The range of MyBus Oxfordshire tickets, which offer passengers daily or weekly travel around the county, covering most routes and operators for a fixed price, will see prices go up from 1 August 2026.

Councillor Gareth Epps, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport, said: “MyBus has been a huge success. I do not want to change it. Government financial cuts are the only reason we are considering this unpalatable step.

“The revised fares will help ensure MyBus can continue to provide a convenient multi-operator ticket for passengers across Oxfordshire.

“These price changes are necessary to ensure that this important scheme can continue, in light of its growing popularity and the limited budget that Oxfordshire County Council has, to maintain operator participation.

“However, I will be writing to the secretary of state for transport to seek a better way forward for the future of MyBus.”

Since launching in 2024, MyBus has provided simple, flexible and great-value travel across Oxfordshire. The scheme has seen strong uptake – particularly among young people – and has helped residents and visitors make several hundreds of thousand journeys by bus.

Passenger feedback consistently highlights the convenience, flexibility and savings offered by being able to travel across multiple bus operators with a single ticket.

However, the government’s decision to increase the maximum single bus fare cap from £2 to £3 from 1 January 2025 meant that the savings offered by the MyBus tickets became more attractive, increasing sales, while also increasing the cost per ticket to Oxfordshire County Council. The initial budget for the scheme has now been exhausted, meaning that price increases are required to maintain the availability of the tickets.

The new prices will be:

• MyBus adult day ticket: £8.50 (previously £6.50)
• MyBus young person (5-18 inclusive) day ticket: £5.50 (previously £3.50)
• MyBus adult weekly ticket: £34 (previously £30)
• MyBus young person weekly ticket: £24 (previously £17).

Anyone affected by the changes may find that some operators’ own tickets – such as day, week or period products offered directly by bus companies – are cheaper for their journeys, particularly if they are only travelling on buses run by one company, or within the Oxford SmartZone. Check with your local bus operator for the best value ticket for your travel needs.

In addition, the government’s Great British Summer Savings scheme is expected to result in free August bus travel for five to 15 year olds, meaning that families can continue to enjoy low-cost travel over the summer holidays.

The council has also made a commitment to introduce a new 28-day MyBus ticket for both adults and young people from 1 April 2027 as part of its role within the Oxfordshire Bus Enhanced Partnership, a collaboration between the local authority and the county’s bus companies.

It was also agreed to consult with youth organisations within Oxfordshire on the emerging OXBus Plan 2040 and enhanced partnership, with particular focus on multi-operator tickets and bus travel costs.

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Oxfordshire County Council has commissioned consultants Jacobs to carry out an options appraisal for a mass rapid transit (MRT) system between Carterton, Witney, Eynsham and Oxford.

Councillor Gareth Epps, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport, said: “The closure of the Witney railway in 1970 and subsequent largescale development in the area have proved to be costly and mistaken. Reversing congestion and improving connectivity won't be easy – but it is essential that we try to address this.

“We want to identify, evaluate and recommend feasible options which can be in place by 2050 at the latest. The study will consider existing and planned infrastructure, as well as projected housing and employment growth.

“Current and forecasted travel demands, plus national, regional and local policy aimed at prioritising sustainable transport, mean that a major change in public transport provision is needed. Projects like this could help provide that.”

Bruce Slattery, Jacobs’ Director for Transport Planning, said: “Jacobs is supporting Oxfordshire County Council with the early-stage development of the west Oxfordshire mass rapid transit project. Through this work, we are helping to define a transport solution that will deliver essential public transport connections to the area and help to stimulate sustainable economic growth.”

An MRT system is a public transport network typically operating on dedicated corridors or priority lanes to offer reliable and efficient services. Unlike standard bus or rail services, MRT systems often use advanced vehicles, benefit from priority measures, and feature high-quality infrastructure such as segregated lanes or tracks, level boarding, and integrated ticketing.

West Oxfordshire is experiencing significant pressure from housing and employment growth, with Carterton, Witney, and Eynsham identified as key areas for development with up to 18,000 new homes and 60 hectares of employment proposed to be delivered by 2043.

Carterton is also home to the UK’s largest and potentially expanding RAF base required for national security while the Cotswolds is a national tourism hub with visitor numbers increasing annually.

Oxford, as a regional employment and educational hub, is facing increasing congestion and demand for sustainable travel options. The A40 corridor, the primary route serving west Oxfordshire, is subject to ongoing and planned improvements, in particular focused on prioritising bus services.

An MRT system is being considered to address the challenges, improve connectivity, and support sustainable regional growth.

It is expected that the chosen system will form part of the Oxfordshire Metro as discussed in the council’s recent OxRAIL 2040: Plan for Rail.

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Residents and visitors to Wantage are being asked for their feedback on design proposals to improve the town centre and Market Place.

On Wednesday 10 June 2026, Oxfordshire County Council will launch a four-week survey to hear people’s views on the draft designs.

The design proposals have been developed following last year’s community engagement with local residents, businesses and councillors to help shape a vision to enhance Wantage Market Place, while improving walking, wheeling and cycling.

Officers from the county council have since been working with the local community to explore how space could be redesigned to the make the town centre a better place to spend time for shopping, leisure or business. There is also a key desire to support business by improving loading facilities. 

Councillor Gareth Epps, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport, said: “It was wonderful that we received such a wealth of feedback and inspiration from so many people last year. I am delighted to see how this has been realised in a draft design to support better active travel opportunities and create a vibrant, welcoming, and accessible town centre in Wantage, which is safer for residents and visitors.

"We want this plan to truly reflect local community needs and ideas, as well as support an increase in the size of the market and enable more community events.

“I am very much looking forward to hearing how people find the designs and what adjustments can be made. We are working hard to make sure the final designs are not only practical but also accessible for everyone.”

From 12 noon on Wednesday 10 June 2026, people can take part in an online survey on the county council’s digital engagement and consultation platform, Let’s talk Oxfordshire. The consultation will close at 11.59pm on Wednesday 8 July 2026.

The online survey will also be supported by two drop-in events for members of the public to find out about the project and speak to the team in person:

• Saturday 13 June 2026 – 10am - 4pm at The Beacon, Portway, Wantage, OX12 9BX
• Tuesday 16 June 2026 – 5pm - 8pm at The Beacon, Portway, Wantage, OX12 9BX

Feedback will help to identify any possible amendments that should be incorporated into the final design. The improvements will be delivered in two phases – construction on the West End is expected to begin in Autumn 2027, while the Market Place construction is anticipated to start once funding has been secured.

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The Oxfordshire County Council project will create a more welcoming public realm that encourages more people to visit and spend time in the town centre, makes walking, wheeling and cycling easier and more pleasant for everyone, and complements the town’s history and character. It supports the existing traffic arrangement on Witney High Street and Market Square.

The scheme will provide:  

• new seating areas, trees and planting
• resurfacing of approximately 2,000m2 of existing footways and creating over 1,000m2 of new footway space
• 10 marked disabled persons’ parking places
• flexible loading arrangements for businesses in the town centre
• a new, additional bus stop for community transport. Taxi access will be permitted in the shared space after 5pm on weekdays and after 2pm on Saturdays, with a 16-metre taxi bay provided at all times.
• a new traffic priority arrangement for the High Street/Welch Way junction including a central island to support cyclists making right turns. This will help to make road users' intentions clearer at the junction, making it safer. 

Councillor Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport Management, said: “The Witney High Street project makes effective use of the town centre space to accommodate multiple users. It has developed over a long period of time, with several rounds of consultation and construction is due to start in May.”

Construction is due to start in early May 2026 and be completed in November 2026. The works will be undertaken in phases, starting on the western side of the street, with traffic movements restricted to southbound only during this phase.

Works will then then switch to the eastern side of the street when traffic will only be permitted northbound on the High Street and Market Square between the Corn Street and Welch Way junctions. 

Safe pedestrian and wheelchair/mobility-aided access as well as access to the shops, food outlets and businesses will be maintained throughout the works.  

While bus stop and taxi rank locations will be maintained when possible, during some phases of the works, bus stops will need to be relocated to Langdale Gate and Welch Way, with the taxi rank temporarily relocated outside The Angel Inn on Market Square. 

There may be short periods where some loading and disabled persons' parking places on the High Street and by the Market Square may not be available. Appropriate areas for loading during each phase of the works will be communicated to businesses with regular updates provided. 

Shoppers can continue to park in the Woolgate car park near the Market Square and in Marriott's Walk. A site compound for the works will be set up in Zone G of the Woolgate car park, with long stay parking bays relocated to adjacent areas of the car park. 

The final phase will be the installation of automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras to help reduce the number of non-exempt motor vehicles going through the restrictions on the High Street and Market Square.

The council is hosting a drop-in information event where members of the public can view the final designs for the project and learn about the construction programme. This will take place on Wednesday 29 April, 2pm - 7pm, at the Witney Corn Exchange.

Background information on the project and plans showing the relocation of services during the works is available on the council’s digital engagement and consultation platform, Let’s talk Oxfordshire.

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Oxfordshire County Council, in partnership with Oxford City Council and its service provider ODS, is investing £150,000 of its bus service improvement plan (BSIP) funding – which was provided by the government – to improve and refresh the station for the benefit of all users.

Councillor Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport Management, said: “Gloucester Green coach station dates from 1989 and it has developed a tired appearance over time. It is certainly not an attractive gateway for local, national and international visitors to Oxford.

“To realise its full potential would require substantial investment and a complete redevelopment, and this remains a long-term ambition. However, in the shorter term, we’re delighted that we are able to carry out a series of measures that will improve the environment for everyone that uses it.”

Councillor Anna Railton, Oxford City Council’s Cabinet Member for Zero Carbon Oxford, said: “Gloucester Green bus station is often the first impression someone has arriving in our wonderful city, so I am very pleased with these plans to refresh and enhance it. I very much welcome this and the long-term plans for improving the space.”

Following a review of the coach station in 2023, several interventions were identified.

Improvements will include new signage, real time passenger information showing arrival and departure times, new noticeboards, anti-pigeon measures, decluttering, a commercial bin store, repainting, a deep clean of all areas, new larger planters in key areas and bespoke and accessible seating.

The partners are working with Oxfordshire based suppliers and contractors on the project.

Oxfordshire County Council and the local bus operators that make up the Oxfordshire Bus Enhanced Partnership were awarded more than £10 million last July to fund the proposed measures in the BSIP.

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Oxfordshire County Council’s cabinet today adopted its latest movement and place plan for the area. It outlines 13 objectives and accompanying actions to create long-term transport strategy aspirations for the area.

They prioritise people walking, wheeling, cycling and using public transport over private car use. 

Bicester is a historic market town, surrounded by villages set in beautiful countryside. It is home to the world-renowned shopping destination Bicester Village and innovation at Bicester Motion.

Currently 58,700 people live in Bicester and its neighbouring villages, but this is expected to rise to 66,100 by 2030. Further growth is expected by 2050, highlighting the need to address challenges such as congestion, air quality, rural accessibility, walking, wheeling and cycling infrastructure and pressure on public transport.

Councillor Judy Roberts, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Place, Environment and Climate Action, said: “Oxfordshire is embarking upon sustainable and positive change – placing people, communities and places at the heart of this decision making.

“The movement and place plans, including one for Bicester and its surrounding villages, will be key to this. They reflect the needs and aspirations of our communities, help to protect our natural environment and deliver the homes, businesses and leisure facilities that our communities need and enjoy.”

The plan’s objectives include: 

• Creating a comprehensive walking, wheeling and cycling network that is coherent, direct, safe, comfortable and attractive by providing high-quality routes, improving lighting and surface quality, and reducing severance caused by busy roads and rail lines.
• Public transport improvements including better bus frequencies, improved interchanges and long-term rail enhancements, for example exploring the opportunity for a new station in Ardley.
• Supporting economic growth and innovation, harnessing opportunities to provide sustainable mobility and healthy living. 
• Protecting nature and the environment, with a focus on improving public spaces and strengthening community identity. 

The plan’s vision received strong support during a public consultation.

Cllr Roberts added: “This area has received several planning applications which are likely to bring enormous changes so these plans will be regularly updated to reflect this.”

There are 12 proposed movement and place plans for Oxfordshire that the council will be looking deliver over the next year or so. They will act as supporting documents to the council’s wider local transport connectivity plan, which was adopted in 2022. 

In January, cabinet approved a movement and place plan for the Science Vale area, covering Wantage and Didcot, surrounding villages and the employment sites at Culham Campus, Harwell Campus and Milton Park.

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In 2023, a deal worth £82.5 million was agreed between Oxfordshire County Council, the government, Oxford Bus Company and Stagecoach to fund the fleet of new battery electric vehicles.

Provisional data suggests that bus fleet electrification has reduced roadside citywide nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) concentrations across Oxford by an average of 10 per cent from 2023 to 2024, and up to 24 per cent in areas of high bus traffic such as St Aldates and High Street.

The transition from diesel to electric buses also cut roadside traffic related noise in central Oxford by an average of 5.1 decibels – comparable to the reduction in noise you would experience by moving three times further away from a road.

Councillor Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport Management, said: “We are proud and thrilled that we were able to back our ambitions with political and financial capital, alongside our partners, to deliver a safer, cleaner, greener, better county for residents and visitors. This provisional data shows what a difference these electric buses are making to people’s lives already.”

The analysis by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) funded Public Health Intervention Responsive Studies Team (Universities of Birmingham, Warwick and Keele), in partnership with the University of Oxford, investigated air and noise pollution changes before, during and after the introduction of battery electric buses in Oxford.

It also explored people’s experiences of introducing and using the new fleet, including key stakeholders, bus passengers, residents and commuters.

Dr Suzanne Bartington, Clinical Associate Professor in Environmental Health at the University of Birmingham, said: “The transition to electric buses has had a measurable and meaningful impact on air and traffic related noise quality in Oxford. Importantly, we found that people noticed these changes – including less diesel fumes and fewer sleep disturbances, suggesting a real benefit for people’s lives.”

The zero emission bus regional area (ZEBRA) funding scheme is a national initiative contributing to transport decarbonisation and improved bus quality and provision. It has supported the deployment of over 4,000 zero emission buses in England since 2021.

In Oxfordshire, the county council contributed £6m and secured £32.8m from the Department for Transport. This was supplemented by £43.7m from the two commercial bus operators to support the introduction of 159 battery electric buses, across 34 routes in Oxford city centre and the surrounding areas, plus the Sightseeing buses.

At full implementation, electric buses account for 69 per cent of daily bus mileage within the city and 49 per cent of daily bus flow.

Luke Marion, Oxford Bus Company Managing Director, said: “We’re proud of the significant contribution to reducing emissions and improving air quality in Oxford our fleet is making.

