Improved bus services launched in Banbury with support county council

Residents of Banbury will benefit from work between Oxfordshire County Council and bus company Stagecoach to improve several routes in the town.
Improved bus services launched with Oxfordshire County Council support in Banbury (photo from Oxfordshire County Council)Improved bus services launched with Oxfordshire County Council support in Banbury (photo from Oxfordshire County Council)
Improved bus services launched with Oxfordshire County Council support in Banbury (photo from Oxfordshire County Council)

As a result of the county council’s proactive approach to securing financial contributions for bus services from developers, several improvements to routes in Banbury will be taking place from yesterday, Monday October 12.

These will secure enhanced services for the Hardwick Hill and Bretch Hill areas, together with the creation of new cross-town links, better access to employment areas and the retention of a service to the Banbury Gateway retail park.

Service B6 to/from Banbury Gateway would have been withdrawn on October 11 without county council intervention. It is now being incorporated into service B9, which will create direct east-west bus links between the Hardwick area and Banbury Gateway, including a new section of route around the Wildmere Road industrial estate.

Following a tender process by the county council, service B4 is being incorporated into service B3 to provide new north-south connections which will allow Bodicote and Longford Park residents to access Tesco and businesses on Southam Road.

The county council is also supplying developer funds to the diversion of service B5, which will better serve the Banbury Rise development and maintain a frequency of up to four buses per hour during the week and two per hour on Sundays.

All the main bus routes in Banbury will now arrive and depart from Bridge Street at similar times, meaning that significantly improved interchange opportunities are available for cross-town journeys in any direction.

Unlimited travel on Stagecoach buses in Banbury is just £3.40 for a day and £13 for a week (adult prices), making journeys for work and leisure much easier.

Oxfordshire County Council has also provided funds for improved evening services on service S4 between Banbury, Adderbury and Deddington, and a Sunday service on route 488 between Banbury, Bloxham and Chipping Norton, which were introduced in September.

Cllr Yvonne Constance, cabinet member for environment, said: “Bus travel is a vital way of linking residents with key destinations, particularly areas of employment and trade.

"We as a council are committed to investing developer funds to use towards sustainable transport so that communities can grow and develop with the minimum environmental impact. This is good news for the people of Banbury.”

Chris Coleman, managing director of Stagecoach Oxfordshire, said: “To connect passengers to the people and places that matter most it is vital that the network of services we offer work together to accommodate our passengers needs so that travelling by bus is an attractive choice.

“The extension of two services across town means that the need to switch onto another service is reduced but where this is still necessary, the simplification of departure times from Banbury Bridge Street makes this connection much smoother.

“Improved connections and accessibility will encourage greater bus travel, which means cleaner and greener air for Banbury town.”