. Traffic signs show when and where the congestion charge applies to cars, and automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras enforce the restrictions.
• Residents can get a limited number of day passes each year, and some groups are eligible for permits for unlimited travel.
• Locations and operating times:
  • Marston Ferry Road and Hollow Way - Monday to Saturday - At peak times between 7am to 9am and 3pm to 6pm
  • Hythe Bridge Street, St Cross Road, St Clement’s Street and Thames Street - Monday to Sunday - 7am to 7pm
• During the first six weeks of the temporary charge, the council will send a letter the first time any car goes through a congestion charge point without paying or using a permit, instead of sending a penalty charge notice.
• Monitoring data for the scheme will be published monthly. The scheme will remain in place until the traffic filters trial is introduced, once Botley Road reopens, expected to be August 2026.

You can find out more about the congestion charge, how to pay, who’s eligible for a free permit and how to apply at www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/congestioncharge

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Work will begin on Saturday 27 July at the London Road site and is expected to continue until 1 October 2024.

The park and ride will remain open although parking capacity will be reduced from 1,335 spaces to about 600.

Bus stops for services to the city centre and Oxford’s hospitals will be moved to the main car park so that repairs can be carried out at the existing bus turning circle. The main car park will not be open to park in, with exception of the disabled parking bays.

The terminal building, with toilets, coffee kiosk and waiting area, will remain open during this period.

Updates on the situation, including messages about queueing traffic, will be shown on the electronic display boards around the city.

The city’s four other park and ride sites will be unaffected while the work is carried out at Thornhill.

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The combined ticket, which offers parking for 16 hours plus return bus travel, will stay at £4 for a car with one adult or £5 for a car with two adults until April 2025. With both options, up to three children under 16 can travel for free.

Joint ticketing, which is now a permanent feature at the five park and ride sites, was introduced by Oxfordshire County Council, Oxford City Council, Oxford Bus Company and Stagecoach in 2022.

Councillor Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport Management, said: “Oxford’s park and rides are the cheapest and most convenient way for drivers to get into the city centre, as well as other locations such as Oxford’s hospitals, Oxford Brookes University, Headington, Summertown and Wheatley.

“Joint ticketing has proved to be extremely popular and it is great news that the prices are staying the same for another year. More people on the buses means fewer cars on the road, less congestion and less pollution.”

Users will be able to take advantage of the rollout of 159 cleaner, state of the art electric buses serving the city, thanks to a multi-million-pound deal involving the county council, the bus companies and the government.

Passengers are also expected to see bus journey times reduced once a traffic filter trial on six roads in Oxford begins in November 2024.

Luke Marion, Oxford Bus Company Managing Director, said: “Oxford's park and rides are a key part of the city's transport network and essential to helping reduce congestion in the city. It is great that in Oxford, key stakeholders are continuing to work in partnership to make bus travel as attractive as possible to further reduce congestion and improve air quality.

“We have significantly invested in a new fleet of electric buses and look forward to the introduction of traffic filters, which collectively help towards the overall goal. Freezing park and ride tickets to encourage people to make more sustainable travel choices in the meantime is great news and will be welcomed by our passengers.”

Karen Coventry, Commercial and Marketing Director for Stagecoach West, said: “Anything we can do to encourage bus use over private car is of a huge benefit to us all, so we are delighted to see a freeze in the price of park and ride tickets for the coming year.

“Travelling by bus is by far one of the easiest behavioural switches we can make to improve air quality and protect our environment. With our EV buses due to join those already operating within the city centre this summer, it has never been a better time to forge new, greener habits.”

Councillor Louise Upton, Oxford City Council’s Cabinet Member for Planning, said: “It is great news that the bargain-priced, combined parking and bus ticket offer has been extended at all of Oxford's park and ride car parks. It is a great example of working together to support cheaper travel in Oxford.

“The flexibility to stay up to 16 hours means that people working shifts or who are visiting the city until late in the evening can do so without worrying. Please do use the park and rides – hop on one of the new electric buses and take away the stress of trying to find a parking spot in the city centre.”

