Councillor Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport Management, said: “I’m really delighted to be able to back our commitment to high quality public transport with real delivery and budget, in rural areas as well as our larger towns.
“Not everyone has access to a car and so public transport is essential to help people get around for work, shopping, and socialising. We know there is a demand for bus services in these locations, which can’t be met by the commercial operators, and we are glad to be able to help fill this gap.”
The new services will all be operated by accessible minibuses from the council’s in-house fleet but will be open to all bus users.
The announcement follows the introduction in November 2023 of new bus routes to villages, which had been without public transport since 2016, and the allocation of grants worth nearly £425,000 to improve community transport in Oxfordshire last month.
The new routes are:
- 42: Abingdon to Oxford via Sunningwell, Bayworth, Boars Hill and South Hinksey (Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays).
- 49: Cuddesdon and Denton to Cowley Templars Square and Oxford City Centre (Tuesdays and Thursdays; on Tuesdays via Toot Baldon and Marsh Baldon and on Thursdays via King's Copse and Cowley Tesco).
- 79: Hornton, Horley and Hanwell to Banbury Town Centre and Banbury Gateway (Thursdays only).
- 85: Goosey, Charney Bassett, Lyford, West Hanney and Denchworth to Grove and Wantage (Wednesdays only).
- 107: Oddington, Charlton-on-Otmoor, Fencott and Murcott to Bicester via Langford (Fridays only).
