Oxfordshire County Council and Grove- and Abingdon area Public Transport Study

January 2007

Halcrow Group Limited

Oxfordshire County Council Wantage and Grove-Didcot and Abingdon area Public Transport Study Stage 1 Final Report January 2007

Halcrow Group Limited

Halcrow Group Limited Burderop Park Swindon SN4 0QD Tel +44 (0)1793 812479 Fax +44 (0)1793 812089 www.halcrow.com

Halcrow Group Limited has prepared this report in accordance with the instructions of their client, , for their sole and specific use. Any other persons who use any information contained herein do so at their own risk.

© Halcrow Group Limited 2007

Halcrow Group Limited Burderop Park Swindon Wiltshire SN4 0QD Tel +44 (0)1793 812479 Fax +44 (0)1793 812089 www.halcrow.com

Contents Amendment Record This report has been issued and amended as follows:

Issue Revision Description Date Signed

1 0 Draft Stage 1 Report for 24/3/06 CT / Officer comment COB

1 1 Stage 1 Final Report 28/4/06 CT/ JH

1 2 Stage 1 Final Report 12/1/07 CT / (incorporating officer COB comments)

Contents

1 Executive Summary 1 1.1 Project Brief 1 1.2 Study methodology 2

2 Introduction 1 2.1 Purpose of report 1 2.2 Description of study area 2 2.3 Policy context 3

3 Current transport provision 15 3.1 Introduction 15 3.2 Existing road network 15 3.3 Existing bus services 17 3.4 Existing passenger rail services 24

4 Travel patterns 26 4.1 Introduction 26 4.2 Principal flows 26 4.3 Key trip generators 40 4.4 Future projections 46

5 Conceptual networks 50 5.1 Introduction 50 5.2 Baseline situation: present public transport network and transport network issues 50 5.3 Principal congestion hotspots identified through previous technical work 51 5.4 Additional congestion hotspots 53 5.5 Effects of Congestion on Public Transport 53 5.6 Options for conceptual public transport networks 54 5.7 Summary of public transport network concept options 69

6 Summary of Part 1: Issues and Concepts 73 6.1 Introduction 73 6.2 Summary of identified issues 73 6.3 Public transport network concepts 73

7 Enhancement options 77

7.1 Introduction 77 7.2 Summary of options considered 78 7.3 Option 1: Bus service frequency enhancements 78 7.4 Option 2: Improve passenger information 79 7.5 Option 3: Enhance ticketing arrangements 81 7.6 Option 4: Extend discounted ticketing 84 7.7 Option 5: Apply branding to bus services 86 7.8 Option 6: Improve bus stops and waiting facilities 88 7.9 Option 7: Develop small-scale Park & Ride 89 7.10 Option 8: Introduce Demand Responsive Transport 92 7.11 Option 9: Introduce low-emission vehicles 93 7.12 Option 10: Introduce Rapid Transit 94 7.13 Option 11: Provide additional heavy rail infrastructure 97

8 Evaluation of options 100 8.1 Assessment framework 100 8.2 Results of assessment 100

9 Recommendations and next steps 136 9.1 Introduction 136 9.2 Recommendations for short-term enhancements 136 9.3 Recommendations for medium-term enhancements 137 9.4 Recommendations for long term enhancements 138 9.5 Next steps 138

1 Executive Summary

1.1 Project Brief 1.1.1 Halcrow has been commissioned by Oxfordshire County Council to devise a strategy for the development and promotion of public transport in an area that encompasses Wantage, Grove, Harwell Chilton Campus, Milton Park, Didcot and Abingdon, with consideration also being given to the pattern of movement between this area and .

1.1.2 The County Council wishes to evolve an economically viable public transport network that provides an attractive mode choice for existing and potential customers. Proposals for significant residential and commercial development in the study area during the next fifteen years and beyond, as detailed in the South East Plan, the Oxfordshire Structure Plan and district-level Local Plans, underline the importance of ensuring that sufficient capacity is available across all modes and on the highway network to accommodate local, regional and inter-regional passenger and freight movements. The scale of development envisaged also emphasises the need to implement measures that will help to encourage current and future residents, employees of local businesses and visitors to travel by public transport and other sustainable modes. The objective is to minimise the impact on the highway network that is likely to result from increased levels of private vehicle movements associated with new and expanded residential and commercial locations.