Oxford has five park and ride car parks around the edge of the city. Three are run by the city council and two by the county council:

• Oxford Parkway Park and Ride
• Pear Tree Park and Ride
• Redbridge Park and Ride
• Seacourt Park and Ride
• Thornhill Park and Ride

Drivers can buy a combined ticket through the RingGo parking app, or at one of the onsite ticket machines.

RingGo users can buy a combined virtual ticket through the app. Users are encouraged to download the RingGo app before arriving.

The joint ticket does not change the prices of parking only, annual, quarterly, or 28-day permit holders. Free parking remains for blue badge holders.

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Oxford is celebrating the 50^th anniversary of the opening of the country’s first permanent park and ride site.

On Monday, 10 December 1973, Redbridge began operating with a car park and dedicated bus service. Although experimental park and rides had been set up earlier – including one in Oxford at the Forte Motor Lodge on the A34 in the 1960s – Redbridge was the first permanent example of the pioneering transport management system.

Previous proposals for easing Oxford’s traffic congestion had included an inner relief road through Christ Church Meadow, which was rejected after a campaign opposing it. There were also calls for a giant commuter car park on Port Meadow, connecting to a water ferry on the Oxford Canal, but this didn’t materialise into a plan.

The success of Redbridge inspired Oxfordshire to create the largest park and ride system in the country, with 5,900 parking spaces at five sites on the outskirts of the city.

Oxford Parkway and Thornhill park and rides are run by Oxfordshire County Council, while Pear Tree, Seacourt and Redbridge are all operated by Oxford City Council.

The golden anniversary comes at an exciting time for the county’s bus industry, as the first of 159 electric buses start arriving as part of an £83.8 million deal – many of which will serve Oxford using the park and rides.

Councillor Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport Management, said: “It’s almost unthinkable now to imagine Oxford without its park and rides. They have become part of everyday life for so many people, providing a convenient and economical way to travel into the city centre and Oxford’s hospitals.”

Park and ride in numbers

• Oxford Bus Company uses 28 buses each weekday on the three park and ride services it operates
• These services (300, 400, 700) collectively travel 1,057,000 miles each year
• They carry around four million passengers annually
• Stagecoach runs up to 240 trips a day to and from Oxford Parkway Park and Ride and Oxford city centre, on routes 2 and 2A
• In addition, it runs up to an extra 236 trips a day stopping just outside on Banbury Road on routes S4, S5 and S7, connecting Oxford Parkway with Oxford city centre

Councillor Louise Upton, Cabinet Member for Planning and Healthier Communities, Oxford City Council said: “Oxford has a proud history of leading transport innovations, and I am delighted that we are able to celebrate 50 years of park and ride services in our city. Our park and ride services have evolved over the years to cater to the changing needs of users. Imagine the number of car journeys into the city that have been saved over 50 years! 

“By using the park and ride service instead of driving, commuters and visitors are helping to reduce congestion on our roads, improve our air quality and support a faster, more reliable bus network.”

To continue to make the park and rides the first choice for visitors, Oxfordshire County Council, Oxford City Council, Oxford Bus Company and Stagecoach introduced a joint ticketing and parking offer in 2022. Parking for up to 16 hours and return bus travel for one person costs just £4, while for two people it is £5.

With both options, up to three children under 16 can travel for free. The deal proved so popular that it was recently extended until April 2024.

Unlike many other park and rides around the country, Oxford’s are thriving again following the impact COVID-19 had on the bus industry and user numbers are close to pre-pandemic levels.

Luke Marion, Managing Director of Oxford Bus Company, said: "Myself and the team at Oxford Bus Company are very proud to have been involved in operating Oxford's world-leading park and ride system continuously for the past half a century. There have been major changes in the vehicles and technology we use on the service since it started 50 years ago, and the introduction of the new fleet of electric buses to the service is the latest step in this continuing evolution.

“With today's levels of traffic congestion, the park and ride is more important now than it has ever been. We look forward to developing the service further over the years to come, to support the continued development of our city.”

Redbridge itself has evolved and last year became home to Energy Superhub Oxford, Europe’s most powerful electric vehicle charging hub. The charging hub at the Abingdon Road site offers fast and ultra-rapid charging for 42 vehicles and is powered entirely by renewable energy.

