Oxford to Cambridge Expressway

One of the proposed routes (S4) linking the A34 to the proposed Expressway passes very close to Dorchester (please see map below).

An Action Group has been formed to campaign urgently against this proposal.

Updates:

New bus (138) serving Dorchester thanks to “Going Forward Buses”

For those that may have seen signs up around the village and been confused, here is a little more information on a new bus service coming to the village.

  • – Runs on Monday/Wednesday/Thursday to/from Wallingford
  • – It appears to Drop off within the village when coming back from Wallingford BUT the collection is a little more confusing.  We believe that you pick up the Bus in the way from Wallingford in the village, go to the Berinsfield roundabout and travel back from there.  But the timetable also says you can pick up from the bypass, so we are not 100% sure until someone uses the route and reports back.
  • – £3 for a single (but concessionary passes do apply)

So this certainly is great, and we should thank Going Forward buses for trying to fill the gap from the recently lost bus route.  Hopefully the fact in only picks up on weekdays, and only picks up from the bypass, does not deter people.

Please let us know if you learn more though, as all our info is from their website, or leaflets picked up from the Wallingfortd information center.

From 31st July Going Forward Buses will run from Wallingford to Shillingford and Dorchester via Shillingford Hill.  The service will operate on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, with three return journeys each day.  The service will pick up and set down at any safe place along the route, but please do use the existing bus stops where possible.  There are stops right outside Shillingford Hill Home Park and Dorchester Abbey.  If you are travelling from Dorchester, please board the bus on the outward journey towards Berinsfield roundabout as it will return direct along the Dorchester by-pass to Shillingford.  Please see below for the new timetable and fares.  Concessionary pass holders of course travel free after 09.00 in Oxfordshire.

Some journeys run through to or from Goring railway station for convenient connections with half hourly trains to Reading (15 minutes) and London.  The station has level access or lifts to all platforms (unlike Cholsey!).

More info: https://www.goingforwardbuses.com/the-138/

114 bus will end operation from Saturday 22nd July

I am not sure how many were aware of this, but the 114, which has been running a very reduced service over the last year, is about to end completely in a couple of days time.

More info can be found here: https://www.thames-travel.co.uk/news-service-updates/changes-july-2017/

Below is a quote from the thames travel website on this though:

“Thames Travel has served the communities of South Oxfordshire for almost 20 years. For the most part, this has been through strong partnership with Oxfordshire County Council and its provision of subsidies to routes which otherwise would not be commercially viable. After the withdrawal of these subsidies in July 2016 we took a considerable risk with many services, amending them to improve efficiency in the hope of maintaining them. Unfortunately after nearly a year, some of these services are still operating at a substantial loss which we regrettably cannot continue to absorb.”

 

x39/x40 diversion via Iffley road

For all those that didn’t know, I recently found that the x39/x40 is back on a diversion on the way into Oxford due to the changes on Queens street as part of the Westgate development.  The bus into town will go via Iffley road, and will drop you off along there if you were trying to get to Cowley road.  Sadly though the bus goes back a different route, and so planning your day can be complicated by this.

Temporary Road Closure (Berinsfield, A4074) and diversion on 24th April 2017

On 24th April there will be some roadworks happening on the stretch of road from the H-Cafe/Berinsfield roundabout up to the Nottcutts roundabout. This is so that a new crossing can be installed to make the bus stops safer, at the same time, there will some resurfacing work being undertaken (for more details, see attached documents).

We ask all those that normally use this route to honour the detours, and not take unnecessary other routes, as this could increase dangerous traffic near schools and residential areas.