Over half of Milton Park journeys now sustainable
Published on 15 December 2023
Results of Milton Park’s 2023 travel survey
For the first time more than 50% of those travelling to Milton Park in 2023 are now using sustainable modes such as bus, bike, and car sharing, than by single occupancy cars.
Since the pandemic, bus usage to and from Milton Park has increased by 18% which is due to the Park’s commitment to sustainable transport, the ongoing partnerships with local providers and the Milton Park bus pass.
Although it’s fair to say the job is never finished, the team was pleased to look back on the year to see the proportion of people using sustainable modes of transport to and from the Park continuing to rise, helping to reduce carbon emissions and protect the planet.
Thank you to 1,100 people that took part in this year’s Milton Park Travel Survey an increase of 200 from 2022). Here are some of the main headlines from this year’s survey…
Car sharing
It’s been positive to see a continued decline in single occupancy car use at Milton Park, with more than half travelling to the Park by sustainable modes, whether using the bus, cycling, walking or sharing a car with other occupiers.
Car sharing now makes up just over 6% of journeys, representing a steady upward trajectory since the pandemic thanks in part to the partnership with the KINTO Join platform. From early next year, users of the app will be able to unlock rewards, such as discounts for food outlets and entry into a monthly prize draw. More details coming soon.
It’s also a great opportunity for people to save on fuel costs, reduce their carbon footprint and connect with others. Additionally, if you travel to Milton Park by bike, the app also connects individuals with fellow cyclists on the same commuting route, allowing them to record their journeys in exchange for rewards.
Bus usage
Bus usage has increased 18% since 2019. From one in ten people in 2019 travelling to Milton Park, to nearly three in ten people in 2023. The increase follows the expansion of the £20 bus pass zone for occupiers, which has helped to shift habits for those travelling to and from the Didcot area.
The survey highlighted some issues with local bus services impacted by several external factors, chiefly on services between Milton Park and Oxford, which had been caused by ongoing roadworks on the Botley Road and changes to road layouts at St Clements in Oxford.
In response, an additional bus is now operating between Milton Park and Didcot Parkway to address the gap caused by delays to the X32 service travelling out of Oxford.
Working with operators, the team has also managed to secure a third bus per hour on the X32 route from 7th January, and looking to replace single deckers with double-deckers, from March 2024. Sign up to the Park’s newsletter to keep up to date on these announcements in the New Year.
Working patterns
When asked about the days people typically come to work at Milton Park, the results show a continuation of post-pandemic hybrid working patterns, with Mondays and Fridays quieter than Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. This trend is consistent with the national picture, with employees being able to choose their working patterns more freely.
Cycling
The survey found 11% of people regularly cycle or walk to Milton Park, which is a steady increase from the 2019 figures, supported further by the number of unique users of Milton Park’s bike and ebike hire scheme which has more than tripled since 2019.
Nearly 200 users now make use of the 12 regular and 16 ebikes across the Park, in addition to many others taking part in the regular Bike2Work and awareness day initiatives.
Improving cycling routes remains a major priority for the Park with the team continuing to work closely with Oxfordshire County Council to make this happen. Additionally, another ebike charging station will be installed at the Western end of the Park. More information on this will be provided soon.
Thank you
Finally, the Milton Park team would once again like to thank everyone who completed the travel survey this year. The more responses received, the better informed the Park’s plans for improving sustainable travel options will be.
Congratulations to the three prize draw winners, Lucy Scott from Tokamak Energy, Hattie Hilsdon from Crowcon and Dr Hervé Deboves from Evotec, who have each received £150 John Lewis gift vouchers for completing the survey.
Lucy even wrote in to say that doing the survey made her realise that she could easily get the X36 bus to and from the Park and now plans to take it at least three days a week from now on, taking advantage of the £2 bus fare and a more relaxing ride. Well done, Lucy!