Rachel Geliamassi, Managing Director of Stagecoach West, said: “We’re delighted that Stagecoach have played our part in the longevity and success of the world’s first permanent park and ride scheme and to be able to toast its success over 50 years. It’s great to be part of a collaborative group of partners who have worked together to present the customer proposition for existing and new customers.

“We’re excited to take this as an opportunity to look forward to the introduction of the new electric vehicles on to the park and ride routes in 2024, along with the continuation of the combined parking and bus tickets, taking the scheme to another level and providing affordable and sustainable travel options to our residents and visitors."

Ian Green, Oxford Civic Society (OCS) Chairman, said: “Fifty years ago, persistent pressure and well-argued advice from OCS was instrumental in the council's decision to introduce the park and ride scheme. Oxford was only the second city in the country to do so and Redbridge was the first such site to be made permanent.

“The job of better managing traffic in our city is far from finished and we are proud of the vital role the park and ride sites continue to play.”

Last October, Oxfordshire County Council, Oxford City Council, Oxford Bus Company and Stagecoach launched a new combined ticket for Oxford’s park and rides which covers both parking and return bus travel to the city centre.

To coincide with the launch of the new combined ticket, the councils have been offering the ticket at a reduced price of £4 for a car with only one adult, or £5 for a car and two adults. With both options, the car can be parked for up to 16 hours, and up to three children under 16 can travel for free. Previously tickets only lasted for 11 hours, which made it difficult for people working long shifts to use them.

The deal represents a saving of 80p per person for an individual ticket, and £2.60 for two people travelling together. Previously, users had to pay separately for both parking and bus travel. A single traveller previously paid £4.80 for 11 hours parking and return bus ticket, and two travellers with one car previously paid £7.60.

Oxford has five park and ride car parks around the edge of the city, three are run by the city council and two by the county council.

Now, Oxford City Council’s cabinet has approved a decision to extend the trial price for a further six months until April 2024. Oxfordshire County Council had already agreed that the current arrangement could remain in place for the rest of the 2023/24 financial year.

Councillor Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highway Management, said: “This deal has proved to be extremely popular and we are delighted that it is being extended again. It will continue to make it cheaper and more convenient for many people to use the park and ride services instead of driving all the way into Oxford city centre. More people on the buses means fewer cars on the road, less congestion and less pollution.”

Both councils will make decisions as part of their annual budget-setting processes on the pricing of the combined ticket from April 2024, taking into consideration national and local trends within the industry.

The overall combined parking and bus ticket option is a permanent feature of the park and rides and it is only the price that is up for review.

About the combined ticket

The combined parking and bus ticket is in place at all park and ride sites in and around Oxford:

• Oxford Parkway Park and Ride
• Pear Tree Park and Ride
• Redbridge Park and Ride
• Seacourt Park and Ride
• Thornhill Park and Ride

Drivers are encouraged to purchase a combined ticket through the RingGo parking app, or at one of the onsite ticket machines.

RingGo users can buy a combined virtual ticket through the app. Users are encouraged to download the RingGo app in advance of their arrival.

The trial does not change the prices of parking only, annual, quarterly, or 28-day permit holders. Free parking remains for blue badge holders.

Drivers using the Hozah parking app who would like to use the combined ticket offer will need to pause their membership and use either RingGo or the onsite ticket machines.

Aside from these changes, all other car parking charges at these sites remain the same.

Councillor Louise Upton, Cabinet Member for Planning and Healthier Communities at Oxford City Council, said: “Park and rides have been noticeably busier since we introduced the combined parking-and-bus tickets. Thousands of people have benefited from a more convenient and affordable way to arrive sustainably in Oxford.

“Whether you are a commuter, a visitor, a shopper or visiting friends and family, leaving the car at the park and ride so that you don’t have to search for a parking space in our congested city centre is a great idea. We have decided to keep our introductory low price for a while longer and will continue to work with the county council and both bus operators on the appropriate pricing level from April 2024 onwards.”