1.1.3 The Project Brief requires Halcrow to:

• identify, through reference to best practice in the UK and the rest of Europe, measures that have the potential to increase the mode share for public transport within the study area in the short-term (from 2006 to 2011), medium-term (between 2011 and 2016) and long-term (2016 to 2021); and • assess the feasibility of introducing these measures within the study area, having regard to the capital and revenue expenditure required and the forecast benefits, in terms of mode share increase, that may result from different levels of investment.

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1.1.4 In defining this strategy and recommending measures to be implemented in phases that tally with proposed residential and commercial development, cross-reference has been made to analysis undertaken in support of previous studies including the Wantage and Grove Area Strategic Transport Study, Didcot Area Integrated Transport Strategy and Oxfordshire Transport Networks Review. However, the project team has not been constrained by prior recommendations.

1.2 Study methodology 1.2.1 Halcrow’s proposed approach to this study was outlined in an Inception Note issued to officers on 22 February 2006.

1.2.2 The initial task was to carry out a literature review. The purpose was to identify the policy background, extent of proposed commercial, residential and associated highway developments, principal movements within and external to the study area and scope for network enhancements.

1.2.3 Following discussions with client officers, liaison took place with stakeholders representing the major employment sites to discern the current travel patterns of tenants’ staff and relative shares for each transport mode. Proposals for developments at each site during the study period were also identified, together with the aspirations of stakeholders for transport enhancements.

1.2.4 Contact was made with the County Council’s Development Control team to establish the extent of permitted development at key sites within the study area, any constraints applied to those sites and the scale of funding secured from developers for infrastructure and service improvements.

1.2.5 Through reference to UK and other European examples, Halcrow sought to identify best practice and innovation in public transport provision that has contributed to patronage increases.

1.2.6 Drawing on the data from the 2001 census, analysis undertaken for related studies, results of roadside interviews conducted during development of the Didcot- Wantage-Grove area transport model and the findings of on-bus surveys, Halcrow sought to establish:

• the overall market for travel at present and in the future; • the percentage of people presently willing to use public transport; and

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• investment required to increase the mode share for public transport by increasing percentages.

1.2.7 Following discussion with officers, a series of conceptual options for public transport networks were developed, taking account of current and likely future demand for travel overall and for travel by public transport.

1.2.8 An assessment framework was defined that was commensurate with the scope of the study. The aim was to appraise different options for enhancements to public transport that were identified in the context of the conceptual options for public transport networks as being able to assist in retaining customers, encorage mode shift and capture trips associated with new development, consistently against a range of criteria. The appraisal was subjective in nature and focussed on showing the benefit or disbenefit arising from implementation and how the option would help deliver the study objectives.

1.2.9 Broad-brush capital and revenue costs were determined for those options that were assessed as having the potential to deliver modal shift in the short-, medium- or long-term.

1.2.10 This enabled Halcrow to identify a series of recommendations for consideration by officers, complemented by an outline of how those recommendations could be implemented.

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2 Introduction

2.1 Purpose of report 2.1.1 The purpose of this report is to present a strategy for the development and promotion of public transport in the area encompassing Wantage, Grove, Harwell Chilton Campus, Milton Park, Didcot and Abingdon, extending to cover journeys from this area to Oxford. The report identifies options, for further consideration by the County Council and other stakeholders, that could be implemented in the short-term (between 2006 and 2011), medium-term (2011-2016) and long-term (2016-2021). It incorporates broad-brush capital and revenue costs to assist the Council in securing Section 106 contributions for transport improvements.

2.1.2 This report is divided into two distinct parts. Part 1, comprising Chapters 3 to 6, provides the inputs to enable evolution of the strategy, as follows:

• Chapter 3 outlines current transport provision; • Chapter 4 describes current travel patterns and future projections; • Chapter 5 discusses issues affecting the transport network and presents conceptual options for revised public transport networks; • Chapter 6 summarises the issues identified in Part 1.