“The whole community is positively benefiting from this ambitious infrastructure project, which demonstrates what can be achieved when key stakeholders have a shared vision and work together.

“We remain committed to building on this progress across the county and have invested in a further 13 electric vehicles which will enter service in spring 2026. These vehicles will help to improve air quality more widely in our county.”

Chris Hanson, Managing Director of Stagecoach West, said: “The introduction of our 55 electric vehicles in Oxford has been truly transformational. These buses are delivering greener, zero emission journeys right across the city’s network, while also offering a noticeably smoother, quieter and more comfortable experience for our customers.

“The response from passengers has been overwhelmingly positive and, just as importantly, this investment marks a vital step towards our pledge to operate a fully zero emission fleet by 2035.”

Air pollution is the largest environmental risk to health in the UK contributing to an estimated 30,000 early deaths each year.

Exposure increases the risk of asthma, stroke, heart disease and lung cancer and is linked to adverse birth outcomes, diabetes, high blood pressure and dementia.

Simon Lightwood, Roads and Buses Minister, said: “We all know that zero emission buses offer smoother, quieter journeys for passengers but as this research shows, they play an important role in delivering cleaner air in our towns and cities too.

“I am delighted to see the effect these electric buses are having across Oxfordshire, made possible by over £32 million in funding from the government. Not only do they get people to work and hospital appointments, they also help the environment, giving greener options for everyone.”

In Oxford city, air pollution has fallen in recent years but while legal limits are widely met across the city, levels still exceed World Health Organisation global air quality guidelines.

Noise pollution has a direct impact on sleep and increased risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, depression and anxiety.

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Oxfordshire County Council has approved seven vehicle improvement grant applications that will collectively help fund 13 new electric buses, convert two existing minibuses from diesel to electric power, and deliver passenger enhancements to many other vehicles.

The grants have been awarded under the council’s vehicle improvement fund, new for 2025/26, and funded through the Bus Grant awarded by the government.

The fund was open to all operators of local bus services in Oxfordshire. The initiative has attracted an additional £4.056m in collective investment from the operators, which will result in improvements in vehicles totalling £5.461m.

Councillor Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport Management, said: “This is really good news and an excellent example of partnership working delivering real benefit and value to our residents.

“The purchase of new electric vehicles and improvements to existing ones has been made possible by the council’s continued close working relationship with our bus operators through our Enhanced Partnership, soon to be strengthened further. We look forward to seeing passengers using them in the future.”

Successful bids included the Oxford Bus Company’s parent group Go-Ahead, which was awarded £1.204m towards the purchase of 13 new single deck electric buses to serve the Oxfordshire area.

Luke Marion, Managing Director of Oxford Bus Company, said: “This is another significant sustainability milestone for the Oxfordshire bus network and takes the total number of electric buses now operating in our Oxfordshire fleet to 117.

“The investment from Oxfordshire County Council has been supported by an additional £3.9m investment from our business, and collectively this enables us to expand our fleet of electric buses on to more routes outside the Oxford SmartZone, further improving air quality for local communities.

“The result of strong partnership working, I’d like to thank Oxfordshire County Council and Go-Ahead Group for supporting this investment.”

Reading Buses was awarded £60,000 to improve the passenger experience in four vehicles which serve Peppard Common, including installing USB chargers, 5G ready Wi-Fi and tap-out readers.

Three community transport operators have also received grants.

West Oxfordshire Community Transport (WOCT) was awarded a total of £138,605 towards the cost of converting two diesel minibuses into fully electric vehicles, install EV charging equipment and fit internal and external CCTV camera systems on all its vehicles.

WOCT is a community owned cooperative, running nine bus routes across west Oxfordshire and providing vital transport links for the local community.

Andrew Lyon, Chief Executive of West Oxfordshire Community Transport, said: “We are very excited regarding the opportunities provided by the VIF grants. The first grant will provide cameras for our buses, which will enhance safety for both our drivers and passengers.

“The second grant will enable us to explore the possibility of converting redundant diesel buses to electric vehicles. Conversion of redundant buses is a double win for the environment.

“Conversion means the carbon emissions produced during both manufacture and operation are drastically reduced. In addition, as far as we know, this conversion has not been attempted before. If the project is successful, it will provide a template for the future.”

First and Last Mile, a volunteer led company serving rural villages in the Eynsham area, received £1,536 to convert a minibus passenger door and step from manual to electric operation to improve efficiency and accessibility.

Our Bus Bartons will use its £385 grant to design, manufacture and install additional safety rails to help passengers board and disembark their two electric minibuses.

Community transport is part of the voluntary sector and plays a key role in filling gaps in service where public transport is not available. It helps provide safe, accessible, cost effective, flexible transport run by the community for the community in rural and urban areas.

It is hoped that the vehicle improvement fund will be repeated in future years to build on the decarbonisation and passenger improvements delivered by the ZEBRA scheme, which funded 159 electric buses to serve Oxfordshire.

Anyone wanting to support WOCT can visit its crowdfunding page Ignite the next mile.

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Oxfordshire County Council’s cabinet today adopted the Science Vale movement and place plan that sets out 22 objectives and accompanying actions to create a long-term transport strategy for the area, which is spread across the districts of South Oxfordshire and the Vale of White Horse.

They prioritise people walking, wheeling, cycling and using public transport over private car use.

The Science Vale area has a concentration of world-class innovative research and enterprise facilities. It covers Wantage and Didcot, surrounding villages and the employment sites at Culham Campus, Harwell Campus and Milton Park.

It is home to around 73,000 people and this is expected to rise to more than 170,000 by 2050, which highlights the need to address challenges such as congestion, air quality, rural accessibility and pressure on public transport.

Councillor Judy Roberts, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Place, Environment and Climate Action, said: “Oxfordshire is embarking upon sustainable and positive change – placing people, communities and places at the heart of this.

“The movement and place plans, including this one for the Science Vale, are key to this. They reflect the needs and aspirations of our communities, help to protect our natural environment and deliver the homes, businesses and leisure facilities that our communities need and enjoy.

“A significant shift in this strategy has been putting people at the heart of plan making, alongside movement and working towards understanding the meaning of place at a local level.”

The plan’s objectives include:

• Creating a comprehensive active travel network that is safe, comfortable and direct by updating national cycle routes, improving lighting and surface quality, reducing severance caused by busy roads and adding cycle hubs.
• Public transport improvements including better bus frequencies, improved interchanges and long-term rail enhancements, for example support for a Wantage and Grove station.
• Supporting economic growth and innovation, given the area’s global reputation for life sciences, fusion research and space technology and the importance of dependable, low carbon connectivity.
• Protecting nature and the environment, with a focus on improving public spaces and strengthening community identity.

The plan’s vision received strong support during a public consultation.

There are 12 proposed movement and place plans for Oxfordshire that the council will be looking deliver over the next year or so. They will act as supporting documents to the council’s wider local transport connectivity plan, which was adopted in 2022.

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Oxfordshire County Council’s cabinet today adopted the OxRail 2040: Plan for Rail, which was developed with stakeholders, including the rail industry, and followed a public consultation.

OxRail 2040 proposes a wide range of interventions, but at the heart of it are four priorities that are critical to achieving the overarching vision of a modern, inclusive and sustainable railway: 

1. An Oxfordshire Metro: creating an integrated transport network that brings together rail, bus, walking and cycling in a better co-ordinated and seamless user-centred travel offer.
2. Electrification: building a zero-carbon rail network for Oxfordshire, anchored by the ‘electric freight spine’.
3. Oxford railway station: increasing capacity to support more services across the county, improving its mobility links and upgrading its appearance and facilities.
4. Five proposed new stations: at Oxford Cowley, Oxford Littlemore, Begbroke, Wantage & Grove and Ardley to support growth.

Councillor Judy Roberts, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Place, Environment and Climate Action, said: “This is not simply a wish list. We have credible routes for the delivery of each of the proposals in OxRail 2040, and through the consultation we have received very positive feedback from key government and industry figures.

“While the government and train operators are responsible for rail infrastructure and passenger services, with private operators delivering rail freight, as the local transport and highways authority Oxfordshire County Council is a key stakeholder and partner in shaping the future of transport in the county.

“Since we started putting this plan together, we’ve had the announcement about government funding of the Cowley Branch Line, which shows the kind of investment we can generate when all the preparation and partnership working is in place when opportunities arise.”

Additional opportunities include continuing to support community rail initiatives and the need for a mass rapid transit option for the Oxford-Witney-Carterton corridor consistent with the emerging local plans for growth.

The plan also calls for the upgrading of rail lines to increase passenger services and support freight routes to remove HGVs from our roads.

Cllr Roberts added: “By shifting more freight to rail, we will ease congestion on major roads like the A34 and this in turn will reduce maintenance costs to the taxpayer and improve air quality.”

The continued development of East West Rail, proposals to upgrade of all the county’s existing 23 railway stations, and calls for the restoration of double track on the North Cotswold line to Hanborough are also among the priority projects highlighted in OxRail 2040.

The requirement to develop and adopt a new rail plan is set out in the council’s local transport and connectivity plan. It is also expected to help ensure the county is well placed to unlock funding opportunities for travel and growth when they arise.

Cllr Roberts said: “It demonstrates how we are pushing hard for an ambitious expansion and enhancement of rail to complement and sustain our fast-growing local economy.

“However, success in delivering these aims will depend on the government, the rail industry and our local communities collaborating with us and playing their part.

“With the move to a state owned Great British Railways encompassing track and train, and the likely establishment of a mayoral strategic authority with substantial new powers and funding, OxRail 2040 lays the foundations for the future.”

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The reopening of the line will connect communities in Littlemore, Cowley, Blackbird Leys and Greater Leys to central Oxford, in under 10 minutes, and then directly on to London Marylebone. It will also connect four of Oxford’s growth areas along one route from ARC Oxford (formally the Oxford Business Park), The Oxford Science Park and the Ellison Institute of Technology, Oxford West End (next to Oxford Station), and Oxford North (near Oxford Parkway).

The project to reopen the Cowley Branch Line to passengers has been a longstanding priority for Oxfordshire County Council and Oxford City Council, and today’s announcement is the result of many years of work and commitment from local partners.

Councillor Liz Leffman, Leader of Oxfordshire County Council, said: “This is wonderful news and well deserved after all the hard work that so many organisations have put into making this happen. The Cowley Branch Line will form a critical part of our Oxfordshire Metro concept of fully integrated public transport and active travel links, connecting communities and businesses.

“This week the county council agreed an initial £10m investment in our emerging new OxRail 2040: Plan for Rail and we look forward to presenting ambitious and deliverable plans for additional services and stations right across the county to support sustainable economic growth.”

The announcement was followed by a special event in Oxford when the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, The Rt Hon James Murray MP and Lord Hendy, Minister of State for Rail joined by local leaders from across the public, private and academic sectors to travel along the Cowley Branch Line from Oxford Parkway, followed by a visit to the Ellison Institute of Technology.

Ellison Institute of Technology has also unveiled it plans to invest £10bn over the next 10 years on talent and science programmes, in addition to the two million sq ft campus in Littlemore. The Cowley Branch Line project has been a key factor in unlocking this nationally significant Foreign Direct Investment.

The councils, along with ARC Oxford, The Oxford Science Park, and the Ellison Institute of Technology, have worked together to fund a £4.7m business and investment case, which was submitted to the Department for Transport earlier this year by Network Rail.

Anneliese Dodds, MP for Oxford East, has also championed the project with an annual walk along the route of the line to raise awareness.

Reopening the Cowley Branch Line to passengers will help connect communities in Oxford, providing quicker and more sustainable connections. The line is designed to be an accessible and affordable option for local travel. The city and county councils will work to ensure fares to and from central Oxford are in line with other similar-length journeys – for example, from Oxford Parkway to Oxford.

So far, £4.7m has been invested in feasibility work and local partners will be asked to contribute £35m to the total construction cost. Both the city and county councils have already committed funds to this and will work with other landowners to secure further contributions.

Oxfordshire County Council contributed £206,000 towards the full business case for the Cowley Branch Line. They are committed to contributing a further £2.5m towards the funding of the stations and infrastructure and expect to commit substantial further funding alongside partners as they work to complete the £35m local contribution required.

Work will also be carried out to identify the additional infrastructure needed to connect the stations to their local communities. This could include new bridges, pedestrian and cycle routes, and better connectivity with the bus network.

Reopening the Cowley Branch Line will bring wide-ranging benefits to Oxford and the surrounding area by unlocking thousands of new homes and could create over 10,000 new jobs. It will help to reduce congestion, cut carbon emissions, and provide the rail capacity needed to support East West Rail and government growth priorities.

It is forecast to attract almost one million return journeys each year.

Comments from partners

Councillor Susan Brown, Leader of Oxford City Council, said: “Today marks a major milestone in our campaign to reopen the Cowley Branch Line to passengers, something that has been a priority for us for over a decade. In 2023, the city council decided to take the lead in making it a reality by investing £3.8m of our money, alongside securing additional funds from partners, and directly commissioning Network Rail to develop the Full Business Case for the reopening of the line. I am glad that the leadership and conviction the city council showed in taking this risk has now paid off.

“The Cowley Branch Line is the single most important piece of infrastructure for connecting local communities and businesses in south and east Oxford. It will give access to more amenities and jobs, help to cut congestion, meet our climate targets, and unlock new homes and jobs.

“We are proud to have worked with our partners to get the project to this stage, and we’re pleased the government recognises how important it is for the people of Oxford and beyond. We now need to work with landowners and developers in the area to help pay for the line and the works needed to connect the stations into the communities they serve.”

Anneliese Dodds, MP for East Oxford, said: “I’m delighted that after years of campaigning for the reopening of the Cowley branch line, alongside local residents, this is finally going to become a reality! I’m grateful to everyone who has pushed for the line to be reopened for so many years.

“The reopened branch line will make a massive difference to local residents, slashing travel times and reducing congestion. It will also open up many economic opportunities for local residents. I’m so pleased that the government has listened to Oxford today!”

Neale Coleman CBE, Chair of the Oxford Growth Commission, said: “I am delighted by today’s announcement that the Cowley Branch Line will be reopened as a passenger line. This announcement has been the culmination of years of hard work from many organisations across Oxford and will support the fantastic opportunities for growth throughout the city and county.

“The reopened branch line will have a transformative impact on the south and east of Oxford, helping to unlock new houses and jobs for local residents. Enhanced connectivity will support local communities by cutting commuting times for residents, boosting growth for businesses and supporting Oxfordshire’s wider economy.”

Jim Stretton, Managing Director of ARC, said: “A new station at ARC Oxford will help our members attract world-class talent and grow their businesses, while strengthening connections between local communities, companies and research hubs. This decision will support the continued growth of our thriving campus and help ensure Oxford remains a global leader in science and technology.”