Luke Marion, Managing Director for Oxford Bus Company, said: “The combined parking and bus ticket has been a great example of partnership working between the councils and bus operators, and has helped our park and ride system in Oxford grow back much more quickly from the pandemic than similar schemes in other UK cities. 

“We know that our customers really value the simplicity and convenience of the combined ticket, so it was an easy decision to give our support for a further six-month extension of the reduced pricing. We will work with both councils to review the pricing in April.”

Karen Coventry, Commercial and Marketing Director for Stagecoach West, said: “Customers like simple to understand and good value ticket offers and the £4/ £5 combined park and ride tickets being made available across all of the park and ride sites around the city have certainly helped to encourage more people on to the bus, reducing the reliance on car usage into the city centre. It’s good news that we now have a clear and consistent message for the next six months.”

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The 700 route, which serves the John Radcliffe Hospital, Churchill Hospital, Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre, and Thornhill and Oxford Parkway park and rides, was set to be withdrawn as it was not commercially viable.

As a result, Oxfordshire County Council stepped in with financial support to enable Oxford Bus Company to operate the service – which was used by more than 350,000 passengers in the past year – until 30 August 2024. The change followed a tendering process and will come into effect from 3 July 2023.

Councillor Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways Management, said: “This will be a great relief to the hundreds of people who use this service every day, including many who use it to access the city’s hospitals. We appreciate the importance of an effective bus service in helping people to get where they need to be and reducing the number of cars on our congested roads.”

Luke Marion, Oxford Bus Company Managing Director, said: “We are pleased to be commencing the operation of service 700 from 3 July via a contract with Oxfordshire County Council. This ensures continuity of the service and we look forward to welcoming passengers on-board.”

This service will operate up to every 30 minutes, Monday to Friday, to the same route and timetable as the current service.

For existing customers who hold SmartZone passes, these will continue to be valid for use on the 700 as well as the wider network of local bus services provided by Oxford Bus Company, Stagecoach, Thames Travel or Arriva.

More details about the service, including timetable, route map and ticketing arrangements, are available on Oxford Bus Company’s website.

Any users who currently use a pass that is valid for travel on Stagecoach buses only will need to email oxford.enquiries@stagecoachbus.com with any enquiries for refunds.

Bus passengers can continue to take advantage of the government’s £2 fare cap which has been extended until 31 October 2023.

Park and ride users can also continue to buy cut price tickets covering both parking and return bus travel, making journeys less stressful without the need to find a space at the hospitals.

The current offer costs £4 for a car with only one adult, or £5 for a car and two adults. With both options, up to three children under 16 can travel for free.

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Passengers can continue to buy a combined ticket at a reduced price which covers both parking and return bus travel at a rate of £4 for a car with only one adult, or £5 for a car and two adults. With both options, up to three children under 16 can travel for free.

Oxfordshire County Council, Oxford City Council, Oxford Bus Company and Stagecoach said the trial, which was originally due to end on 31 March, will now carry on until the end of September 2023 due to its success.

Councillor Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways Management, said: “This deal will continue to make it cheaper and more convenient for many people to use the park and ride services instead of driving all the way into Oxford city centre. More people on the buses will reduce car use and cut congestion and pollution.”

Councillor Louise Upton, Cabinet Member for Health and Transport at Oxford City Council, said: “I’m delighted that we have been able to extend the park and ride offer for a further six months. Park and ride services are essential for travelling into and across our city and we want to help make these services as easy to use and as affordable as possible.”

The deal represents a saving of £1 per person for an individual ticket, and £1.80 for two people travelling together. Previously, other than a combined £6.80 family ticket, drivers had to pay separately for both parking and bus travel.

Since the campaign was launched, park and ride passenger numbers have increased to around 97 per cent of the level they were before the pandemic. The increase has been up to 10 per cent on weekdays, and even greater at weekends.

Rachel Geliamassi, Managing Director at Stagecoach West, said: “We’re really pleased to be extending this park and ride ticket offer for Oxford. For those looking to travel from Oxford Parkway to the hospital sites in Headington, as well as into Oxford city centre, this ticket offer will provide brilliant value and convenient travel.”

