THE new Kingsmere village in Bicester has been put on the map – or at least the bus route.

Stagecoach buses will now serve the 450-home estate as it extends its routes to cater to an ever-growing town.

The route expansion follows the opening of Whitelands Way, which acts as a spine road through the new estate along the A41.

Kingsmere Residents’ Association co-chairman Graham Brogden said: “We are delighted to see the infrastructure evolving, including the these services that will be helpful to those residents travelling into Bicester centre and to Oxford.”

The Stagecoach route now includes six new bus stops along Whitelands Way.

Route 26, which runs between Northern Kingsmere, Pioneer Square and Bicester North Station, will now also serve the entire estate.

The Route 26 bus will run up to every 30 minutes from Monday to Saturday.

The current Route S5 bus to Oxford has up to four buses an hour to Oxford, which leave from near Kingsmere.

A number of these journeys will be expanded to include the Kingsmere Estate at peak morning and evening times, taking about 40 minutes.

Managing director for Stagecoach in Oxfordshire said he was pleased his company would be able to offer “a greener travel choice” by working with Countryside Properties.

He added: “We hope to be able to extend our services as Kingsmere grows over the next few years.”

Work started on the estate near Bicester Village in 2010 and could see up to 2,450 homes built.

A Premier Inn and Brewers Fayre have been built with exciting future plans for a new sports village, primary school, secondary school, GP surgery and care home.

Plans for the new £2m sports village set for Kingsmere were unveiled in March and if approved by the end of the year is hoped to be completed by Spring 2016.

Major investment for infrastructure across the estate is being put forward by lead developers Countryside Properties (Bicester) for transport, education, library services and highway improvements.

Chairman of Countryside Properties (Bicester) Limited Lord Borwick said: “Having access to direct bus services into Bicester and Oxford city centre on the doorstep makes living at Kingsmere particularly attractive to people.”