Thames Travel, in partnership with Milton Park and Oxfordshire County Council, has introduced major improvements to its X32 fast service linking Didcot to the John Radcliffe Hospital via Milton Park in 30 minutes.
Passengers travelling from Didcot and Milton Park to the JR via Oxford city centre can now benefit from services running every 20 minutes between 7.40am and 6pm Monday to Friday, half hourly on Saturdays and hourly on Sundays, an upgrade from the previous half-hourly weekday service.
Improvements have been made as a result of additional funding from Milton Park and Oxfordshire County Council, aimed at helping improving access to Milton Park for workers based in Oxford.
The move will take Milton Park’s branded bus fleet to 16 vehicles, increasing capacity on Thames Travel’s services and supporting the recent rises seen in patronage, particularly during peak travel times.
Veronica Reynolds, Sustainability and Community Manager at Milton Park, said: “We are delighted that it has been able to support the early implementation of the additional X32 services.
“Having a bus linking Milton Park with Oxford three times an hour on weekdays will be a huge benefit to our occupiers and visitors. When travelling between the Milton Park and Oxford the bus is now proving to be the quickest, cheapest and easiest option.
“The increased frequency will give more people the confidence to choose the bus and help to reduce the number of cars on the road.”
X32 three buses an hour at peak times
Luke Marion, Managing Director of Thames Travel, added: “We’re really pleased to extend our existing partnership with Milton Park and Oxfordshire County Council to deliver these significant service improvements.
“The X32 has been a real success story for us, with the service progressively increasing in frequency over recent years and extending to provide improved links to south Didcot.
“The enhanced frequency of services connecting Didcot and Milton Park to Oxford city centre and the John Radcliffe will be of enormous benefit to key workers, businesses and staff at Milton Park, plus visitors and the wider public.
“Prioritising sustainable modes of transport is the key to tackling congestion and improving air quality locally. We thank Milton Park and Oxfordshire County Council for their continued support and look forward to welcoming more passengers onto our services in line with the improvements made.”
Swapping cars for buses
Councillor Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport Management, said: “These changes will make it even more attractive for people to swap their cars for the bus, whether travelling for work, pleasure or to visit the hospital.
“We’re delighted to be able to work in partnership with Thames Travel and Milton Park and look forward to seeing passenger numbers grow on this improved X32 service.”
Since partnering with Thames Travel, Milton Park has increased bus usage among employees by 18 per cent. Much of this is down to Milton Park’s £20 annual employee bus pass, introduced in 2021. The pass provides unlimited travel on all Thames Travel services in the Didcot Zone, including Didcot Parkway railway station and the Orchard Centre, as well as Drayton, Steventon, Sutton Courtenay and Milton.
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