Luke Marion, Oxford Bus Company Managing Director, said: “This continues to be a fantastic offer for people visiting Oxford and represents the best value for commuters, shift workers and leisure visitors. Thanks to key stakeholders working together, we have jointly created an excellent special offer for an extended period designed to encourage people to return to, or try out, the park and ride service.

“We appreciate times are challenging and the reduced prices represent tremendous value for people to park and travel in and out of Oxford.”

The combined parking and bus ticket remains in place at all park and ride sites in and around Oxford:

• Oxford Parkway Park and Ride
• Pear Tree Park and Ride
• Redbridge Park and Ride
• Seacourt Park and Ride
• Thornhill Park and Ride

Drivers are encouraged to purchase a combined ticket through the RingGo parking app, or at one of the onsite ticket machines.

RingGo users can buy a combined virtual ticket through the app. Users are encouraged to download the RingGo app in advance of their arrival.

Ticket machines at the park and ride sites have been updated to reflect the trial.

The trial does not impact the prices of parking only, annual, quarterly, or 28 day permit holders. Free parking remains for blue badge holders.

Drivers using Hozah parking app who would like to use the combined ticket offer will need to pause their membership and use either RingGo or the onsite ticket machines.

Aside from these changes, all other car parking charges at these sites remain the same.

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Working together, Oxford City Council, Oxfordshire County Council, Oxford Bus Company and Stagecoach have made the changes to encourage more people to choose the Park and Ride over car travel and so help reduce traffic congestion in the city, while supporting the city centre’s economic recovery.

A new combined parking and bus ticket is now in place at all Park and Ride sites in and around Oxford. These are:

• Oxford Parkway Park and Ride
• Pear Tree Park and Ride
• Redbridge Park and Ride
• Seacourt Park and Ride
• Thornhill Park and Ride

As part of the offer, passengers can now buy a combined ticket at a reduced price which covers both parking and return bus travel at a rate of £4 for a car with only 1 adult and £5 for a car and 2 adults. With both options, up to three children under 16 can travel for free.

The combined ticket at a reduced price offer is part of a six-month trial, which is taking place until 31 March 2023 and is subject to review by both councils and the bus operators. However, the combined parking and bus ticket approach is a permanent change.

The trial offers a saving of £1 per person (20%) for an individual ticket, and £1.80 per two people travelling together (26%). Previously, other than a combined £6.80 family ticket, drivers had to pay separately for both parking and bus travel. The new combined ticket also provides a lower cost alternative to the existing £6.80 family ticket.

Drivers are encouraged to purchase a combined ticket through the RingGo parking app, or at one of the onsite ticket machines:

RingGo users are able to purchase a combined virtual ticket through the app. Users are encouraged to download the RingGo app in advance of their arrival.

Ticket machines at the Park and Ride sites have been updated to reflect the trial.

The trial does not impact the prices of annual, quarterly, or 28 day permit holders, and free parking remains for blue badge holders.

Drivers using Hozah who would like to use the combined ticket offer will need to pause their membership, and use either Ringo or the onsite ticket machines.

In addition, a permanent change has been made to the parking periods at all Park and Ride sites around Oxford, so that customers needing to park for longer, such as those working longer shifts, pay less.

The changes, which came into effect from 30 September, mean:

• the £2 tariff will now cover 1-16 hours (extended from 1-11 hours)
• the £4 tariff will now cover 16-24 hours (extended from 11-24 hours)
• The change follows discussions with major employers, including city centre retailers, which identified that the 11-hour time charge created a ‘cliff-edge’ for shift workers. The change aims to better support these drivers to continue to use the park and ride services.

Aside from these changes, all other car-parking charges at these sites will remain the same.

The Park and Ride financial incentive was agreed by cabinets at Oxfordshire County Council and Oxford City Council. As part of an Enhanced Partnership agreement the councils and bus operators Oxford Bus Company, Thames Travel and Stagecoach are working together on initiatives to bring bus passenger numbers back to pre-pandemic levels.

Park and Ride passenger numbers have not fully recovered post COVID-19 following changes in passenger habits. The six-month pilot scheme is designed to encourage people to use the service, as a cost-effective and sustainable way to visit Oxford.

