Improvements to Oxford and Witney bus services

New connections are being created between Witney, Woodstock and Oxford via a new hotel and country club Estelle Manor on the S7 service.

And Stagecoach West says it will simplify and standardise routes to be clearer for customers.

In Woodstock and Witney, there will be significant changes to services 7, 233 and S3.

Funding from the new hotel and country club Estelle Manor has enabled Stagecoach West to introduce links between Witney, Woodstock and Oxford on its new S7 service.

The S7 will run the current 7 route between Oxford and Woodstock before continuing to Witney via Long Hanborough and North Leigh - villages previously served by the 233.

Estelle Manor is set to open in Spring and has partnered with Stagecoach to deliver the new S7 route.

Rory Slater, general manager at Estelle Manor, said: “A key part of our talent attraction strategy for the new opening has been considering how our team will get to and from work, making sure it’s cost effective and covering all key shift times.

"We hope that the partnership will also benefit our local neighbours, who will now be able to travel directly to the centre of Oxford between 5am and 1am, 7 days a week.”

Rachel Geliamassi, Managing Director, Stagecoach West, said: “Our partnership with Estelle Manor is a great example of how, by working with local businesses, we can make improvements to the local bus network and continue to encourage residents to use sustainable modes of transport."

The 233 will continue to run the section between Witney and Burford with some improvements to the timetable.

Journeys which continue direct to Burford (excluding Carterton) will be renumbered 234, making this route distinction clearer for customers.

The 30 minute frequency will be maintained although service 233 will now run along Welch Way back to Witney town centre, after serving Tower Hill.  

Along with the S7, the S3 will continue to run up to every 30 minutes between Woodstock and Oxford at revised times.

Buses to Woodstock will now operate from the same stops in Oxford City Centre on both routes to keep things simple with departures from Oxford Rail Station, Park End Street, George Street and Magdalen Street in both directions.

Up to four buses an hour will operate between Oxford and Woodstock, covered by the S3 and S7.

Within Oxford Stagecoach West is to run enhanced “turn up and go” service with up to 12 departures an hour along Banbury Road towards Oxford City Centre.

There will also be an improved service from Oxford Parkway Park & Ride with eight departures an hour to the city.

The changes to services 2/2A, 7, 233, S3 and S5, coming into effect from March 5 2023, aim to create better coordination along shared corridors and provide a steady stream of services to and from the city centre.

The 2/2A between Kidlington and the city will now serve Oxford Parkway in both directions with departures up to every 10 minutes.

This change is in response to increased demand at the Park & Ride site.

Services which run between Oxford Parkway, Summertown and Oxford City Centre along Banbury Road in addition to the 2s (S5 and new S7) will also see some changes to provide more evenly spaced timetables along this vital travel corridor.

There will now be up to 12 departures an hour, providing greater flexibility and choice.

Finally, in response to customer usage, the route of the S5 between Bicester and Glory Farm will be improved to serve more of the estate on an anti-clockwise loop. 

Buses will run up to every 20 minutes between Oxford, Bicester and Glory Farm.

Ms Geliamassi said: “We’re really pleased to be introducing these changes, providing more frequent connections along key corridors, and simplifying bus routes to make travelling by bus an easy choice.”

More information and copies of the new timetables can be found on the Stagecoach website at: https://protect-eu.mimecast.com/s/MNrKCBNMMF7M3w8XFzndCJ

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