A reduction in traffic congestion has led Oxford Bus Company and Thames Travel to be able to announce planned improvements to bus services in Oxfordshire.
The changes, which will be implemented on 22 February, are possible due to improved traffic flow following introduction of the Oxford temporary congestion charge, the Go-Ahead subsidiaries say.
Free travel on park-and-ride services has also been credited for the boost in traffic speeds.
Frequency on the X40 between Oxford and Reading will be increased.
Faster journey times will be enjoyed on the X2, NX2 and X3 services, thanks to reduced traffic on Abingdon Road.
The operators also plan improvements to the timetables for the 400 and N400 night bus between Thame and Oxford.
Changes to the X32 between Didcot Parkway and Milton Park are designed to improve punctuality and frequency of service.
The 100 between Oxford and the John Radcliffe Hospital is also benefiting from timetable improvements.
Luke Marion, Oxford Bus Company and Thames Travel Managing Director, says: “We’re introducing a significant amount of service improvements across our network, which has been made possible thanks to the initial positive impact of temporary congestion charging and the large uptake of free park-and-ride travel.
“Combined, the measures have helped reduce congestion in Oxford and this means we are able to reinvest resources elsewhere to help improve the network to deliver continued improvements for bus passengers.
“This underpins our continued commitment to making bus travel an attractive alternative to using private vehicles, where possible, and improved traffic flow directly enables us to introduce improvements to services.”
The temporary £5 charge for cars and motorhomes in the city began on 29 October 2025 and will last until the reopening of Botley Road, which is scheduled for August.
Income from this is being used to fund free return travel from any of the city’s park-and-ride sites until at least March.
Mr Marion has campaigned for this free travel scheme to become permanent while the congestion charge is in place.
Oxford Bus Company notes the first two months of the congestion charge saw a 44.6% growth in park-and-ride journeys via its services.
Mr Marion says: “This has been one of the overriding positives to come from the temporary congestion charge, with people embracing the offer in their thousands.
“It’s no surprise that Redbridge has been the park-and-ride site with the largest growth, at 63%, and is currently the city’s busiest park-and-ride.”