Councillor Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways Management, said: “This new deal will make it cheaper and more convenient for many people to use the Park and Ride services instead of driving all the way into Oxford city centre. More people on the buses will reduce car use and cut congestion and pollution.”

Councillor Louise Upton, Cabinet Member for Health and Transport, Oxford City Council, said: “Park and Ride services are essential for travelling into and across our city. In partnership with the bus operators and the County Council. We are working to ensure services are easy to use and affordable for as many people as possible. We hope that the combined ticket offer and amended parking tariff will encourage more people to travel into the city by Park and Ride for work, leisure, and tourism. It takes the worry out of trying to find a parking space in the city centre and it’s much easier to leave your car at the Park and Ride and hop on a bus instead.”

Luke Marion, Oxford Bus Company Interim Managing Director, said: “This is a fantastic offer for people visiting Oxford and represents the best value for commuters, shift workers and leisure visitors. Thanks to key stakeholders working together we have jointly created an excellent special offer for an extended period designed to encourage people to return to, or try out, the Park and Ride service.

“We appreciate times are challenging and the reduced prices represent tremendous value for people to park and travel in and out of Oxford. We are committed to making bus travel as accessible and convenient as possible and the joint ticket combined with extended parking times and reduced prices is a big step forward in our strategy. The Park and Ride service is a sustainable and cost-effective way to travel into Oxford and can be a vital part of the city’s vision to reduce congestion and carbon emissions.”

Rachel Geliamassi, Managing Director at Stagecoach West, said: “We’re really pleased to be introducing this Park and Ride ticket offer to Oxford. For those looking to travel from Oxford Parkway to the hospital sites in Headington, as well as into Oxford City Centre, this ticket offer will provide brilliant value and convenient travel, with extended parking times.” 

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Working together, Oxford City Council, Oxfordshire County Council, Oxford Bus Company and Stagecoach, have developed a set of proposals to make the park and ride services more attractive.

This month, both the city and county councils’ cabinets will be asked to approve the creation of a new combined parking and bus ticket for all park and ride sites in and around Oxford.

If approved, car drivers will be able to purchase a combined ticket which covers both parking and return bus travel at a rate of £4 for a car with only one driver and £5 for a car with two or more people.

Currently, other than a combined £6.80 family ticket, drivers pay separately for both parking and bus travel. The new combined ticket also provides a lower cost alternative to the existing £6.80 family ticket.  

It is expected that the combined ticket trial will take place from 30 September 2022 to 31 March 2023. 

Drivers will be able to buy the combined ticket at the parking machine or by using the RingGo parking app.  

This will be supported by a marketing and communications campaign to help promote the ticket offer.  

An initial review of the trial will be conducted after the first three months which will inform a future cabinet decision on the next steps and a planned joint city/county feasibility study on medium and long-term options for park and ride and transport hubs.  

In addition to the combined ticket system, the partnership is also proposing to permanently amend the parking periods at all park and ride sites across the county, so that customers needing to park for longer, such as those working longer shifts, pay less.

If approved, this will mean that:

• The current £2 tariff, which covers the one - 11 hour parking period, is to be extended to cover one - 16 hours.
• The current £4 tariff, which covers the 11 - 24 hour period, will be updated to cover 16 - 24 hours.

The proposal follows discussion with major employers, including city centre retailers, which identified that the current 11-hour time charge creates a ‘cliff-edge’ for shift workers. The change aims to better support these drivers to continue to use the park and ride services.

Aside from these changes, all other car parking charges at these sites are proposed to remain the same.

Both car parking and bus patronage have been dramatically reduced at all park and ride sites in comparison to pre-pandemic levels, and while bus patronage levels are now actually better than pre-pandemic over the weekends, they have still not recovered on weekdays, especially during peak hours.  

Bus passenger levels are currently running at between 75 and 80 per cent of pre-COVID levels on average. Without improvements and action, including continued government financial support, services may have to be reviewed later this year. 

These proposed changes are part of a multi-partner campaign to encourage bus use across the city and county. Last month, a campaign launched with the partnership highlighting the financial advantages of taking the bus over a car.