Yong Shen, Director of The Oxford Science Park, said: “The reopening of the Cowley Branch Line and the creation of a station at The Oxford Science Park will greatly improve connectivity for our tenants to the city and beyond. It’s a significant, tangible step towards more sustainable transport options and will support the continued growth and collaboration that define the Park.”

Lisa Flashner, EIT’s Chief Operating Officer, said: “We’re delighted to hear the Cowley Branch Line will be reopened to passenger traffic. It’s a great example of what can happen if government and the private sector join forces and both contribute to a common goal. It will help us attract world-class talent to EIT by linking up key innovation hubs with Central London via direct train services. It will also facilitate a closer alliance between EIT and Oxford University with faster journey times as well benefit local residents.”

Rob Brighouse, Chair of Oxford Strategic Rail Promoters’ Group, said: “This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity and represents great news for those who do, and will, live and work on the route, as well as helping to ease rail capacity constraints through Oxford.

“It also demonstrates what can be achieved when the public sector and private sector come together to enable infrastructure investment which drives economic and social benefit.” 

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The cabinet’s today approved the development of an Enhanced Partnership Plus (EP+) approach to bus regulation – strengthening the enhanced partnership arrangement between bus operators and the council.

One of the alternative options, of bringing Oxfordshire’s buses into public control, was deemed not feasible in the immediate future because of the timetable for the government’s plans for local government reorganisation involving the creation of unitary and mayoral authorities.

Although the government is making it easier for local transport authorities to take greater control of the bus services in their areas by pursuing bus franchising or creating new municipal bus companies, the timeframe effectively prevents Oxfordshire County Council from going down that route at this stage.

It is anticipated that franchising would take 45 months to complete, while Oxfordshire County Council is due to be replaced by a new unitary authority by April 2028 and it is likely that public transport responsibilities would be taken on by a new mayoral authority.

The issue was discussed by cabinet after a study was commissioned by the council to explore the various bus regulation options, following the passing of a motion in September 2023.

Councillor Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport Management, said: “We believe going down the EP+ route will leverage most of the benefits associated with franchising without the significant additional financial and resource risks and responsibilities.

“Any move towards franchising would take nearly four years and likely halt any private sector investment in the bus network during that period. If the government’s programme for local government reorganisation proceeds according to schedule, then Oxfordshire County Council would cease to exist during that period, and those responsibilities would pass to a successor council or mayoral authority.

“Therefore, we believe it’s not sensible to invest considerable amounts of time and resources into initiating changes which would not come to fruition during the lifetime of this council.”

Franchising offers authorities the ability to control and direct all aspects of bus provision, including the ability to plan and design bus services, set fares, define ticketing products, and manage information and marketing. This enables an authority to influence the network to help deliver wider policy objectives.

However, it is a lengthy and expensive process and involves taking on more responsibility, more risk and significant extra cost – particularly if the purchase of depots and vehicles is required to maximise the benefits.

Creating a municipal bus company involves the council owning and operating its own bus services, potentially reinvesting profits into the network. However, it also carries high set-up and operational costs, exposure to market competition, and financial risk.

The report states that an EP+ has the potential to realise significant additional benefits for bus users, including those typically associated with franchising, but in a more timely, cost-effective, and lower-risk manner.

Officers will now work on the development of the EP+ proposal, defining the desired and achievable outputs of the EP+, informed by passenger and resident feedback.

Uncertainty over franchising could lead to private sector investment being put on hold, with potentially negative implications for the Oxfordshire bus network and commitments made within the Bus Service Improvement Plan programme.

The fourth option in the study was for the situation to stay as it is now, with the existing enhanced partnership remaining.

Cllr Gant added: “For many reasons, including geography and historic relationships with the bodies that run the bus services, there is no common solution that suits everywhere. And while we appreciate the need to explore other options, just because something works well in one part of the country, that doesn’t necessarily mean it will work in Oxfordshire.

“Here we have two main bus operators, while many other places don’t have the benefit of this element of competition. As a council we have a good, close working relationship with our bus operators and regularly discuss matters such as routes and ticketing to help deliver the service that people in Oxfordshire need.

“However, it must be remembered that the single biggest challenge to bus service improvements has nothing to do with who runs them. Problems with increasing bus journey times, reliability and punctuality are largely due to growing traffic congestion, and a change of model alone would not address these challenges.”

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The Didcot and surrounding areas major infrastructure scheme will transform travel and transport in the Didcot area by providing more sustainable travel options in and around the town, as well as reducing congestion in the surrounding villages and improving air quality and noise levels.

The project includes four highway sections that incorporate dualling the A4130 between the Milton Interchange and Didcot, a new bridge over the railway line, a new bridge over the River Thames between Didcot and Culham and a bypass of Clifton Hampden village.

The project will facilitate new and enhanced bus services and will also feature 19km of new walking and cycleways. It will provide opportunities for more direct, faster and more reliable bus routes and improve pedestrian, cycling and wheeling connections.

Early-stage works currently underway include:

• Erection of temporary fencing, including tree protection measures
• Archaeological investigations
• Vegetation and site clearance to facilitate archaeological activities
• Set up of main compounds and site offices
• Utility diversions

Main construction is expected to start in early spring 2026.

Councillor Judy Roberts, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Infrastructure and Development Strategy, said: “After nearly ten years in development, I am very excited to see the scheme approaching a key milestone – the start of construction.

“The work here will provide opportunities for more direct, faster and more reliable bus routes and improve pedestrian, cycling and wheeling connectivity.

“This will help encourage a shift from private car travel to more active and sustainable kinds of travel which are better for everyone, and a new crossing over the River Thames will help improve public transport journey time and reliability, by offering more resilience for public transport, from flooding.

“The Science Vale is a significant area of economic growth and is a "hot spot" for enterprise and innovation that spans both South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse districts. It is home to a significant proportion of the region's scientific, research and development, and high technology businesses. This is an investment, mainly from central government, in the local economy.” 

With the enabling works now underway, the council is also hosting a series of drop-in information events, across Didcot and the surrounding villages, where members of the public can view designs for all the sections of the scheme and learn about the emerging construction programme. The events will also provide an opportunity for people to ask questions and discuss any concerns with the project team. Further details about the events can be found on the council's website. 

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Oxfordshire County Council is recommended to develop an Enhanced Partnership Plus (EP+) agreement with local bus operators to build on the success of the existing arrangement by strengthening the commitments on both parties to deliver improvements for passengers.

The proposed approach will be presented to the council’s cabinet on 21 October. The report recommends an EP+ to deliver better outcomes in a more timely, cost-effective and low-risk manner than alternative options.

Councillor Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport Management, said: “Bus services are vital for Oxfordshire’s communities, economy, and the environment. I am pleased that this important item is being considered by the council and the opportunity for improvements it presents.

“As a council we have a good, close working relationship with our bus operators and regularly discuss matters such as routes and ticketing to help deliver the service that people in Oxfordshire need.”

To support the cabinet report, a study commissioned by the council following the passing of a motion in September 2023 assessed the costs, benefits, and impacts of options like franchising or creating a municipal bus company in Oxfordshire, drawing on experiences from other local authorities.

This issue is particularly timely as the government’s emerging Bus Services (No.2) Bill is expected to become law later this year. The bill will make it easier for local transport authorities such as Oxfordshire County Council to create new municipal bus companies or to pursue bus franchising.

Franchising offers authorities the ability to control and direct all aspects of bus provision, including the ability to plan and design bus services, set fares and define ticketing products, and manage information and marketing. However, it is a lengthy and expensive process and involves taking on more responsibility, more risk and significant cost, particularly if the council were to purchase bus depots and vehicles.

Similarly, municipal ownership, where the authority owns and operates its own bus services, also carries high set-up and operational costs, exposure to market competition, and financial risk.

Cllr Gant added: “For many reasons, including geography and historic relationships with the bodies that run the bus services, there is no common solution that suits everywhere. Just because something works well in one part of the country, doesn’t necessarily mean it will work in Oxfordshire.

“We remain committed to tackling the biggest challenge facing bus services in Oxfordshire – congestion, which increases bus journey times and impacts on service reliability and punctuality. A change of model alone would not address these challenges. I look forward to discussing the officer recommendations with cabinet colleagues on 21 October.”

The timeframe for the government’s reorganisation of local government through the creation of unitary authorities and devolution means that pursuing the franchising route in Oxfordshire at this stage would likely be an unproductive use of effort.

If approved, a full EP+ proposal will be developed and brought forward for decision at a later date.

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Oxfordshire County Council is awarding the grants, ranging from £500 to £36,000, to fund new routes and services, vehicle running costs, and drivers’ expenses.

Councillor Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport Management, said: “Oxfordshire’s community transport sector is a lifeline to many people who don’t drive or don’t have a car.

“The grants will make a big difference to all four organisations and help them to continue the great work they are doing. We are extremely grateful for all the work they and other community transport groups do to make life easier for residents.”

The recipients, who will receive their grants over between one and five years to support continuation of their schemes are Daybreak Oxford, Thame Senior Friendship Centre, Filkins & Broughton Poggs volunteer doctor and hospital car service, and Wallingford Town Council.

The Wallingford project, in association with Going Forward Buses, is already in operation, with the new 131 town bus service going live from 1 September.

Daybreak Oxford, which transports people with dementia to and from day centres and takes the older population on shopping trips, received £25,072 to provide new provision in areas of the city not previously served.

Community transport is part of the voluntary sector and plays a key role in filling gaps in service where public transport is not available. It helps provide safe, accessible, cost effective, flexible transport run by the community for the community in rural and urban areas.

Community transport can include car clubs, community minibuses, dial-a-ride, lift shares, taxi shares and voluntary car schemes.

Some groups offer services just for their members, while others are open to the public. They can take disabled people to work, children to school, sick people to healthcare and older people to the shops. Some run local bus routes and provide transport for a wide range of clubs and other groups.

Last month, the Villager Community Bus Services unveiled a new electric minibus, which was part funded by £50,000 awarded in 2024’s round of grants.

It runs the Chippy Shuttle, an hourly, weekday service connecting residential areas in Chipping Norton with town centre shops, services and the out of town health centre.

It has been running for nine years and provides an essential service for residents who have mobility problems and no access to their own transport. The new electric minibus replaces its previous diesel vehicle.

Keith Gowing, Chairman of the Villager Community Bus Services, said: “Our new battery powered bus enables us to continue providing the shuttle service to our many loyal customers whilst reducing our impact on the environment in terms of reduced carbon emissions, air pollution and vehicle noise.

“We could not have afforded this without the help of Oxfordshire County Council.”

The council supports the development of not for profit community transport groups and services.

Small start-up grants to help groups in their development are available, while the council can also help with the cost of training volunteers as minibus and passenger assistants.

More information is available on Oxfordshire County Council’s website.

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Oxfordshire County Council is seeking feedback on its emerging new plan OxRail 2040: Plan for Rail, which encompasses the whole rail network across the county.

People can read a summary of the plan and have their say on the council’s Let’s Talk Oxfordshire website at https://www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/railplan by midnight on 1 October.

Councillor Judy Roberts Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Place, Environment and Climate Action, said: “While the government and train operators are responsible for rail infrastructure and passenger services, with private operators delivering rail freight, we as the local transport and highways authority are a key stakeholder and partner in shaping the future of transport in the county.

“With the move to a state owned Great British Railways encompassing track and train and the likely establishment of a mayoral strategic authority with substantial new powers and funding, our plan lays the foundations for the future.

“We are pushing hard for an ambitious expansion and enhancement of rail to complement and sustain our fast-growing local economy. That’s why it’s vital that we outline our priorities and ambitions for the future of rail development in Oxfordshire.

“I would urge anyone with an interest in shaping the future of transport to take part in the consultation and tell us what matters to them.”

Issues explored by the plan include upgrading rail lines, increasing passenger services, and supporting freight routes to remove HGVs from our roads. Additionally, the plan sets out measures to reduce rail related noise and pollution and to decarbonise the rail system through the electrification of more routes and the procurement of substantial new rolling stock fleets.

There is also a focus on developing an Oxfordshire Metro. This concept aims to improve and increase journeys by bus, train and other modes by co-ordinating timetables, simplifying tickets and using apps for payments and journey information to make them seamless.

The plan also wants Oxford Station, currently undergoing redevelopment, to be at the heart of the city’s next phase of growth. It has ambitions for the station to be a catalyst for new homes, employment opportunities and public services, while strengthening connections to Oxford’s universities, hospitals and innovation clusters.

Having an approved rail plan is expected to help ensure the county is well placed to unlock funding opportunities for travel and growth when they arise.

The continued development of East West Rail and plans to reopen the Cowley Branch Line are among the priority projects highlighted. Furthermore, the plan proposes upgrades of all of the county’s existing 23 railway stations, to open five new stations, and calls for the restoration of double track on the North Cotswold line to Hanborough.

Cllr Roberts added: “Growth in the local economy and in people choosing alternatives to road transport are such that rail passenger numbers in the county are expected to  increase greatly over the next 15 years. Improved facilities are essential.”

The requirement to develop and adopt a new rail strategy is set out in the council’s local transport and connectivity plan.

The finalised plan is expected to be presented to the council’s cabinet for formal adoption later this year.

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Excavation and earthworks start today (3 September) as part of the construction of new south-facing slip roads at Lodge Hill, which only has north-facing slips at present. The scheme will improve connectivity to and from the north of Abingdon, avoiding the town centre and making it easier for people to choose walking, cycling or taking public transport as part of their daily routine.

Early work to set up the site and prepare the area began in May 2025. Construction is expected to be complete by the end of 2026.

To ensure the scheme is built safely, the council’s construction partner, Balfour Beatty, will undertake six different stages of work to minimise disruption.

The first stage involves removing the islands at the junction of the slip roads. This will create more space for construction vehicle access and movement. During this first stage of work, temporary overnight traffic signals will operate between 9pm and 5am on the A4183 and A34 southbound.

Councillor Judy Roberts, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Place, Environment and Climate Action, said: “The much-anticipated A34 Lodge Hill scheme will improve capacity at the junction, improving bus and car journeys, as well as making walking and cycling safer in the area.

“This is vital and much-needed investment to support growth in Abingdon. Once complete, it will reduce the amount of through traffic in the town centre, improving the environment for everyone.

“We have all campaigned for this for so long and it is wonderful news that construction has begun.”

Pauline Schaffer, Director of Infrastructure Funding at Homes England, said: “As the Government’s housing and regeneration agency, we want to support public and private sector partners to unlock strategic housing sites where brownfield, infrastructure or land projects face delivery challenges.

