Buses could be forced off crumbling city road

8:33am Monday 12th February 2007

Comments (6)   Have your say »

Oxford's busiest bus route could soon be picking up its last passengers because the road is crumbling away.

About five buses drive along Field Avenue in Blackbird Leys, pictured, every 10 minutes, taking passengers to the city centre or Cowley. But the residential road has fallen into such disrepair all buses could be taken off the route to prevent further damage.

Bus operators would be left having to find alternative routes.

Oxfordshire County Council will discuss paying for repairs next month, but even if they are agreed it could be a year before work begins.

Oxford City Council has repaired five potholes in the past year and now fears it may have to bar buses from the route to prevent Field Avenue taking a further pounding.

When the Oxford Mail visited last week we counted 15 buses in Field Avenue in just 30 minutes.

A spokesman for the city council said: "It has been suggested that Field Avenue could be closed or bus traffic restricted on it, if there was a significant deterioration of the road.

"This is a heavily-used road and we carry out regular repairs. Last year we carried out maintenance works several times which included pothole work and structural repairs."

Leys county councillor Val Smith said: "It is the main bus route and if we stopped buses going down there because the road is damaged it would be to the detriment of everyone.

"It is the most well-used bus route in Oxford without a doubt."

Ralph Grant, county council area engineer, said: "There are parts of the road in serious need of attention.

"Possibly it could be done in the next financial year but if not, hopefully there could be funding accepted in the future."

The county council plans to change its ratings scheme for bad roads which will allow premium bus routes to receive extra funding, but a final decision will be made in March.

Oxford Bus Company spokesman Phil Ashworth said: "If the surface deteriorated further and the council closed the road to buses, we would try and find another route as close as possible to the existing one."

Chris Child, of Stagecoach Oxford, said: "We have concerns about the surface of Field Avenue and are in talks with the council."

Bus passengers would not welcome the route being moved.

Neil Coupland, 76, of Field Avenue said: "Surely this is dereliction of someone's duty. There is no excuse for the road not being done, where's all the money gone?"

Lionel Wise, 61, of Field Avenue said: "It would affect the old people and mothers with prams if there weren't any buses running.

"The council should get their finger out and repair it."