Passengers have had their say in our recent consultation regarding route 20/20A. During December 2007 and January 2008 we sought your views on our proposed timetable changes for 30th March 2008, and we have received well over 100 replies. The following gives an overview of our response to your suggestions. Some have been incorporated into our plans, but there were a few that we were unable to meet.
The finalised timetable can be downloaded here.
We have received several comments about busy journeys currently operated by single deckers, and about the substitution of single deckers for double deckers in the event of a breakdown.
We have also had requests for the buses to be wheelchair and buggy accessible.
Every journey will be scheduled one of our brand new fully accessible low floor double deckers from 30th March. Some of the new buses may start to appear in service before that date.
In the unlikely event of a breakdown a single decker will only be substituted as a last resort, but we cannot offer any complete guarantees because we need to be able to respond to breakdowns as quickly as possible by using whichever vehicle is nearest.
The new buses will also feature free WiFi Internet access onboard, thought to be a first for any regular local bus service in the UK.
We have had several requests for the provision of real time departure information at certain stops.
We will be fitting satellite tracking equipment to our new vehicles so that the route can be added to Oxfordshire County Council’s real time information system. Oxfordshire County Council will be installing displays at a small number of stops ready for 30th March, whilst their website and text message systems will also be available for every stop. They hope to be able to equip more stops in the future.
There have been several requests for an increased daytime frequency and an evening service on Sundays, but it has not been possible to add this on a commercial basis at this time. We are however hoping to be able to work with Oxfordshire County Council to take advantage of public transport contributions from new housing and business developments in the area to bring about improvements in the next 12-18 months. We would also like to be able to integrate the existing subsidised journeys operated by Countylinks / Stagecoach in Warwickshire (formerly Stratford Blue) into the main timetable.
In a revision to our first draft timetable, all journeys will run 5 minutes later than present so that departures from Gloucester Green are at 55 minutes past the hour like they are during the rest of the week.
Also the 1322 from Woodstock and 1255 from Oxford will no longer operate as Countylinks / Stagecoach in Warwickshire journeys run at 1227 from Woodstock and 1325 from Oxford.
We have had a few requests for additional journeys to/from the rail station, particularly during the rush hour. Monday – Friday we have been able to extend the 0900 and 1700 from Gloucester Green to start from the rail station. Also, the Monday – Friday 0615 from Charlbury will continue onto route 100 at 0720 for Station Square, and the 1825 from Gloucester Green will commence from Station Square as a route 100 arrival at approx 1812. However it has not been possible to extend any further journeys due to scheduling constraints.
We have also had requests to co-ordinate the buses with mainline trains. However, trains come from London, Reading, Banbury, Manchester etc at so many different times it is impossible to meet them all. Therefore a regular and even frequency as currently provided is considered to be the best solution.
We have had several comments about problems boarding buses in Magdalen Street due to the busy nature of the stop. We are planning to move the route to stop B2 at the top of George Street, allowing buses to pull up to the kerb, and to make it easier for drivers and intending passengers to see each other.
This is however subject to confirmation with Oxfordshire County Council.
Nearly every response from Yarnton asked for more journeys to run through the village instead of the A44. All journeys in the new timetable (except the Sunday Countylinks / Stagecoach in Warwickshire journeys) will take this route.
The morning peak frequency from Woodstock will be increased to every 10 minutes between 0728 and 0808. One or two people requested another departure before the next one at 0843, but this has not been possible.
The evening peak frequency will be increased to every 15-20 minutes between 1640 and 1845.
The 0849 from Chipping Norton will leave West Street 2 minutes later to serve Begbroke at 0930 instead of 0928 for forthcoming concessionary fares changes.
Funding from developers building new developments along the route may allow the provision of additional journeys in the future. We will endeavour to keep your replies in mind when the specification for these journeys is being put together.
The fare from Yarnton to Woodstock will be reduced from £2.20 single / £3.70 return to £2.20 single / £2.90 return.
To help ensure arrival in Oxford at 0712, the 0620 from Charlbury will be retimed to 0615. A new equivalent journey on Saturdays will be added at 0632.
We receive regular requests to find an alternative solution to the connecting bus on the 1745 from Oxford. The frequency improvements that we are making in the evening peak will now allow us to do this. The 1745 will run through to Charlbury without the need to change buses.
Requests for an improved evening service in and out of Oxford are to be met by a new 1845 from Charlbury to Oxford and a 2145 from Oxford to Charlbury, each via Fawler, Stonesfield and Combe. The 2345 from Oxford will also additionally serve Stonesfield and Fawler in addition to Charlbury, but not Combe.
The 0845 from Oxford will additionally serve Stonesfield and Fawler (but not Combe due to time constraints). The 0835 on Saturdays will continue to serve all of the villages.
Finally, there is absolutely no proposal to change the route in Charlbury. Buses will continue to serve The Bell as present.
The majority of requests regarding Chipping Norton were for additional buses to serve Cornish Road instead of terminating in West Street. Therefore the 0744 from West Street will be extended back to start from Cornish Road and the 1845 from Gloucester Green will be extended to Cornish Road. Unfortunately it has not been possible to extend any other journeys due to scheduling constraints.
In the morning a new earlier journey to Oxford will be added at 0602 Monday - Friday, running via Charlbury. A new journey to Oxford Rail Station is also added at 0716 Monday - Friday.
In the evening a new journey is added at 1730 Monday – Friday from Gloucester Green, and 2145 Monday – Saturday. The 1555 from Gloucester Green will run 5 minutes earlier than present to improve the reliability of the following 1651 from Chipping Norton.
Early morning journeys on Saturdays will run 10-15 minutes later than present to provide a more even service through Woodstock. The Saturday evening journeys are re-timed to match Monday – Friday more closely. As part of this the 1831 from West Street (currently 1851) will be extended to start from Cornish Road.
- Add an additional late bus after the 2345 on Friday / Saturday nights
- Run the 2345 via Combe
- Add through journeys to Headington
- Add an earlier journey from Woodstock to Oxford
- Add an 0830 from Charlbury / 0841 from Stonesfield to Oxford
- Double/quadruple the frequency to match the 100 or 7
- Reduce the fare between Oxford and Woodstock, Begbroke and Woodstock or Stonesfield and Woodstock
- We have no plans to introduce an Oyster type card, our existing bus passes and 12 journey tickets offer substantial discounts to daily fares already.
- Add shelving to the buses
- Change the new double deckers for coaches
- Store the buses under cover
- Shelters/seats at bus stops in Yarnton and Woodstock (in progress)
- Condition of Gloucester Green bus station – bins, glass, seating, toilets
- Subsidy for a service from Combe to Witney at 9am
- Subsidy for a service from Charlbury to Burford
- Remove the morning free concessionary fares time restriction – this is set by national government, and although local councils can offer better schemes if they wish, most do not have the funding.