“Through the Brownfield Infrastructure Land fund, we’re unlocking 820 much needed new homes in Abingdon with the construction of these key roads. Lodge Hill is a prime example of how we’re working with partners like Oxfordshire County Council to unlock the potential of new homes and regional growth in communities through improving infrastructure.”

Matt Parkes, Project Director at Balfour Beatty, said: “We’re pleased to be partnering with Oxfordshire County Council to deliver the A34 Lodge Hill Interchange scheme. This vital infrastructure project will not only unlock regional economic growth but also transform connectivity for residents and road users. Once complete, it will provide safer, more efficient journeys and support the long-term development of the wider area.”

Details of traffic management throughout construction and more information about the A34 Lodge Hill scheme is available on the council’s website.

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The changes, based on consultation feedback, will be reviewed by the council’s Place Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 27 August alongside consultation reports, technical reports and other information. A decision on whether to implement the scheme will then be made by the council’s cabinet.

The scheme aims to reduce traffic in the short term, while Botley Road remains closed  preventing the start of the traffic filter trial, contributing towards creating a healthier, more accessible and attractive city. It is designed to improve bus services and make it easier for those with permits, including carers, traders and blue badge holders, to travel by car into and around Oxford, and improve air quality in the city.

Cllr Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport Management, said: “We are very grateful to the thousands of people who have taken the time to respond and give us their detailed views on this important proposal for Oxford.

“Our officers have been carefully working through and considering those responses. All of this information along with officers recommendations will be presented to the Place Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting in the last week of August. That committee will fully debate the subject and make its own thoughts and recommendations clear to the council’s cabinet. A decision will then be taken at cabinet on 10 September. I look forward to reviewing all of the information that will be presented that day and debating this matter with cabinet colleagues.”

A six-week consultation took place on the proposals from 23 June to 3 August this year. The survey received 7,165 responses. Responses and feedback have helped shape the proposals now being presented.

In answer to survey questions, 66 per cent of people said there shouldn’t be a charge at all, 7.7 per cent thought that the charge was too high and 73.9 per cent thought that the proposals would negatively impact them. Concerns were shared as part of the survey feedback about the scheme's effectiveness, impact on local businesses, and fairness.

The proposals have been amended to address some of those concerns raised. There is also significant support in consultation feedback for the proposal’s potential to reduce traffic congestion, improve air quality, and enhance public transport services. 

The proposals now include more detail, with recommendations to provide free park and ride journeys alongside the introduction of the temporary charge, for an initial period of two months before reviewing, covering the busy Christmas period. Additional permits are also being considered for certain circumstances including for ice hockey clubs and business cars.

If approved the temporary scheme could be introduced in autumn this year.

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Oxfordshire County Council and the local bus operators that make up the Oxfordshire Bus Enhanced Partnership have been awarded £10,146,513 for 2025-26, following the submission of a delivery plan earlier this year.

Councillor Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport Management, said: “Building on the success of previous years, this funding will enable the council, in partnership with the bus companies, to continue delivering new and improved bus services, infrastructure upgrades, and initiatives that make public transport more accessible, reliable, and attractive for residents and visitors alike.

“These improvements are part of our ongoing commitment to delivering a greener, fairer, and more connected transport system for Oxfordshire.”

Just over half of the funding will support bus priority measures to improve journey times and reliability, including smart traffic signals and dedicated bus lanes; upgraded infrastructure, such as real time passenger information displays and improvements to bus stops and interchanges; and vehicle improvement grants to help operators invest in cleaner, more comfortable, and technologically advanced buses.

The rest will support a wide range of initiatives, including continuation of routes like the 64 between Witney and Swindon, the 500 between Bicester, Brackley and Banbury, and X34 which runs between Harwell Campus and Newbury, all of which were funded by the original grant in 2022.

The funding will also support a number of improvements in August, including increasing the popular X32 and X40 services from Didcot and Reading to Oxford to every 20 minutes on weekdays, and providing new Sunday services in Bicester, Banbury and Chipping Norton.

It will also fund simpler and more affordable fares, including the continuation of the popular MyBus Oxfordshire multi-operator ticket, support for vulnerable groups, such as a 12-month extension of the free bus pass scheme for asylum seekers in Oxford; improvements for passengers, including a countywide bus stop audit, a new bus stop design guide, targeted marketing to raise awareness of services; and a pilot scheme to help schoolchildren build confidence in using the bus network.

Luke Marion, Managing Director of Oxford Bus Company, Thames Travel, Carousel Buses and Pulhams said: “Partnership working is key to a successful bus network, and it's been great to work in partnership with the council and other operators to both win this vital funding from government, and to help prioritise it to the areas where it can deliver the greatest benefit to bus users in the county.

“We're looking forward to delivering several important improvements to the network over the coming months to help encourage even more people in Oxfordshire to give the bus a try.”

Chris Hanson, Managing Director for Stagecoach West, said: “The announcement of this significant funding for Oxfordshire is fantastic news for bus users across our county.

“Through our successful partnership with Oxfordshire County Council and other bus operators this will enhance and further the improvements we have worked on in recent years – making bus travel in Oxfordshire an easy, safe and reliable choice.”

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Oxfordshire County Council has today (24 June 2025) launched a four-week survey to capture people’s views and ideas.

Proposals are being made to enhance the area and improve accessibility, walking, wheeling and cycling. This follows a commitment by both Oxfordshire County Council and Wantage Town Council in 2024, to explore ways to make the Market Place more accessible and safer for residents and visitors.

Officers from the county council have been working with the local community to investigate how space could be redesigned to the make the town centre a better place to spend time for shopping, leisure or business.

Councillor Judy Roberts, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Place, Environment and Climate Action, said: “Our vision for Wantage Market Place is to create a vibrant, welcoming, and accessible space for everyone. We aim to enhance the historical charm of the market town while addressing the challenges of climate change. By improving opportunities for walking, wheeling, cycling, and using public transport, we hope to make the Market Place a healthier, friendlier and safer environment for all.

“The project is at an early stage and a design is yet to be developed. Tell us what you think and make suggestions to help us shape the project designs and goals. We would like to find out what is important to local residents and businesses and how we can make it economically and environmentally useful for future years.

“We’ll use what we learn, work with the community to develop a draft design, and come back to you for further consultation next year.”

People can take part in an online survey on the county council’s digital engagement and consultation platform, Let’s talk Oxfordshire. The consultation closes at 11.59pm on Tuesday 22 July 2025.

The online survey will be supported by two drop-in events for members of the public to find out about the project and speak to the team in person:

• Saturday 5 July 2025 – 10am - 4pm

Vale & Downland Museum (Barn Gallery), 19 Church Street, OX12 8BL

• Wednesday 9 July 2025 – 5pm - 8pm

Wantage Methodist Church (Chapel area), 20 Newbury Street, OX12 8DA

A further public consultation on the draft design will take place in 2026, with construction expected once further funding is confirmed. 

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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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Following a tendering process, Oxfordshire County Council has commissioned SLC Rail to put together the strategic outline business case for the project.

Councillor Judy Roberts, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Infrastructure and Development Strategy, said: “Oxfordshire County Council has long been an advocate of a proposed Wantage and Grove Station.

“This area has had a rapid increase in population in recent years and if we are going to be able to meet our ambitious targets set in our Local Transport and Connectivity Plan, rail improvements will be a key factor.

“Providing fast, regular and reliable transport options that serve our local communities and businesses across the region is essential for supporting the people, our economic centres and climate change objectives.”

The proposed new station would support the substantial growth in population that has taken place over recent years and provide residents with a high-quality and sustainable alternative means of travel.

Oxfordshire County Council is leading on the promotion of the station and will be working closely with Network Rail, Great Western Railways (GWR) and South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse district councils to progress any plans.

Claire Mahoney, Network Rail's industry programme director, said: “We welcome the feasibility study into a proposed new station for Wantage and Grove.

“The industry strategy – the Oxfordshire Rail Corridor Study, jointly commissioned by the county and city councils, Network Rail, and the Department for Transport – highlighted opportunities to expand Oxfordshire’s railway and help deliver economic growth to the region. This recommended a number of potential future improvements to support increasing interconnectivity across Oxfordshire, which could support the provision of new stations.”

A Wantage and Grove station was initially opened in 1846 but has seen no trains since 1964.

GWR's Business Development Portfolio Director Tom Pierpoint said: “We welcome the development of new stations across our network and are proud of our record working with partners to connect communities to the railway in recent years with new stations opening in Bristol, Devon and Reading.

“We look forward to engaging with the study, including on line capacity, rolling stock and crew requirements.”

Proposals for the new station will feature in Oxfordshire County Council’s emerging OxRail 2040: Plan for Rail strategy, which is expected to be adopted later this year.

If reopened, according to an independent opinion in 2018, it is estimated to become the fifth busiest station in Oxfordshire, attracting at least a million users a year.

There is also a strong economic case for the station, as it is estimated to generate £2.48 for every £1 invested.

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Single bus fares will be capped at £1 every Sunday in December in Oxfordshire – an improvement on last year’s offer, which only included the Sundays leading up to Christmas.

Councillor Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport Management, said: “This measure proved popular last year, with more people using the bus as a result. So, we are delighted to be able to not just repeat it, but to expand it by including the Sunday after Christmas too.”

Luke Marion, Managing Director of Oxford Bus Group, said: “This is great news for passengers, the bus industry and the local economy. The festive period is crucial for the visitor economy and retail sector and an expensive time of year for many, so this scheme will help everyone and encourage more people to travel sustainably for Christmas shopping or festive get togethers.”

The 2023 offer led to an estimated 7.4 per cent increase in bus journeys and it is hoped for a similar result this year.

Chris Hanson, Managing Director of Stagecoach, said: “We are pleased to once again support this initiative, offering £1 bus fares on Sundays throughout December, in Oxfordshire.

“This scheme not only makes festive travel more affordable but also encourages sustainable transport options during a busy time of year. We look forward to welcoming more passengers on board and helping everyone to enjoy the festive season with ease and convenience.”

The December fare cap is one of many measures funded by a £1.9 million government grant in 2023 to improve bus services over two years.

Bus users can also continue to take advantage of the recently introduced MyBus ticket, offering almost unlimited travel on nearly all local services for a fixed daily or weekly rate. More than 100,000 journeys have already been made with the ticket in a little over three months.

Park and ride users can also carry on making savings thanks to the joint parking and bus travel ticket. The ticket, which offers parking for 16 hours plus return bus travel, remains 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.

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The MyBus Oxfordshire ticket offers passengers daily or weekly travel around the county, covering most routes and operators, for a fixed price.

It means that one ticket, costing £6.50 a day and £25 a week for adults or £3.50 a day or £14.50 a week for under-19s, gives you unlimited access to more than 150 bus services run by 12 operators in Oxfordshire.

The offer has been developed by the Oxfordshire Bus Enhanced Partnership, a collaboration between Oxfordshire County Council and the county’s bus companies to promote the use of bus services through Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) funding provided by the government.

Councillor Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport Management, said: “Whether you want to explore the county or make your journey to work easier, the MyBus ticket presents a simple, joined-up and good value bus travel solution for Oxfordshire’s residents and visitors.”

This is the first time that such a ticket has been offered for the whole of the county, and across multiple operators.

Both the county’s main bus providers, Oxford Bus Company and Stagecoach, offer day tickets for unlimited travel on their own services across Oxfordshire. There are also day tickets available within the SmartZone, which covers the area in and around Oxford city, that are valid on both operators’ services.

Luke Marion, Managing Director of Oxford Bus Company, Thames Travel, Carousel Buses and Pulhams, said: “We have a lot of experience in delivering multi-operator ticketing via the Oxford SmartZone scheme, and it’s great to be able to expand this principle across all bus services countywide. We’re pleased to support the council in this exciting initiative on a trial basis to help encourage more people in the county to give bus travel a try.”

Chris Hanson, Managing Director for Stagecoach West, said: “We are excited to be part of the first countywide multi operator ticketing scheme for Oxfordshire. We look forward to continuing to work with Oxfordshire County Council and other operators to promote the tickets to residents and visitors, illustrating how easy it is to travel around the brilliant network we all offer.

“MyBus tickets will make travelling across our county, using the network of services, seamless.”

Robert Williams, Chief Executive Officer at Reading Buses and representative of the smaller bus companies in the region, said: “We are pleased to see this scheme that will reduce the cost of bus travel for customers and improve connectivity between routes regardless of who is running the service.”

All tickets can be purchased on participating bus operator websites and mobile apps. Day tickets are also available to purchase when boarding the bus.

Full details of the scheme, including which routes and operators are included, are available online at www.mybusoxfordshire.org.uk, Oxfordshire’s new bus partnership website.

BSIP funding, which has totalled £14.6 million for Oxfordshire to date, is for measures that will increase long-term bus patronage, help maintain service levels, ensure essential social and economic connectivity for local communities and promote innovation in the industry.

The money has also been used to fund a £1 Sunday fare cap in December 2023 and 2024, and support and improve bus services in both rural and urban areas.

Last month, Oxfordshire County Council’s cabinet approved the adoption of an updated BSIP for Oxfordshire for 2024-25. Publication of this document was a condition for release of the final instalment of the existing funding allocation for Oxfordshire for this year.

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Twelve organisations are to share nearly £425,000 to help improve community transport in Oxfordshire.

Oxfordshire County Council is awarding the grants, ranging from £700 to £135,000, to fund new vehicles, expand schemes, provide new services, offer administrative support and carry out surveys of potential passengers.

Councillor Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport Management, pictured, said: “Most of us take it for granted that we will be able to get to the places we need to. However, when people can’t drive or access public transport, they can be stranded.

“That’s why Oxfordshire’s active and diverse community transport sector is such a lifeline to so many people. From small volunteer car schemes to larger minibus schemes offering timetabled services, we are incredibly grateful to all those who work so hard to keep our residents mobile.

“We know these grants will make a big difference to all these organisations and help them to continue the fantastic work they are doing.”

The recipients are West Oxfordshire Community Transport; Uffington, Baulking and Woolstone (UBW) Minibus; The Villager Community Bus; CAWNAC (Oxfordshire) Volunteer Driver Service; Daybreak Oxford; Readibus; Shrivenham/Bourton/Watchfield/Longcot Parish Councils; Wallingford Town Council; Wantage & District Community Transport Community Interest Company (CIC); Chinnor Village Centre; First & Last Mile CIC; Watlington Parish Council.

Daybreak Oxford, pictured above, has been awarded £135,000 to expand the scheme it has been running for 15 months, transporting people with dementia to and from day centres and taking the older population on shopping trips.

Lee Gray, Chief Executive of Daybreak Oxford, said: “We are absolutely thrilled to receive this funding. It means we can increase the number of days we can operate, the number of centres we can visit, and double the number of people we can serve. We take them door-to-door and it is a real lifeline for so many people.

