A self-driving bus will take passengers from Didcot Parkway railway station to the Milton Park science park – and back.

The ‘Mi-Link’ service is being touted as the UK’s first ever completely electric, autonomous bus service to run on public roads.

A self-driving service has been ferrying workers around Milton Park since March. But from Monday (June 12), the First Bus-operated route will take to public roads.

It will run every 40 minutes between 7am and 6.30pm, Monday to Saturday, taking passengers on the 2.3 mile route along public roads from Didcot Parkway to the science park.

The 15-seat minibus uses an automated drive system developed by Bristol company Fusion Processing, and is also fitted with radar and other sensors to control its steering, acceleration and braking. A qualified driver will be on board to take over control of the vehicle if required.

Philip Campbell, commercial director at MEPC Milton Park, said: “Those visiting the Park will be able to take an electric train from London to Didcot, utilise pioneering electric autonomous bus travel, before seeing game-changing breakthroughs happening day-in-day-out from the Park’s occupiers.”

The Mi-Link project is the result of a partnership between First Bus, Fusion Processing, Oxfordshire County Council, the University of the West of England and travel information start-up Zipabout. It has been funded by the Department for Transport.