Oxford homeowners fear Botley Road buses returning

Thames Water staff were called to a broken water main in Cripley Place in west Oxford on Thursday, June 12.

At least one home in the area was flooded, and buses which have been using Abbey Road, Cripley Road and Cripley Place - off Botley Road - to turn around were diverted to the Osney Mead industrial estate in nearby Ferry Hinksey Road.

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Buses have been diverted off the Botley Road due to a multi-million pound scheme to revamp Oxford station.

The road has been closed at the rail bridge since April 2023, and will not reopen until August 2026.

Buses have been using Osney Mead since the water main burst, and they are scheduled to return to their original route next week.

A temporary bus stop has been set up in Ferry Hinksey Road, and buses have been reversing in Kings Meadow to turn around which has been holding up traffic.

A spokesman for Network Rail said buses are scheduled to stop using the trading estate route by Wednesday.

Resurfacing has been taking place in the Abbey Road area, and the water main has been fixed.

Julian Le Vay (Image: Andy Ffrench) Julian Le Vay, who lives in Abbey Road and has campaigned on behalf of residents and businesses affected by the Botley Road closure, said he was not looking forward to the return of the buses.

He and other families have experienced difficulties due to parking restrictions which makes it impossible for them to park outside their homes. 

He said: "It's pretty clear that Network Rail intends to have all the buses coming right down Abbey Road and round again for at least a year.

"We think that other options are perfectly viable but a more expensive.

"The county council as highways authority seem to be ready to do whatever Network Rail demands."

A Network Rail spokesman said: "The current bus diversion will continue until Wednesday.

"At this point, buses will go back to running Abbey Road-Cripley Place-Cripley Road and to the bus turning area."

Roadworks in Botley Road and Frideswide SquareHe added: "Following feedback from residents and the sub-working group made up of resident reps, bus companies, councillors, councils etc, as well as a risk assessment conducted with representatives from the bus operator companies, Oxfordshire County Council and Network Rail, several safety measures will be implemented alongside the return of buses to support safer and quieter operation." 

These measures include renewing the existing roads to reduce noise and vibration.

This project will also include requesting bus drivers to turn off their engines while at a standstill due to traffic lights. 

Following the burst water main, some residents suspected this damage happened as a result of the weight of the buses going over the road surface. 

Rail minister Lord Hendy visited Oxford to update residents on the rail project the day after the water main burst.

He revealed the cost of the project has risen from £161m to £231m.

A fund of £850,000 is being made available to compensate businesses who have lost trade due to the Botley Road closure.