“We recently bought our second minibus, thanks to a donation from the MacFarlane Family Foundation, and the council’s grant will take care of everything else, from permits to safety inspections, as well as drivers and coordinators to make it sustainable.”

West Oxfordshire’s First & Last Mile, pictured right, has been awarded £40,000 to expand its services and provide administrative support to cope with the additional workload.

It has three vehicles and currently carries about 80 passengers a day, mostly schoolchildren, and serves villages between Long Hanborough and Standlake. However, it is in the process of improving its timetable from next month to include a shopper service from South Leigh into Witney for villagers.

Andy Swarbrick, First & Last Mile CIC Director, said: “We are very pleased to have been awarded a community transport grant. We feel it is in recognition of the widely applauded service we run in one of the most challenging rural areas of Oxfordshire since our inception in January 2022.

“The award will be used to establish not only a shoppers’ service but also put the whole business on a more professional footing. That said, a critical aspect of our philosophy is to engage locally, both in terms of volunteers and the support of the wider community.”

Community transport is part of the voluntary sector and plays a key role in filling gaps in service where public transport is not available. It helps provide safe, accessible, cost-effective, flexible transport run by the community for the community in rural and urban areas.

Community transport can include car clubs, community minibuses, dial-a-ride, lift shares, taxi shares and voluntary car schemes.

Some groups offer services just for their members, while others are open to the public. It can take disabled people to work, children to school, sick people to healthcare and older people to the shops. It runs local bus routes and provides transport for a wide range of clubs and other groups.

The council supports the development of not for profit community transport groups and services.

Small start-up grants to help groups in their development are available, while the council can also help with the cost of training volunteers as minibus and passenger assistants.

More information is available on Oxfordshire County Council’s website.

Following Oxfordshire County Council’s cabinet’s decision to allocate £1.2 million to improve rural public and community transport, further new services will be launched this month to connect more villages back to the bus network, market towns and Oxford.

Councillor Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport Management, said: “This is more good news for bus users on top of improved services announced last month – a £1 single fare cap for Sundays in December; the imminent arrival of a new fleet of electric buses for Oxford; and the extension of our park and ride joint parking and ticketing deal.

“Many people rely on buses to get around the county, and beyond, and we’re committed to working with providers to make it as easy and reliable for them to do so.”

From Monday 6 November, the following services will begin:

• 122/123: Watlington to Reading via Nettlebed, Stoke Row, Checkendon, Rotherfield Peppard and Kidmore End. This will run on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, through Red Rose Travel
• 126/127: Watlington to Thame via Lewknor, Postcombe, Tetsworth, The Miltons, Chalgrove, The Haseleys and Moreton. This will run on Tuesdays and Thursdays through Red Rose Travel.

From Monday 27 November, these services will be in operation:

• 68: Longcot, Fernham, Uffington, Kingston Lisle, Westcot, Sparsholt, Childrey and the Letcombes to Wantage and Faringdon. This will run from Monday to Saturday through Pulhams Coaches.
• 108: Forest Hill, Stanton St John, Beckley, Horton-cum-Studley, Blackthorn and Piddington to Oxford and Bicester. This will run from Monday to Saturday and is being operated by Oxford Bus Company.

Timetables will be available shortly from Traveline and individual operator websites.

Revisions to the Villager Community Bus V26 service to link Ramsden with Witney, and providing new journeys on Thursdays, began in early October. Further new services linking several villages north of Bicester and north of Banbury are anticipated to begin in February 2024.

These new services are in addition to those funded by the government through the council’s successful Bus Service Improvement Plan, including restoration of a service between Carterton and Swindon, new express peak buses from Carterton and Banbury to Oxford and improvements to other strategic inter-urban routes throughout the county.

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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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Oxfordshire County Council’s cabinet today adopted the plan, which includes hierarchies of road users and priority for roadworks in line with its Local Transport and Connectivity Plan and its commitment to climate action.

Councillor Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highway Management, said: “We face a huge challenge in meeting residents’ travel needs as the population and associated infrastructure grows, while avoiding the economic damage caused by severe congestion and enabling a zero-carbon Oxfordshire by 2050.

“We have a once in a generation opportunity to make a significant shift away from private car use, towards more flexible working patterns and greener travel choices – reducing pressure on the road network and creating the space for local traffic improvements.

“Essential to achieving our priorities and policies is a transport system that enables the efficient movement of people and goods, while promoting greater use of sustainable travel modes.

“This network management plan explores the challenges that we face and explains how we will manage Oxfordshire’s highways to deliver an effective, sustainable transport system for people and businesses.”

Key objectives of the plan include minimising disruption, providing quality information to the travelling public, supporting active travel, improving journey time reliability, and maximising the effective use of road space.

The user hierarchy prioritises walking and wheeling, cycling, riding and public transport ahead of motorcycles, shared vehicles such as car clubs, and cars, vans, and lorries.

Network management will also make decisions to support road safety, especially following the council’s adoption of the vision zero strategy to eliminate all deaths and serious injuries from road traffic collisions in Oxfordshire by 2050.

There are approximately 30,000 accidents on Oxfordshire’s roads, 1,700 reported injuries – including 300 of a serious nature – and 30 deaths, with a higher proportion of serious incidents than many local authority areas due to a higher amount of rural road links on the network.

The hierarchy for the priority of roadworks is:

• emergency repairs
• works of national importance (such as HS2 and East West Rail)
• county council new and improved infrastructure projects
• digital connectivity infrastructure projects
• large public events
• major utility infrastructure and works
• small scale utilities
• highway maintenance activities.

The county council receives more than 35,000 applications to work on the roads each year – 87 per cent of which come from utility companies – with approximately 600 live sites on the network at any one time.

The county council is responsible for the maintenance of more than 4,500km of roads in Oxfordshire. As in other parts of the UK, the condition of the road network has deteriorated over recent years as government funding has not kept up with need.

The report warns that the potential impact of housing and jobs growth on the county’s transport networks could see traffic on many junctions exceed capacity by 2031, with severe delays on many routes, especially the A34, A40, A338 and A4074.

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As a result of rising costs and reduced passenger numbers arising from the pandemic, West Oxfordshire Community Transport (WOCT) told the council it was no longer able to continue operating service 210 between Milton-under-Wychwood and Witney, which serves a string of villages that have limited alternative provision.

The council has now agreed to provide funds to maintain the existing level of service until August 2024, protecting continued access to Witney for employment and education as well as retail and leisure activities.

Andrew Lyon, Head of Operations at WOCT, said: “Like many community transport providers we have seen a reduction in passenger numbers together with a significant increase in costs. We had been encouraged by the growth of service 210 following its introduction and we are grateful to the county council for working with us to maintain the service whilst we rebuild patronage after the pandemic.”

Councillor Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highway Management, said: “Bus services that people can rely on are a vital part of our transport strategy. That is why we have acted quickly here – as we have done in other parts of the county – to ensure that this important route is not lost.

“We are proud that our commitment to public transport is resulting in positive action for the people who need it the most.”

The new contract will begin on 3 April and there will be no changes to the timetable. Further information on the service, and the work WOCT do to provide community transport services across the district, can be found on its website at woct.org.uk

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Last March, Oxfordshire County Council was awarded £32.8 million from the government’s Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas (ZEBRA) scheme.

Along with £6m from the council itself and £43.7m from bus companies Stagecoach and the Go-Ahead Group, which includes the Oxford Bus Company, Thames Travel, and City Sightseeing Oxford, the scheme will deliver the electric buses and the infrastructure to charge them.

Following the signing of contracts between the bus companies and the manufacturers, and the council’s approval of trial traffic filters in Oxford to help reduce bus journey times by at least 10 per cent in the city, confirmation of Oxfordshire’s ZEBRA scheme has now been finalised.

Councillor Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways Management, said: “This is a huge boost in the move towards creating a sustainable, decarbonised public transport system, and improving air quality.

“We believe that, along with other schemes proposed in the county, this new fleet of electric buses will transform our public transport system and encourage more people to travel by bus.”

Rachel Geliamassi, Managing Director for Stagecoach West, said: “We're excited to be announcing this major milestone for Oxfordshire, which will be a major step forward in improving air quality across the region. This builds further on the major investment being made by Stagecoach across the country to support the transition to a zero emission bus fleet. 

"We look forward to working with our local authority partners on their plans to further decarbonise the city, which will help us to speed up journey times and attract more people out of their cars and on to reliable, sustainable public transport services." 

Luke Marion, Oxford Bus Company Managing Director, said: “This ground-breaking plan and significant investment will radically improve air quality in Oxford. We look forward to continuing to work with key partners to deliver this ambitious project, which will make bus travel an even better option for getting around our city."

Roads Minister Richard Holden said: “We want to see a better bus network around Britain and that means reliable, affordable, clean buses, and we will do everything possible to decarbonise our transport network and support skilled jobs in next generation bus manufacturing across the UK.

“We’ve already invested hundreds of millions of pounds to kick-start the rollout of zero emission buses nationwide, and it’s great to see Oxfordshire County Council, Stagecoach and Go-Ahead Group making use of our funding to transform its fleet to electric. This move will boost UK manufacturing, drive down emissions and improve bus services for people across the region.”

Councillor Louise Upton, Cabinet Member for Health and Transport, Oxford City Council, said: “Air pollution is a major cause of poor health in Oxford and cleaning up our bus emissions is an important step towards better air quality for everyone who lives, works, and visits Oxford.

“Buses are a vital part of how many people travel around Oxford, especially the 30 per cent of Oxford residents who do not own a car. Let’s not underestimate the importance of the county’s proposed congestion-busting traffic measures in giving the bus companies the confidence to invest in these electric buses. Hopping on a brand new electric bus, with free WiFi and stop announcements for the partially sighted, will make bus travel a much more attractive option for everyone.

“We are looking forward to seeing these new buses on Oxford’s roads as part of a zero emission bus network. It all helps to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and fulfil our aim of cutting the city’s carbon footprint.”

Transport is the largest contributor to nitrogen dioxide (NOx) emissions in Oxford, accounting for two thirds of the total emissions, with both diesel cars and buses contributing to roughly one third of the transport emissions each.

The arrival of the 159 electric buses is expected to support a further drop in NOx levels that will help clean up Oxford and Oxfordshire’s air pollution, reduce noise pollution and help make Oxfordshire a net zero carbon county well before 2050.

Oxfordshire was one of only 12 local authorities to successfully apply for ZEBRA funding and is one of the biggest schemes in the country.

All the new buses are being manufactured in the UK and are expected to arrive by March 2024. It will be one of the largest orders outside London and will mean that most services across the Oxford Smartzone will be operated by battery electric buses.

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As part of the wider ‘Help for Households’ initiative, the bus fare cap will limit the price passengers will pay for an adult single fare to £2 on most routes operated by participating bus firms.

Running from 1 January until 31 March 2023, the bus providers in Oxfordshire which have opted in are:

• Arriva
• Oxford Bus Company
• Redline Buses
• Stagecoach
• Thames Travel
• Reading Buses
• Thames Valley Buses
• Langston & Tasker

Councillor Liz Leffman, Leader of Oxfordshire County Council, said: “It is great that so many bus operators in Oxfordshire have signed up to take part in the bus fare cap scheme. We know cost of living pressures are affecting many people and hopefully these discounted fares will help residents to cut costs as they use buses to get to school, to work and to visit our town and city centres.

“Swapping car journeys for bus trips also helps reduce the number of cars in our town and city centres, reducing congestion, cutting emissions, and improving the environment.”

The temporary £2 bus fare cap on adult fares does not change the concessionary fare scheme or impact free travel. Services where singles already cost less than £2 are also not included, and there are some exemptions such as:

• Dedicated school services
• Services which only run on school days
• Coach services including the Oxford Tube.

More details are available on the government’s website or by visiting bus providers’ websites.

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The decision was made by the county council’s cabinet at a meeting today (Tuesday, 29 November).

The traffic filters will be implemented under an experimental traffic regulation order (ETRO) for a minimum period of six months. During the trial, the county council will assess the impact of the traffic filters by monitoring traffic levels, bus journey times and air quality as well as review any impacts on individuals and those with protected characteristics. A second public consultation will run during the first six months of the trial. A long-term decision about the traffic filters will be made towards the end of the trial based on monitoring data collected and feedback from consultation.

The decision follows extensive engagement with more than a hundred local businesses, organisations and community groups, including bus companies, hospitals, schools and universities.

The county council also received 5,700 responses to a public consultation that ran from 5 September to 13 October 2022, with another 485 emails from members of the public and organisations. All these responses were analysed by an independent research company and changes to the proposals have been made following feedback from the consultation.

Councillor Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways Management, said: “Currently, our roads are gridlocked with traffic, and this traffic is damaging our economy and our environment. Oxford needs a more sustainable, reliable and inclusive transport system for everyone. Traffic filters are an important tool to deliver a transport plan that works for all.

“Traffic filters are designed to deliver a safer, cleaner and more prosperous place to live, work and visit. This is not a scheme to stop private vehicles in the city. Exemptions and permits available for residents and businesses will make car journeys faster while also improving alternative transport options such as public transport.

“Feedback received by the thousands of people who responded to our consultation survey, spoke to us during the engagement events or wrote to us has been instrumental in making changes to the traffic filters proposals.

“The traffic filters will be introduced as a trial. This will be another opportunity for us to learn from people’s experience of the filters and adapt and make any changes if necessary.”

The six traffic filters will be located on St Cross Road, Thames Street, St Clements, Hythe Bridge Street, Marston Ferry Road and Hollow Way. These traffic filters are expected to:

• Reduce traffic levels by around 20 per cent across the city inside the ring road and around 35 per cent in the city centre.
• Increase bus and park and ride use by up to 10 per cent.
• Enable new and improved bus routes.
• Reduce road accidents by around 34 per year.
• Reduce annual carbon emissions associated with road transport by 6%.
• Increase walking and cycling trips by around 10 per cent.

 The trial will be implemented after Botley Road reopens to motorised traffic following major improvements to Oxford railway station. This will enable an effective and representative trial to take place. The road is due to close to through traffic on 9 January 2023 and is expected to reopen after 12 months.  

The council’s cabinet also approved the Central Oxfordshire Travel Plan, which outlines 22 actions to help achieve a sustainable and reliable net-zero transport system across Oxford and the surrounding areas of Kidlington, Eynsham, Botley, Cumnor, Kennington and Wheatley by 2050.

If approved by cabinet, the six trial traffic filters will be located on St Cross Road, Thames Street, St Clements, Hythe Bridge Street, Marston Ferry Road and Hollow Way.

