Oxford Bus Company and Stagecoach have amended services to provide crucial daily links to the new mass Covid-19 vaccination centre at the Kassam Stadium.
The revised timetables will provide a direct half-hourly service to the vaccination centre in Grenoble Road, Oxford, via the Oxford Bus Company city3A and Stagecoach 3A services.
The services will also be extended at both ends to serve Oxford railway station as well as the city centre and extend to Cowley Centre from Oxford Science Park via Greater Leys and Blackbird Leys, to further improve connectivity.
Read again: Up to 10,000 will be vaccinated every week at Kassam Stadium
With the Kassam Stadium designated as the key vaccination hub in Oxfordshire, with as many as 8,000 to 10,000 vaccination expected to take place there weekly, bus operators reacted to ensure better connections.
The Kassam Stadium is one of 32 national mass vaccination centres
Phil Southall, managing director of Oxford Bus Company, said: “ It is important as many people are vaccinated as possible, as quickly as possible, and we are proud to be supporting this public health programme.”
Direct services to the mass vacation centre will start from Monday, February 1 on a temporary basis for up to six months.
The services will operate half hourly from early morning until after 8pm seven days a week.
Passengers are encouraged to check operators’ websites for full details of the timetables.
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The services were made possible thanks to support from the government’s Covid-19 Bus Services Support Grant (CBSSG). Working in partnership Oxford Bus Company, Stagecoach and Oxfordshire County Council secured funding support to make the services economically viable.
Chris Coleman, managing director of Stagecoach Oxfordshire said: “Our services exist to connect our customers to the people and places that matter most.
"Providing a vital link to the Kassam Stadium to those who have been offered the vaccine couldn’t be a more important destination at this time and we are pleased to be in a position to do this after working together to respond quickly to provide a solution for Oxford Health.”
Yvonne Constance, cabinet member for transport at Oxfordshire County Council said: “Getting vaccinated is a top priority for all of us to help defeat the pandemic and so we as a council are glad to support it with this bus service to the stadium.
Read again: Inside the new vaccine hub at Kassam Stadium
"Residents can be confident that travel by bus to the stadium is safe and will allow you to make your appointment in good time without adding congestion to the roads.”
Both bus operators continue to maintain extensive cleaning regimes and high levels of hygiene to protect the health and well-being of passengers and colleagues.
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