We need a bus rail interchange in Oxford, and there’s a once in a generation chance to get one.
Oxford is part way through a transformation of transport and space, and it seems like different needs will never fit together, but there’s a once in a generation opportunity to unlock the puzzle by creating a transport interchange at Oxford railway station.
But there’s a key piece missing – Network Rail’s tender for Architect Services mentions a multi-storey car park but nothing about buses. A big car park would create traffic problems like those caused by Westgate, and breach the City Council’s Supplementary Planning Document of 2017. We need Network Rail’s plans for redevelop Oxford Railway Station to include a high-capacity bus station along these lines, and to minimise car parking and traffic.
If you’d like to support the call for a bus hub at Oxford railway station, please sign the petition organised by Oxon4Buses, a member of the CoHSAT coalition.
Today’s Puzzle
- Buses don’t always get people where they want to go or connect across the city leaving people with long walks and confusing routes
- Buses on some central streets (like George St) squeeze pavement space
- There are no cross-city cycling routes that are safe and reasonably direct
- … the ‘West End’ entry to our city from the station is a traffic-infested nightmare
All this and more can be fixed with a new bus station at Oxford railway station, creating a modern transport interchange and enabling better links across the city.
A new transport interchange, serving the station and the city
- High passenger throughput enables growth in rail passengers far greater than the same space in car parking, bringing more money into the railway system
- A main interchange enables more bus connections, simpler timetables and more routes where people want to go
- Bus routes can be moved from key streets, giving more space for people
- An attractive western gateway can be created from the station to Cornmarket, with a better environment, shopping and facilities
Positive economics from rail passengers and property development
- A 24-stand bus station handles 24,000 passengers a day (vs. 120 cars parked in same space) enabling more rail ticket sales, the biggest driver of station economics
- A new rail and bus station interchange with walking/cycling links will enhance the attractiveness and value of Frideswide Square and ‘Oxford West End’, enabling a win-win as more and better development generates more travel and station users
We’re keen to get the best from a once in a generation redevelopment of Oxford Station. That means bus and rail interchange with great walking and cycling connections, improving links across the city, enhancing a key development area and growth across the region.
The campaign so far:
- Petition launched to support the bus rail interchange – please sign this
- Front page news and a story in the Oxford Mail (Archive version)
- It’s not new – this was highlighted as a problem 12 years ago