The county council has published changes to the proposals based on feedback from public consultation and engagement and results from further traffic analysis.

Since February 2022, the county council, in partnership with Oxford City Council, has engaged with hundreds of local businesses, organisations and community groups including bus companies, hospitals, schools and universities and refined the proposals based on this engagement process.

Following feedback from partners, the council put forward plans to introduce the traffic filters as an experimental traffic regulation order (ETRO), to test the scheme and make changes if needed, before making a long-term decision on the trial.

The county council carried out a public consultation to better understand the impacts of the proposals between 5 September and 13 October 2022. It received 5,700 responses to the public consultation, with another 485 emails from members of the public and organisations. These responses were analysed by an independent research company.

Following this feedback, some key changes to the proposals are being recommended to cabinet by officers. These include:

• Traffic filters on Hollow Way and Marston Ferry Road initially operating at peak times only from 7am until 9am and from 3pm until 6pm Monday to Saturday. This is to confirm whether part-time filters at these locations achieve the aims of the scheme.
• Residents based in the Shotover Hill area and residential areas immediately adjacent to Barton to be included in the Oxford permit area. Residents of these areas can apply for day passes to drive through the filters for up to 100 days per year.  
• Expanding resident day passes to include 25 day passes per person per year for residents of Oxfordshire outside the Oxford permit area (with a maximum of one vehicle per person and two vehicles per household) to pass through the filters. Residents in the Oxford permit area, who are most affected by the scheme, would still receive a maximum of 100 day passes per vehicle (with a maximum of one vehicle per person and three vehicles per household). 
• Short-term exemptions for patients receiving frequent hospital treatments to drive through one traffic filter of their choosing and for people with temporary mobility problems.
• Expanding the permit eligibility criteria for non-professional carers to include anyone with informal caring responsibilities, but restrict the exemption to one traffic filter of the applicant’s choosing.

Councillor Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways Management, said: “I would like to thank everyone who gave their feedback on the proposals, whether that was by meeting with us during the engagement events, responding to our consultation survey or by writing to us.

“We received over 6,000 responses to the consultation and that feedback has helped shape the changes being proposed to the trial scheme. If approved by the council’s cabinet, the traffic filters will be implemented as a trial. This would allow another opportunity for people to share their views based on their experience of living with the filters.”

Cabinet members will consider a range of information before making a decision on the proposals. This includes feedback received during consultation as well as data on traffic modelling, air quality and equality and climate impact assessments.

Councillor Duncan Enright, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Travel and Development Strategy, has decided he should step away from this forthcoming decision on this occasion. This is to allay any concerns about his impartiality following recent media coverage.

Councillor Enright said “Quotations attributed to me do not, out of context, properly represent either my own views or Oxfordshire County Council’s plans to tackle congestion and improve travel around the city.

“To give the public full confidence that the decision on traffic filters will be made on the basis of the best evidence, including the recent public consultation feedback, I will not take part in this decision on 29 November.”

If approved, officers are recommending to cabinet that the traffic filter trial should begin after Botley Road reopens to motorised traffic following major improvements to Oxford railway station. This would enable an effective and representative trial to take place.

For more information about this release contact Oxfordshire County Council’s communications team on 01865 323870 or email press.office@oxfordshire.gov.uk

Notes:

• To find out more about the proposals, including the full list of exemptions and permits visit letstalk.oxfordshire.gov.uk/traffic-filters-2022.
• Read the full cabinet paper aebhdfh (oxfordshire.gov.uk)

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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Earlier this year, Oxfordshire County Council was one of 31 successful applicants out of 79 to receive an ‘indicative allocation’ for its Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP). It followed the council’s bid for £56m from the government’s National Bus Strategy fund.

This £12.7m has now been confirmed by the Department for Transport and will support measures over the next three years, including cheaper fares for under-19s, new rural services, bus priority improvements across the county and proposed traffic filters to reduce journey times and support the introduction of new zero emission electric buses.

Councillor Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways Management, said: “In the context of a significantly reduced funding allocation nationwide, with only 40 per cent of BSIPs receiving any money, £12.7m represents a significant boost for bus users in Oxfordshire. It is welcome confirmation from the government that our approach to prioritise public transport is the right one.

“Effective public transport is key to many of our priorities as a council. Combined with many other measures we are working on with our partners, this funding will put us on a positive path to making bus travel more attractive and environmentally friendly than ever before.

“Supporting cheaper travel for young people, including the introduction of a £1 flat fare within Oxford as well as reduced fares for under-19s countywide, is a priority. We want young people to adopt sustainable transport habits which will then stay with them throughout their lives.”

Passenger numbers in Oxfordshire, which had been in decline between 2014 and 2019, were badly hit by the impact of the pandemic. Bus companies have also suffered from rising fuel prices, shortages of drivers, and uncertainty about financial support from the government.

The BSIP is one of a number of measures being brought in by the council and its partners, including the bus operators, other local authorities and major employers, to increase passenger numbers. Others include:

• A new combined parking and bus ticket coming later this year to the city’s five park and ride sites
• A successful bid to the government to fund a fleet of 159 state of the art electric buses in a package worth £82.5m
• Oxfordshire’s inaugural bus summit which was held in June to bring together a host of organisations to discuss how to improve public transport in the county
• The launch of a campaign highlighting the economic benefits to encourage people to use buses in Oxfordshire to help combat the cost-of-living crisis
• The creation of an enhanced partnership between Oxfordshire County Council and the bus operators to improve services.

The aims of the government’s National Bus Strategy are to see more people using more attractive bus services through revisions to fares, routes, hours of operation and availability of information, and to see improvements to reliability, punctuality, and journey speeds.

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The multi-partner campaign, led by Oxfordshire County Council is designed to highlight the financial advantage of taking a bus over a private vehicle, where possible, during the current cost of living challenge caused by rising inflation.

With the cost of fuel at record levels commuters and leisure travellers can achieve significant savings by swapping using private vehicles for buses, where practical. Oxfordshire County Council is delivering the campaign in partnership with Oxford Bus Company, Thames Travel and Stagecoach. Sharing the experiences of bus users and how they have benefited from cost savings will form a key part of the multi-channel campaign.

Petrol and diesel prices reached record highs this month, with the cost of filling up a 55-litre tank family car now more than £100 on average. Fresh data collated by bus operators has revealed savings which can made before factoring in paying to park:

• A return journey between Witney and Oxford via Stagecoach S1 five days a week achieves an annual saving of up to £2,230.30 compared to using a private vehicle.
• A return journey between Abingdon and John Radcliffe Hospital via Oxford Bus Company’s X3 service saves up to £2,318.23 per year compared to using a private vehicle.

Woodstock resident Jean Pierre De Rosnay is a hybrid worker who uses a bus to commute to Oxford two or three times a week.

 “I used to commute by car but switched to bus travel to save money on parking and fuel,” he said. “It’s cheaper and more convenient and makes a bit of a difference to the environment. Being a hybrid worker, it is a lot cheaper to buy a flexible ticket because I don’t know which days I will work in the office in each week.”

East Hendred resident Sarah James is also a hybrid worker. She said: “I choose to leave the car at home and get the bus into work because it is the quickest, cheapest and easiest way to get into Oxford.

“I commute a couple of days a week and put multi trip tickets on an Oxford Key Smart Card, which is cost effective. I find the bus the cheapest way to come into work because I don’t have to pay for parking and with fuel prices increasing bus tickets are now really good value.”

Margaret Simpson from Cumnor, said: “Currently it isn’t economical to travel into Oxford by car. Buses are a very economical way for people to travel around the county for work and social reasons. Bus services are regular and help reduce congestion and pollution. I do drive a car but I’m increasingly using buses to travel.”

Last week Oxfordshire County Council’s cabinet approved its draft enhanced partnership (EP) document for submission to the government. The EP sets out plans by the county council, bus operators and its partners, to help bring passenger levels back to pre-pandemic levels.

Measures that are set to be introduced to help get more people using buses include cheaper fares for under-19s, new rural services, bus priority improvements and traffic filters to reduce journey times. Once the draft EP has been submitted and consulted upon, the final version will be submitted to the government later this year to secure Bus Service Improvement Plan funding of £12.7m to deliver the measures.

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

Councillor Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways Management, said: “We are committed to ensuring that the bus is a reliable, affordable alternative to the car. That’s more important now than ever as we face this cost of living crisis.

“This council is doing everything in our power to make buses a success. We’re working with the operators to improve punctuality and to make public transport the most attractive and affordable option for getting around the county.”

Councillor Louise Upton, Cabinet Member for Health and Transport, Oxford City Council, said: "Buses are really important for getting around our city and many Oxford residents rely on them. Right now, with fuel costs so high saving money is important for all of us, so why not think about making your journey by bus instead? It can save you money, help save the planet and will reduce the number of vehicles on our roads."

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Oxfordshire County Council’s cabinet has approved its draft enhanced partnership (EP) document for submission to the government. The EP sets out plans by the county council, bus operators and its partners, to help bring passenger levels back to pre-pandemic levels.

It also sets out how the county council intends to spend the £12.7 million it was earmarked to receive from the government earlier this year, following its Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) bid. Although this was significantly less than the £56m which the council bid for, the money will be prioritised on schemes which maximise the benefit for passengers.

Councillor Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways Management, said: “Effective public transport is key to many of our priorities as a council. We want to invest in an inclusive, integrated and sustainable countywide transport network, fit for the 21st century, and significantly reduce reliance on car journeys. Buses are also central to helping address the climate emergency and tackling inequalities in the county.

“The bus companies have been hit hard by the pandemic, shortages of drivers and uncertainty over financial support from the government. Through our ambitious plans we aim to tackle these problems and look forward to working with the bus companies on improving the situation for the county’s existing and future passengers.”

The measures contained in the EP aim to increase bus usage by:

• keeping buses at the heart of decision making
• making buses faster and more reliable
• upgrading bus infrastructure
• improving the image of buses
• making buses easier to access and understand.

Once the draft EP has been submitted and consulted upon, the final version will be submitted to the government later this year to secure the £12.7m BSIP funding.

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

As a result, Oxfordshire County Council is proactively working with partners by hosting a bus summit in Oxford on 24 June to explore what can be done to help the industry. A marketing campaign is also due to begin later this month aimed at highlighting the financial advantage of taking the bus over the car, where possible, during the current cost of living crisis.

Earlier this year, the county council and bus companies Go-Ahead and Stagecoach were successful in their bid to bring 159 electric buses to Oxford and its surrounding areas. The bid received £32.8 million from the government’s Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas scheme meaning that, along with £6m from the council and £43.7m from bus companies, the package for buses and the infrastructure to charge them is worth £82.5m.

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Oxfordshire County Council has been awarded £32.8 million from the Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas (ZEBRA) scheme.

Along with £6m from the council itself and £43.7m from bus companies Stagecoach and the Go-Ahead Group, which includes the Oxford Bus Company, Thames Travel, and City Sightseeing Oxford, the scheme will deliver the electric buses and the infrastructure to charge them in a package worth £82.5m.

This funding will support plans to create a zero carbon transport network in Oxford. Last month, Oxfordshire County Council and Oxford City Council announced updated proposals to introduce a city wide workplace parking levy, traffic filters and a wider zero emission zone. 

The proposed traffic filters will help reduce bus journey times by at least 10 per cent in the city. Consultations on the traffic filters, zero emission zone and workplace parking levy will take place in summer this year, with a decision due at the county council’s Cabinet in the autumn.

The commitment from bus operators is dependent on reduced bus journey times. The county council will receive funding from the government after its Cabinet has made a decision on the proposed traffic filters.

The new electric buses will be used on bus routes operating wholly within the Oxford Smart Zone, an area covering all of Oxford and stretching from Kidlington in the north to Sandford in the south, and from Cumnor in the west to Wheatley in the east. They will save an estimated 9,200 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions each year – the equivalent of taking more than 6,000 cars off the road. They could start to be delivered to Oxfordshire’s roads between the summer of 2023 and the spring of 2024.

Bill Cotton, Oxfordshire County Council’s Director for Environment and Place, said: “This is wonderful news for Oxfordshire and a major leap forward for transport decarbonisation and cleaner air in the county. Along with other transport schemes proposed in Oxford, this new fleet of electric buses will transform our public transport system and encourage more people to travel by bus.

“We are looking forward to working with our partners at Stagecoach, Go-Ahead and Oxford City Council to create a sustainable and reliable public transport system.”

Phil Southall, Managing Director of Oxford Bus Company, Thames Travel and City Sightseeing Oxford said: “This is excellent news and a pivotal step in our collective aim to radically improve air quality in Oxford. Go-Ahead Group, Oxford Bus Company and Thames Travel have always been at the forefront of introducing sustainable low-carbon technology in the UK and Oxfordshire bus operators have committed £43m to the electric programme. However, to make a fleet transition financially viable we need to speed up bus journey times by 10 per cent.

“We now look forward to the public consultation on transport and connectivity in Oxford this summer. We are committed to a zero emission future, but the cost of delivery makes it critical we all work together to ensure it is delivered effectively. If this can be done, we can provide 159 electric buses in two years.”

Rachel Geliamassi, Managing Director at Stagecoach West, said: "We welcome today's announcement, which will complement the significant investment and initiatives by operators as we work together to transition to a zero emission bus fleet and help the country achieve its net zero ambitions. 

"Stagecoach has already started its journey towards our target of a fully zero emission UK bus fleet by 2035, and there is also a major opportunity to deliver cleaner air by people switching to more sustainable public transport, cycling and walking. Britain’s buses have an exciting future ahead, helping decarbonise the country, as well as driving economic recovery and levelling up our communities."

Tom Bridgman, Executive Director for Development at Oxford City Council, said: “The city council welcomes this government funding which will support both councils’ plans announced last month to introduce a city wide workplace parking levy, traffic filters and city centre zero emission zone.  

“In order to achieve the maximum benefits of having a modern electric bus fleet, Oxford’s roads need to have more space for buses, cyclists, and pedestrians to move freely, and quickly – without being stuck in traffic. The city council will be working with Oxfordshire County Council and Oxford’s bus companies on making the case for the traffic-reduction measures which would facilitate the delivery of these new electric buses, one of the key benefits for Oxford and the county as a whole.”

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Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet approved the draft Local Transport and Connectivity Plan (LTCP) last October, which – among its many ambitions – aims to cut car journeys by a quarter by 2030 and reduce them by a third by 2040. It also plans to increase the number of cycling trips from 600,000 to one million by 2031.

Now residents can have their say on the plan until 16 March. People can take part and make their voices heard at https://letstalk.oxfordshire.gov.uk/ltcp. Final adoption of the plan is currently scheduled for summer 2022.