Councillor Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways Management, said: “This new deal will make it cheaper and more convenient for many people to use the park and ride services instead of driving all the way into Oxford city centre. More people on the buses will reduce car use and cut congestion and pollution.”

Councillor Louise Upton, Cabinet Member for Health and Transport, Oxford City Council, said: “Buses, especially park and ride services, are crucial for people travelling into our city for work, leisure, and tourism. We want to ensure that our services are easy to use and affordable for as many people as possible, which is why we are proposing a combined ticket and updated parking tariff to make it simpler and cheaper.

“We hope that these measures will encourage more people to use park and ride when they come into Oxford.” 

Luke Marion, Oxford Bus Company Interim Managing Director, said: “The park and ride service has been a crucial part of Oxford’s transport infrastructure since 1973 and now needs support to help it fully recover from the impact of the pandemic. The service is integral to helping Oxford achieve its net-zero ambitions and it’s great to see all parties working in partnership to introduce changes that we expect will make the park and ride more attractive and easier for customers to understand.”

Rachel Geliamassi, Managing Director, Stagecoach, said: “We are looking forward to getting behind this campaign and trial to encourage more people on to the park and ride services we operate from Thornhill and Oxford Parkway. We want to work together to keep things simple and reduce the number of single occupancy car journeys on the roads.

“We know that people want to pay a combined price, saving money and hassle and are encouraged by the extensions that will be introduced to the duration of the parking tariffs.”

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In a letter sent to the Treasury and Department for Transport yesterday,  Liz Leffman, Leader of Oxfordshire County Council, warned about the impact of ending the Bus Recovery Grant (BRG), which is due to cease on March 31 2022.

While bus operators are private companies run for profit, during the pandemic they have relied heavily on BRG support from central government. This has enabled them to continue to provide the vast majority of services despite passenger numbers being much lower than it was before the crisis hit. However, this support has not taken into account the extended delay to the recovery caused by the Omicron variant and is ending too soon for bus use to return to financially viable levels.

This sudden threat to bus funding has prompted operators into action to protect their businesses. As a result, if no announcement on continued government financial support is forthcoming in the next few weeks, applications to cancel or severely reduce service levels on more than 40 bus routes in the county are expected to be submitted. This would run counter to the council’s ambitions of a comprehensive, effective and reliable bus network to provide an alternative to the car, and result in a number of urban and rural communities around Oxfordshire losing their services.

Cllr Leffman said: “An effective bus network is key to tackling congestion and is crucial for improving Oxfordshire’s environment. However, the scale of the potential cuts to commercial services is unprecedented, including all of Oxford's park and ride services,  key routes serving the hospitals and several important rural routes. We need the government to step up and support the bus companies to recover from the effects of the pandemic.

“The proposals come in advance of the council discovering the outcome of our Bus Service Improvement Plan and during the development of other important schemes such as the enhanced partnership for buses, the zero emission zone, city centre traffic schemes and a bid to the government’s Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas (ZEBRA) scheme for more than 150 new electric buses in Oxford.

“Local authorities, including Oxfordshire County Council, have worked closely with bus operators over the past two years to support them through the pandemic, in the expectation that the government’s National Bus Strategy would bring forward improvements and drive the national recovery. It would be devastating for this hard work to be undone through the removal of support before we hear the outcome of our Bus Service Improvement Plan and future funding for bus services.

“We are urging the government to maintain its existing funding package for the bus industry, including guidance on concessionary fares reimbursement, until at least March 2023 to allow time for a sustained patronage recovery, remove the immediate threat to funding, and avoid significant service cuts.”

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Oxfordshire County Council has introduced a temporary traffic regulation order (TTRO), which means the 1,000-space shopping centre car park can be closed when it becomes 90 per cent full, or the traffic queues on Thames Street or Oxpens Road, approaching the entrance, reach 10 minutes or more. The TTRO came into effect when lockdown measures were eased on Wednesday 2 December and shops, restaurants and some pubs were allowed to reopen under tier 2 restrictions.

Councillor Liam Walker, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet member for Highways Delivery and Operations, said: “Over the past few months we have been working closely with the Westgate Centre to look at implementing some measures to help with reducing congestion in the city centre during the peak times.

