A county-wide all-operator day ticket is being considered by Oxfordshire County Council courtesy of its latest Bus Service Improvement Plan Plus (BSIP Plus) award, while it has also promised £1 Sunday bus fares in December.
The £1.9 million government allocation, which was one of 64 made to local transport authorities for the 2023-24 financial year, will also go towards new and faster services and helping to retain existing routes.
While Oxfordshire’s main bus providers, Oxford Bus Group and Stagecoach already offer day tickets for services across the county, the Council is looking at a proposal to create such a ticket that would be valid across services.
In the meantime, single fares in December will be capped at £1 in Oxfordshire in December in the run-up to Christmas.
Roads Minister Richard Holden says that this, together with the £12.7 million in Bus Service Improvement Plan funding from August 2022, will make a difference to the community in Oxfordshire.
“People up and down the country deserve a modern, reliable and affordable public transport system,” he says. “That is why we have provided Oxfordshire with over £13m to help boost bus services.
“Supporting the council with capping Sunday fares at £1 in December in the run-up to Christmas and potentially introducing a countywide bus ticket valid for all operators is fantastic for local residents, who will now be able to get to work, attend medical appointments and visit loved ones for less.”
Also enabled by the BSIP Plus money is financial support for the current Oxford bus network, including services affected by the Botley Road closure. A new service between Witney, Carterton, and Swindon, and faster peak-hour buses from Banbury-Oxford will also be facilitated. The funding will also help retain and improve Oxford orbital services serving the hospitals, including the 700, which additionally will run on weekends for the first time.
Luke Marion, Managing Director of the Oxford Bus Group, says: “This is excellent news for passengers, the bus industry and the local economy.
“We have experienced a positive impact on patronage thanks to recent government fare cap schemes and this additional support for ticketing initiatives will help to further encourage passengers to try travelling with us.
“We’re also delighted to see the county council investing in improving services and are looking forward to bringing some strategically important new links to life for Oxfordshire residents over the coming weeks.”
Rachel Geliamassi, Managing Director of Stagecoach West, adds: “This additional funding is good news and has enabled Stagecoach to continue to make improvements to our services between Banbury and Oxford. We’re working closely with Oxfordshire County Council to look at opportunities to improve bus services across Oxfordshire.”