Councillor Duncan Enright, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Travel and Development Strategy, said: “We want to know what it would take for people to make fewer journeys by car. We want to hear from them about the financial implications and what they need in terms of alternative transport arrangements.

“The estimated average cost of owning a car is nearly £500 per month if you are paying for it on credit, or nearly £300 if you only take into account fuel, insurance, tax, maintenance and so on. How much would you spend on alternative ways to get around by bus, train, bike, taxi or on foot? What else would you need to cut the number of cars in your house and cut your monthly bills?

“We know we face considerable challenges as we seek to deliver our aspirations. There will be tough decisions around how we use existing road space, but now is the time for an ambitious and comprehensive plan which the LTCP provides. We believe it will help create a thriving county, tackle inequality, protect our environment and improve the health and wellbeing of residents.

“We are really keen for the people of Oxfordshire to engage with us in this process, not just now but throughout the years as it evolves. We know it will take a long time to get to where we want to be, but we have a clear vision of shifting the balance away from single occupancy cars in favour of something more sustainable.”

The LTCP is a wide-ranging document with more than 90 policies, which aim to provide the backbone for the council’s commitment to invest in an inclusive, integrated and sustainable transport network for the county. It looks at ways of reducing the need to travel and discouraging unnecessary individual private vehicle use through making walking, cycling, public and shared transport the natural first choice. Key policy areas include:

• walking and cycling
• road safety
• digital connectivity
• public transport
• environment, carbon and air quality
• network, parking and congestion management
• freight and logistics.

The county council will be hosting a series of online webinars to introduce the LTCP in more detail and answer questions. Detail about how to sign up for these will be provided on the council’s website and social media in the coming weeks. Webinars will be hosted on the dates below for the following audiences:

• Town and parish councils: Monday 24 January 7pm – 8.15pm and Tuesday 1 February 7pm – 8.15pm
• General public: Tuesday 25 January 7pm - 8.15pm and Monday 7 February 7pm - 8.15pm
• Businesses: Wednesday 26 January 8am - 9.15am.

People can book to take part using the link on the consultation page. Residents can also email LTCP5@oxfordshire.gov.uk if they have any further questions or issues.

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Oxfordshire County Council worked closely with Oxford’s main bus providers on the review, which was prompted by lower than usual passenger numbers, reduced government funding, and a national shortage of driving staff. It looked at how best to balance the available resources with the areas of greatest need.

As recommended in the government’s national bus strategy, the council worked proactively with operators to identify opportunities for greater efficiencies through the reduction of unnecessary duplication, with the aim of placing the network on a more secure financial footing while minimising impact on passengers. The changes will come into effect in the new year.

Councillor Tim Bearder, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highway Management, said: “The bus companies have done astonishingly well to maintain services during these unprecedented times, but government decisions and the pandemic have created a perfect storm and our local operators have had to act. They need to counter the reduction in government funding, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on passenger numbers, and the challenging situation for recruitment of bus drivers.

“We are pleased to have been able to get the parties together to sort out a coordinated approach to tackle these issues facing the bus companies. Public transport is key to our plans to get more people out of their cars. That is why we need to first get the network on to a more secure financial footing while we try to secure £56 million from the government’s national bus strategy fund to improve services in the long term.”

Among the most significant changes will be a more integrated approach to services on the main radial corridors from north and south Oxford, with a single operator providing the principal bus services to Kidlington (route 2) and Rose Hill (route 3). Routes to the city centre from Littlemore and Greater Leys will also be consolidated to provide a more sustainable level of service better matched to passenger numbers.

The dedicated park and ride 500 service from Woodstock and Oxford Parkway will no longer run. However, Stagecoach service 7 will divert into the park and ride site to provide the same frequency. Additional services operate from bus stops on Oxford Road every few minutes for most of the day, a short walk from the car park.

Services between Oxford, Abingdon, Harwell Campus and Wantage will also change, with new Thames Travel routes X1 and 34 replacing Stagecoach service S8 and 34.

There will also be an improved Stagecoach S9 service between Wantage and Oxford with an increased frequency during the daytime, in the evenings and on Sundays. This follows significant housing development in the area and a tendering process overseen by the county council.

Phil Southall, Managing Director of Oxford Bus Company, said: “We very much appreciate the proactive approach taken by Oxfordshire County Council in seeking to support operators to stabilise the bus network in the county in what continue to be very difficult times for the public transport industry. The changes announced today will secure the future of many important routes and will also see several new journey possibilities opened up for bus users.

“Three in four bus users in Oxfordshire have now returned to travelling by bus after the COVID-19 restrictions have lifted, and we are looking forward to seeing more customers returning in the new year, as well as to welcoming new customers to our services in the near future.”

Rachel Geliamassi, Managing Director of Stagecoach West, said: “We are encouraged to see more of our customers return, however we have to be realistic and address the effects that COVID-19 has had on how and when our customers travel into and around the city.

“Stagecoach is very much still in support of the Oxford SmartZone scheme to provide flexibility of ticket offering for customers. We have welcomed the opportunity to engage with Oxfordshire County Council to consider and agree alternative solutions to how we operate our routes. We will be sad to say goodbye to some of our most loyal customers and know that our drivers will be equally disappointed as they have been proud to serve our customers in the areas we will no longer be operating in.”

Most changes will take place from 2 January 2022. Further details of the review, including timetables, maps and information on any ticket changes or refunds that may be required, can be found at the operator websites:

• Stagecoach – http://stge.co/zC4O50GViiv
• Oxford Bus Company and Thames Travel – https://www.oxfordbus.co.uk/news

The council’s public transport team is also available to respond to queries at public.transport@oxfordshire.gov.uk

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Oxfordshire County Council has started a consultation process to find out people’s views on the service that is provided now and what people would like to see in the future. People can have their say by visiting Let’s Talk Oxfordshire, the council’s new digital consultation and engagement platform.

The results will help the council agree a Bus Service Improvement Plan with bus operator partners to send to the government this October, which will help unlock funding to improve Oxfordshire’s bus services.

Councillor Tim Bearder, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways Management, said: “We would like to hear from people about what they think we should be telling the government. We need to concentrate on the issues which matter most to bus users and to people who might consider using the bus instead of driving.

“The main purpose of this survey is to help us to prioritise which aspects of bus services in Oxfordshire we should improve, by finding out what would make people use buses more – which is one of the council’s priorities when it comes to transport. We are excited about the opportunity this presents and want to ensure that our improvement plan reflects the views of Oxfordshire’s residents and those visiting or working in the county.”

In March 2021, the government published its National Bus Strategy which sets out a framework for how bus services can recover from the Covid-19 pandemic and its vision for future improvements across England.

To meet this challenge, Oxfordshire County Council is working with local bus companies to create the Bus Service Improvement Plan. This will involve developing bold plans for improving Oxfordshire’s bus services and encouraging more people to use them.

The government has pledged £3 billion nationwide to help deliver these plans, and Oxfordshire is aiming to secure as much of this funding as it can. The survey is open until Monday 13 September.

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Oxfordshire County Council has created ‘build-outs’ at bus stops in Acre Street in Eynsham, and Corn Street and Newland in Witney. It followed concerns from bus operator Stagecoach about some passengers having difficulties getting on and off buses safely at these locations.

The work followed extensive local consultation, with the scheme in Eynsham set to be reviewed in 2022. It forms part of the council’s ongoing commitment to support local bus services and its response to the government’s National Bus Strategy.

Councillor Tim Bearder, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways Managements, said: “Making improvements to the public transport system helps reduce our reliance on car journeys, and work like this will make it easier for people to use the bus and thereby cut carbon emissions.

“We will continue our efforts to support bus travel through delivering accessibility improvements across the county where they are needed.”

Delays at these three locations were adversely affecting the reliability of bus services, so these improvements will also help to improve bus journey times by speeding up boarding and alighting.

Oxfordshire County Council funded the work, which cost around £20,000, through its Bus Journey Time Reliability programme.

Rachel Geliamassi, Managing Director at Stagecoach West, said: “We are very pleased with the improvements to the bus stops in Eynsham and Witney. The new build-outs offer improved access for all passengers, including wheelchair users and those with pushchairs.

“The raised walkways also prevent passengers from having to walk through parked cars to reach the bus stop, improving safety for both pedestrians and drivers. The changes support our mission to offer simple, convenient and comfortable bus travel to all Oxfordshire residents.”

Public transport operators and highway authorities – such as Oxfordshire County Council – must make reasonable adjustments for all users so that disabled passengers are not disadvantaged. Providing access between a low-floor bus and the footway is crucial to fulfilling those duties.

The improvements also help the needs of other disabled groups, such as blind or cognitive impaired bus passengers, as well as those carrying heavy luggage and pushchairs.

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Oxfordshire County Council will use £275,000 of its existing Local Authority Bus Subsidy Grant (LABSG) from the government to provide short-term interim support to the services which would otherwise have faced withdrawal in August 2021.

Three routes are being saved in full through the interim grant, with the other nine having specific routes, journeys or days of operation being supported. The services are:

• 11: Watlington - Oxford (Sunday service, 4 journeys)
• 40: Thame - High Wycombe (Sunday service, hourly)
• 46: Wheatley - Cowley (Monday to Friday service, hourly)
• 47: Lambourn - Swindon (route via Ashbury, Monday to Friday service, 5 journeys)
• 63: Southmoor - Oxford (Monday to Friday service, 5 journeys)
• 233: Woodstock - Witney (Sunday service, hourly)
• 488: Chipping Norton - Banbury (Sunday service, two-hourly)
• H2: Carterton - John Radcliffe Hospital (Sunday service, 2-4 journeys)
• S4: Banbury - Oxford (Monday to Saturday evening service, 2 journeys)
• X8: Chipping Norton - Kingham (Monday to Friday service, 5-6 peak hour journeys)
• X9: Chipping Norton - Witney (Saturday service, enhanced to hourly)
• X38: Henley - Wallingford (Sunday service, hourly)

Councillor Tim Bearder, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways Management, said: “Helping to improve the county’s bus services is one of the key aims of this administration when it comes to transport. These are challenging but exciting times for the industry and we will be working in partnership with the county’s bus operators in the future to make bus travel more attractive. In the meantime, we are happy to be able to keep these 12 enhanced services in operation for the people who rely on them.”

Andrew Pulham, director of Pulhams & Sons Coaches – one of the affected operators – said: “We are delighted to work in partnership with Oxfordshire County Council to continue providing services that offer essential journeys for the rural villages and towns that they serve. We look forward to welcoming old and new passengers on board.”

The longer-term future of the 12 bus services will be decided as part of work to develop the bus service improvement plan which will come back to the council for approval in October. This follows a decision by the council’s cabinet on 22 June to set up an ‘enhanced partnership’ and it will invite all of Oxfordshire’s local bus operators to participate in it. The aim is to encourage more passengers back on to the buses as part of the government’s national bus strategy.

At the same meeting, the Cabinet also agreed to submit an expression of interest in the Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas scheme, in support of the government’s Road to Zero Strategy for transition to zero emission transport by 2050.

The current service 120 route from Aylesbury to Haddenham in Buckinghamshire is being extended to Thame town centre, after which it will serve some residential areas of the town that have seen little or no bus coverage in recent years.

Bill Cotton, Oxfordshire County Council’s Director of Environment and Place, said: “This improved service is positive news for residents of Thame; we’ve worked with Redline Buses to connect people with real upgrades in services.

“This is particularly important as we look toward recovery from the pandemic and as a means of reducing our individual environmental impact within growing communities. The improved 120 route will also mean real travel choices for people as we look to cut transport emissions and improve air quality too.”

Taj Khan, Managing Director of Redline Buses, said: “We are a locally owned and managed bus company and are delighted to be working in close partnership with Oxfordshire County Council in providing this new route serving the residents of Thame. I look forward to working with the local community in developing this route into an attractive and sustainable service for the town.”

The enhanced service operates six times a day, Monday to Friday (except public holidays), on a one-way anti-clockwise loop around Thame, restoring links to the Towersey Drive area lost in 2016 as well as providing a new service to Cromwell Avenue. The service is being supported by new funding on an 18-month trial from the county council.

The first journey from Towersey Drive is at 08.40, with the last return from Thame Town Hall at 13.50. Buses operate broadly hourly between these times. The sections of route on Towersey Drive and Cromwell Avenue are hail and ride, meaning passengers can board or alight at any safe place on these sections of road.

Beyond Thame, buses operate to/from Haddenham and Thame Parkway station and Aylesbury. Concessionary pass holders can use the service after 09.00.

The council has awarded over £9 million of local bus contracts in the past 18 months.

Further details of the route timetable by visiting the timetable online.

After three years of planning, teams from Oxfordshire County Council, Cherwell District Council and Network Rail fitted two new railway underpasses on the Chiltern main line during a 100-hour window over the Easter period. If the project had not met its deadline, the organisations would have had to wait another five to 10 years for the next opportunity to carry out to work, due to the heavy demands on the Network Rail calendar.

Owen Jenkins, Oxfordshire County Council’s Director of Growth and Economy, said: “This successful operation was due to the extraordinary cooperation between the councils and Network Rail and its contractors. It is a testament to the hard work over the four days when the underbridges were put in place, as well as the high level of planning and collaborative work in the three years beforehand, covering the conception, design and pre-construction phases.”

The underbridges were inserted underneath the Marylebone/Aynho line north-west of Bicester between 2 - 5 April, during the East bank holiday weekend. The structures had been built off-site between October 2020 and March 2021, ready to be installed.

The railway line was closed to allow for 21,000 tonnes of earth to be moved to make way for the underpasses. The teams removed and replaced 400 metres of railway track, and then drove the two new underpasses under the railway bridge with a huge transporter.

Dave Penney, Network Rail’s Central Route Director, said: “This £12.3 million investment in Bicester to create two new routes under the railway will not only benefit the flow of people and traffic, but also help both council’s regeneration vision. It’s a great example of how the rail industry can work in partnership with local authorities to unlock opportunities and growth for communities.”

The new structures will connect areas of the garden town, which were previously cut off from each other by the railway line, and help open up the Eco-Town area of Bicester, including enabling the creation of up to 6,000 new homes and new community and recreational facilities. The steel underbridge will accommodate the planned realignment of the A4095, while the underpass will connect the new development for cyclists and pedestrians.

Robert Jolley, Assistant Director for Growth and Economy at Cherwell District Council, said: “This has been a key project for the development of Bicester Garden Town, and is an extraordinary example of multi-agency working bringing significant key players together with a clear, common purpose. It has also involved the productive use of both the growth deal and other funding, to deliver large-scale positive changes for our communities.

“Working with partners, we have unlocked important land to the north-west of Bicester, creating accessible walking and cycling routes for our future residents to enjoy.”