“We recognise that visitors to the Westgate are also visitors to Oxford but we want them to have a better experience that doesn’t involve them sitting in long delays or congestion.”

This time last year, city centre traffic was subject to disruption as vehicles queueing to get into the Westgate Centre car park when it was already full caused heavy congestion. On some occasions, journeys from West Way in Botley to Thames Street were taking more than 40 minutes.

These measures were put into action last week and had a positive impact on reducing congestion in the city centre. They have been reviewed and dynamic decision-making has been introduced, based on congestion and overall parking capacity in the city.

To reduce congestion in the city centre during this busy period, Oxfordshire County and Oxford City Councils have joined forces to provide free parking at the city’s five park and ride sites until Sunday 27 December. Visitors will be able to take advantage of the offer at Redbridge, Pear Tree, Seacourt, Thornhill and Oxford Parkway.

All Park and Ride buses are deep-cleaned daily and customers are required to wear a face covering whilst on board, unless they are exempt. Seating is also reduced to ensure effective social distancing.

The bus journey time between Seacourt P&R and Westgate is only 10-15 minutes, even taking into account congestion, given the inbound bus lane on Botley Road. Any risk of exposure to Covid-19 is therefore extremely low, as has been suggested by industry research.

Since July, Government reversed its general advice against using public transport as restrictions on the retail and hospitality sectors began to be progressively released.

Oxfordshire County Council is also encouraging people to drive to the Park and Ride sites and then cycle or walk to their destination where possible, although this option is not suitable for everyone.

When the decision is made to close the Westgate car park, it will remain shut for at least four hours, and will only reopen if it is no more than 80 per cent full, and traffic delays on the surrounding road network are no longer than five minutes.

Cllr Walker added: “By putting stronger measures in place for when the Westgate car park is full we hope this will help to reduce delays and visitors will instead be encouraged to make use of the free parking we are offering at the park and ride sites in December.”

Motorists will be kept up to date with car park closure developments through the @OxonTravel Twitter account, media updates and signage at 11 locations around the city. The TTRO is expected to remain in place until early in the new year.

Anyone with mobility impairments can use the disabled parking bays situated at off-street car parks around the city centre, with additional disabled parking bays in Albion Place, St Ebbes Street and Littlegate Street.

People will have a chance to have their say on detailed plans for major transport improvements planned for the A40 between Witney and Oxford in the coming weeks.

Oxfordshire County Council is proposing to build a new park and ride facility in Eynsham as well as an eastbound bus lane between Eynsham park and ride and the Duke’s Cut canal bridge near Wolvercote.

The project also includes Westbound bus priority on the approaches to Cassington traffic signals and Eynsham roundabout, junction improvements between Eynsham park and ride and the Duke’s Cut canal bridge near Wolvercote along with a two way cycle path located on the northern verge .

Public exhibitions

Three public exhibitions are planned as part of a public consultation exercise which will run from 1 December 2016 until 12 January 2017.

Investing in improvements

County Councillor Ian Hudspeth, Leader of the county council, said: “The county council is investing in this infrastructure as part of a long-term strategy to improve public transport journeys on the A40 eastbound approach to Oxford and encourage a shift from private cars to public transport.

“By making public transport a viable option for more people we will hopefully see bus use rise. And the more people we get out of cars, the better the A40 will be for everyone that uses it.

“We had a great turn out the last time we held exhibitions about the A40 and I would urge anyone with an interest in the road to come along to one of the sessions to get an update and ask any questions that they have.”

This scheme is largely funded through the Local Growth Fund and the council has provisionally secured £35m toward the cost. Construction is currently programmed to take place from 2018-2020. It is expected that Eynsham park and ride will be subject to a planning application in 2017.

How to have your say

The feasibility design and plans for the Eynsham Park and Ride and A40 Bus Lane scheme will be on display at a series of exhibitions. The dates are:

Anyone unable to attend the consultation exhibitions can view the plans and have their say online by visiting our webpages and filling out the online questionnaire. This will be available online between the 1 December and the 12 January.www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/A40EynshamParkandRide