More park and rides in and around Oxford city centre have not been ruled out. But county council staff devising a transport system for the future believe they are now reaching saturation point around the city boundaries.

The next new park and ride is most likely to be built in the Witney area, with Abingdon a second possibility.

Saturation point: Thornhill park and ride

That's the view of Noel Newson, Oxfordshire County Council's group manager for sustainable transport.

While he believes there could be further extensions at park and rides around the city, the chance of another one being built in Oxford, after the one at Kidlington, is less likely.

Transport managers say they are still considering an extension at Seacourt in Botley, though part of the land is in the flood plain.

"There could well be further extensions," Mr Newson said.

"My feeling is that growth in traffic in future could be linked to a park and ride interchange further away from Oxford.

"Marston for many years has been suggested as a possibility, but a definite location hasn't been identified and I think we are getting towards the limit in terms of sites in the vicinity of Oxford.

"Witney is the most obvious location for a new site to accommodate traffic feeding in from Gloucestershire and the surrounding area.

"Those drivers could then transfer to buses which could travel along a new bus lane still being investigated for the A40.

"There would be minimum delays getting into Oxford, so that could have great potential."

Another scheme on the table to reduce congestion is the Guided Transit Express, a bus route running alongside the railway line from Redbridge to Pear Tree.

And rail links to the Redbridge, Kidlington, and Peartree park and rides are also being considered. The Oxford to Didcot line runs close to the Redbridge site, while Kidlington and Peartree car parks are close to the Oxford to Bicester line.

"All these plans are being considered, but they might not necessarily all work together," Mr Newson added, "so one scheme might be chosen instead of another.

"The population is growing all the time so we have to try to accommodate more people moving across the city.

"Park and ride, a crucial component of the Oxford Transport Strategy, is very important. It does free up space for people who have to use their cars because they have no alternative."

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