The project, which was on time and on budget while sticking to a strict COVID-19 risk strategy, provides upgraded rail track which will improve future journeys between London Marylebone and the Midlands. The work also involved the county council’s specialist consultant Stantec, Network Rail’s framework contractor Story Ltd and Homes England.

Bus operators have also taken a number of measures to promote safe travel, by implementing social distancing measures on board, restricting capacity and enhancing cleaning regimes, particularly of key touchpoints. Passengers are reminded that face coverings are mandatory on public transport, except for those who are in exempt categories.

Councillor Yvonne Constance, Cabinet Member for Transport at Oxfordshire County Council said: “These changes are positive news for residents of Oxfordshire; we’ve worked with the bus operators to revise bus services and frequencies to connect people with real upgrades in services to vital areas of growing employment and economic activity.

This is particularly important as we look toward recovery from the pandemic and as a means of reducing our environmental impact as individuals within growing communities. The improvements to services will also mean real travel choices for people as we look to fight congestion and improve air quality too.”

Phil Southall, Thames Travel Managing Director, said: “We’re proud to be launching a raft of new services in the new year to help drive the region’s recovery and continue to improve congestion and air quality.

“Our new contracts with Milton Park and Oxfordshire County Council to provide frequent shuttle bus services to the park will provide improved connectivity with Didcot Parkway Rail Station, Wantage, East Oxford and Headington’s life sciences district. It will also improve the frequency of local services in Didcot using our Connector branded buses. This has created new jobs and will help make travel more sustainable.

“Passengers can be reassured our buses are deep cleaned daily and a recent investigation by Channel 4’s Dispatches concluded the special cleaning measures conducted on public transport are ‘very effective’.”

From 4 January 2021, there are major changes to most bus routes in the Science Vale in response to county council contract awards and a new partnership between Milton Park and Thames Travel. Services will now operate more frequently between Milton Park and Didcot, with improved links to the site from Wantage, Grove, Abingdon and Oxford.

Milton Park staff who live in Didcot can now buy a Didcot Zone travel pass for just £20 per year, giving unlimited journeys on all Thames Travel services within the town and to work.

New service X36 is introduced between Wantage, Grove, Milton Park and Didcot, while the frequency of service X2 is increased between Didcot, Abingdon and Oxford – including an improved evening and Sunday service.

Thames Travel’s existing service X32 will be extended to operate between Wantage, Harwell Campus, Didcot, Milton Park, Oxford and John Radcliffe Hospital, providing a new direct link between south Oxfordshire and the hospital. Service 94 to/from Blewbury will be revised to also serve Chilton and Harwell Campus, and a new Saturday service will be introduced.

There will also be improved links to Culham Science Centre from Didcot, with a new service 95 offering peak time connections from the town and the Ladygrove estate. Long Wittenham, Clifton Hampden and Berinsfield will also see a new 95B service to/from Didcot on weekdays.

Abingdon will once again be linked to Oxford station by service X2. Service X3 will operate through to the John Radcliffe Hospital (replacing service X13), while also serving the new Barton Park development and Barton. A higher frequency will be introduced between Abingdon and Oxford city centre on Mondays to Saturdays.

The county council is also working with local community groups and developers to restore services to Horspath and Littleworth. A new service 46, provided by Thames Travel, will run on Mondays to Fridays between Wheatley, Horspath and Cowley Centre, with through tickets available onto Oxford city centre.

Meanwhile, in the Bicester area, a number of services have been revised, with the introduction of new services 29 and H5 doubling the frequency of service between Ambrosden and Bicester, together with a new service for the emerging Graven Hill development.

Service H5 now provides new, regular bus links between Bicester and John Radcliffe Hospital, also creating new services for Merton and Islip. Service 29 will serve Bullingdon Prison and Arncott, with a limited off-peak service for Upper Arncott retained following discussions with the local community.

The county council has also stepped in to provide funding to maintain vital links to Langford, Launton and Stratton Audley following withdrawal of the S5 and 18 bus services from these areas. New services 27 and 28 will run to Langford and Launton, while Stratton Audley will be served by a new Comet community transport route on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

From 17 January, Stagecoach will re-number service S7 between Carterton, Witney and the John Radcliffe Hospital to H2 and introduce two new journeys on Sundays to cover shift times.

Provision of improved bus services is a key component of the county council’s vision of thriving communities. The council has awarded over £9 million of local bus contracts in the past 12 months to support this goal.

Further details of changes can be found online:

• Thames Travel changes in and around Didcot

• X3 bus service between Abingdon and Barton

• New bus service for Horspath

• Stagecoach services in and around Bicester

Oxfordshire County Council and Oxford City Council are now asking for views from residents, businesses and visitors on a revised ZEZ pilot proposal after a similar consultation was paused in March 2020 because of the pandemic.

The proposed ZEZ pilot aims to reduce the city’s air pollution levels, tackle the climate emergency and improve the health of residents, workers and visitors to Oxford and beyond.

The need to cut emissions is clear. In January 2020, a study from Centre for Cities found out that at least one in 17 deaths in Oxford is related to air pollution. Oxford City Council’s draft Air Quality Action Plan sets a local target of 30 by 25 – ie 30 µg/m3 across Oxford by 2025. In April 2014, a report issued by Public Health England showed that long term exposure to air pollution in Oxford could be responsible for six per cent of all deaths of people aged 25 and over.

Councillor Yvonne Constance, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Environment, added: “Tackling air pollution and climate change is a great priority for us. Not only will our plans for a city centre Zero Emission Zone make a difference to the quality of life and health of people living and working in the city centre, but we are also showing that it is possible as we start to respond seriously with climate action.

We can look forward to a city that will be a healthier and cleaner place for all, especially now that the county has moved forward on its commitment to accelerate initiatives such as these plans. The changes we propose are based on the feedback we have received and we encourage residents, businesses and visitors to submit feedback on the final plans in the consultation ahead."

Councillor Tom Hayes, Oxford City Council’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Green Transport and Zero Carbon Oxford, said: “COVID-19 has forced local government to divert significant focus onto supporting our communities through the toughest time they’ll know. All the while, the city council has kept up our focus on climate breakdown and air pollution, including speeding up Oxford’s Zero Emission Zone.

“I’m thrilled that the implementation of the city centre ZEZ is moving forwards and the scheme’s emissions standards will be the toughest possible. The city has joined together in recent years to develop this ZEZ scheme and we hope for the largest number of responses to our final consultation.”

The ZEZ pilot would be based on a road user charging scheme, which means vehicles used in the zone 7am - 7pm would be subject to charges, depending on their emissions. Only 100 per cent zero emission vehicles could be used in the zone free of charge.

Other vehicles would be subject to the daily charges with the amount depending on the emissions of the vehicle. Discounts are also proposed for certain vehicles or road users during the charging hours (7am – 7pm) including resident and business vehicles within the zone, and for Blue Badge holders.

Under the requirement of the scheme, income raised by the ZEZ may be used to cover implementation and running costs.

The remaining income will be used to help residents and businesses make the transition to zero emission vehicles, and on other schemes that promote zero and low emission transport in the city.

The consultation follows the government’s announcement this week announcing that the sale of petrol and diesel cars will be banned from 2030. Britain is moving closer towards adopting electric vehicles on a wider scale. The ZEZ will go beyond this ambition, with the ZEZ pilot to be introduced in Summer 2021, and on a wider scale in spring 2022.

The councils are now proposing to create a single city centre ZEZ with a single set of requirements, in two steps. Firstly, an area in the heart of the city centre will act as the ZEZ pilot, which will then, secondly, provide learnings for a wider ZEZ to cover the whole city centre in spring 2022, on an accelerated timeline.

The larger ZEZ will be subject to further consultation but its alignment with the pilot zone would allow for clearer emissions criteria and greater support for residents and businesses within the ZEZ area.

The councils have made several changes to the ZEZ proposals after reflecting on the feedback from the January 2020 ZEZ consultation, the experience of COVID-19, the spring lockdown and the feedback from the temporary bus gates survey in the summer. These include:

• Red Zone now explicitly a Zero Emission Zone pilot (ZEZ pilot) for the wider ZEZ, with identical requirements and discounts in both phases – This will allow both councils to develop learnings on implementing the scheme before wider roll out and will allow the wider ZEZ to be accelerated, delivering further air quality benefits more quickly.

• Charges across both the ZEZ pilot and wider city centre ZEZ would be linked to emissions and aligned with national standards – This will help encourage the adoption of low emission and zero emission vehicles, as well as simplifying the requirements for residents and businesses in the ZEZ pilot.

• ZEZ pilot to start Summer 2021 and wider ZEZ to be introduced in Spring 2022.

• Blue badge holder discount extended – This will be extended to include international equivalents.

• Review discount for Blue Badge Holders and disabled tax class vehicles by the end of 2024 - This will consider whether this discount should continue, reduce or stop from 2025 and to address concerns raised about the impact on access for people with disabilities.

• Review zero emission standard for large vans and lorries – This will address concerns about consistency with national guidance and in light of the Ultra-Low Emission Truck (ULET) standard.

• Discounts for certain special vehicle categories – This will address concerns about the availability of alternative options and ensure consistency with national emissions standards including Clean Air Zones and London ULEZ. The ZEZ is part of a wider local transport plan, which aims to improve connectivity, reduce emissions and support sustainable growth across Oxford and Oxfordshire. In 2019, both councils consulted on their Connecting Oxford proposals to tackle congestion and improve public transport connections into and across Oxford.

Responses to this consultation will be reported to the councils’ Cabinets in March 2021 and will inform their decisions about the scheme. 

Anyone can take part in the consultation by visiting Oxfordshire County Council’s website

Further details on the pilot proposals can be found here.

Frequently asked questions on the pilot proposals can be found here.

Notes to editors

The ZEZ pilot covers the area previously known as the ‘Red Zone’ (Bonn Square, Queen Street, Cornmarket, part of Market Street, Ship Street, St Michael’s Street, New Inn Hall Street, and Shoe Lane) and the wider ZEZ covers the previous ‘Green Zone’, which will cover the rest of the city centre.

The above outlines the wider proposed Zero Emission Zone with the pilot zone at the centre.

Other initiatives to cut transport emissions

• Alongside the ZEZ, both councils are introducing supportive measures, to encourage the adoption of electric vehicles amongst residents and businesses both within the ZEZ pilot and across the city. The measures include:
  • Energy Superhub Oxford, which will deliver massive amounts of power for rapid EV charging at key locations around the city, including a public superhub at Redbridge Park & Ride.
  • £128,500 towards testing of low-cost innovative air quality sensors to map air pollution and exposure, £122,500 towards advice for businesses on zero emission delivery and servicing solutions.
  • £500,000 towards electric charging points for hackney carriages and private hire vehicles.
  • £2.3 million towards electric and low emission buses.
• Buses and Oxford licensed Hackney Carriages that drive within the planned ZEZ also have already agreed timelines for zero emissions fleets across Oxford.
• In Oxford city centre, narrow streets, limited road network and the unique historic environment have made finding solutions to the problems of congestion and pollution a high priority. 

Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet considered the proposals, taking into account the range of views expressed in the recent bus gate survey and recommendations by county council officers.

The recommendation by the county’s transport planning officers is not to proceed with the two new temporary bus gates at present but to focus instead on other projects which will have major benefits to the city of Oxford.

What is a bus gate?

A bus gate is a form of access restriction or traffic filter that allows only buses, cyclists, emergency vehicles and other limited exempt users to access certain key roads between particular times of day.

Bus gates do not prevent access to areas of the city; their aim is to encourage modal shift to public transport, walking and cycling and to reduce the amount of traffic using the city centre as a through-route.

Bus gates have for some time been in operation in Oxford, including at High Street, George Street and Castle Street.

Proposal discussed by Cabinet

The proposal discussed by Cabinet was centred around plans to install temporary bus gates at:

• Hythe Bridge Street or Worcester Street, between Frideswide Square and Beaumont Street
• St Cross Road or South Parks Road, between Parks Road and Manor Road

The proposal for temporary bus gates was made early in the summer as part of measures put forward to assist Oxford’s recovery from the coronavirus pandemic and allow more road space for cyclists and pedestrians.

This was a measure put forward in addition to those Oxfordshire County Council has now successfully implemented to benefit active travel for residents under the first round of the government’s Emergency Active Travel Fund.

The county council invited the public and stakeholders to take part in an online survey on the proposed temporary bus gates which ran between 28 July and 9 August 2020. In total, an exceptionally large response was received, with 7,266 completed surveys submitted. Officers and councillors from Oxfordshire County Council have thanked the public for the responses and the insightful feedback that was gained from them.

Developing other plans for Oxford

Extensive technical work (including traffic modelling), public and stakeholder consultation is planned over the next few months to progress and refine the proposals in Connecting Oxford for permanent bus gates, a workplace parking levy and specific measures to increase bus services.

Oxfordshire and Oxford City Councils will also progress the Zero Emission Zone proposals which were delayed by Covid-19.

In addition to Connecting Oxford and the Zero Emission Zone, the county council has extensive plans for sustainable active travel schemes in the next three years, amounting to an investment of £44.5 million. Oxfordshire County Council is also awaiting an announcement about the next stage of the Government’s Emergency Active Travel Fund, which includes the county council’s bid for seven Low Traffic Neighbourhoods for Oxford.

The further schemes include:

• • £9.1m for Botley Road (Growth Deal/National Productivity Investment Fund/Developer Funding)
  • £12.5m for Woodstock Road (Growth Deal)
  • £10.6m for other cycling schemes in the city (Growth Deal)
  • Improvements to the A40 and A44 to assist travelling into the City by sustainable means
  • £339,000 for nine new Controlled Parking Zones (CPZs) across the city to be decided this year to remove commuter parking from residential areas, with a further 17 zones in development (From a variety of funds)

Cllr Yvonne Constance, Cabinet member for Environment and Transport said:

“The current priority for the county council is to keep residents safe and to use our resources in a considered, effective and appropriate way to address both the pandemic as well as reducing congestion and improving air quality for Oxford in the longer term.”

“The Cabinet took into consideration the spectrum of views expressed in the bus gate survey as well as the detailed assessments and conclusions made by county council officers. I can assure residents and all stakeholders that in taking this Cabinet decision, Oxfordshire County Council remains wholly committed to improving transport by reducing congestion and emissions and it is important to address both in the most effective ways possible.”

“We are also working closely with Oxford City Council on the next generation of measures to improve transport in the city under the Connecting Oxford proposals. These will address issues of public transport and congestion reduction for the long term and will involve full consultation with residents, business and stakeholders to ensure the proposals are the right ones for the city. The need the city has is for permanent schemes which are fully consulted and assessed in preference to a temporary plan delivered in a rush."