2.1.3 Part 2, comprising Chapters 7 to 9, discusses and recommends public transport- based solutions that could be considered by the County Council and its partners to retain existing customers, encourage present car users to transfer to public transport and capture trips associated with new employment-related and housing development planned for the study area:

• Chapter 7 considers options for public transport enhancements, with regard to current travel patterns, future projections and the conceptual options for revised public transport network; • Chapter 8 comprises an assessment of the diverse enhancement options; and • Chapter 9 makes recommendations for further consideration and identifies next steps.

2.1.4 It should be noted that this report is the culmination of initial scoping work to determine options and establish broad-brush capital and revenue costs, forming

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Stage 1 of this study. Further work will be required to examine in detail the feasibility of implementing specific options, following consideration of this report by client officers and joint discussions.

2.2 Description of study area 2.2.1 The Study Area is shown in Figure 2.1. The principal settlements within the study area are Abingdon, Didcot, Wantage - which is located 15 miles south-west of Oxford - and Grove village, situated 1.5 miles north of Wantage. Didcot is an important node on the rail network that is home to around 24,500 people. The population of Wantage has grown from 5,900 in 1961 to 9,500 at the time of the 2001 census. The expansion of Grove over the past forty years has been more marked, growing from a population of 1,800 in 1961 to over 8,000 in 2001. To the east lies Harwell village, with a current population of 2,400.

2.2.2 Current proposals, if approved, will see major residential development to the west of both Grove and Didcot, significantly increasing the size of both settlements. The development proposals are outlined in Chapter 6 below.

2.2.3 The main employment sites in the study area are Harwell Chilton Campus, south of Harwell village, where 4,500 people are based, and Milton Park west of Didcot which is the main workplace for 6,500 people. Both the Harwell Chilton Campus and Milton Park sites are likely to witness major employment growth during the fifteen year-period considered in this study.

2.2.4 There are smaller commercial developments at Grove Technology Park and Culham Science Centre. Grove Technology Park has been established on 32 acres of the former Grove Airfield, west of Grove village. The site has witnessed an influx of 70 organisations between 2003 and 2005. Culham Science Centre is a research and technology facility, employing 1,800 people, located on the former Culham Airfield, immediately east of the railway linking Didcot with Oxford. It is owned and managed by UKAEA which is also the principal landowner at Harwell Chilton Campus.

2.2.5 Retail facilities in Wantage range from high street names including Sainsburys, Waitrose and Boots to diverse small businesses. A market is held in the Marketplace on Wednesdays and Saturdays. The facilities in Grove are more limited, comprising two shopping parades. There are two major supermarkets in Didcot, complemented a range of shops on Broadway and retail outlets in the Orchard Centre, opened in August 2005. A market is held in Didcot Market Place

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on Fridays and Saturdays, augmented by a Sunday Market at a site in Foxhall Road and a Farmers’ Market on the second Saturday of every month.

2.2.6 The principal educational establishment in Wantage and Grove is King Alfred’s Community and Sports College, spread across three sites. The other secondary school in Wantage is St Marys in Newbury Street. There are two single-sex secondary schools in Didcot, St Birinus and Didcot Girls’ School.

2.3 Policy context 2.3.1 Transport represents an essential element in enabling wider economic, environmental and social objectives to be achieved. In seeking to define a strategy for development and promotion of public transport, consideration has been given to how this strategy will assist delivery of national, regional and local policies. This Chapter gives an overview of the policies that have provided the context for the Study and guided the development of the strategy.

National context

Transport White Paper

2.3.2 The Government’s transport strategy up to 2030 is set out in the Transport White Paper entitled ‘The Future of Transport: A Network for 2030’ (July 2004). The White Paper is themed around three core areas:

• sustained long-term investment; • improving the management of transport resources to realise better value for money; and • forward planning.

2.3.3 The document places an emphasis on the following areas of relevance to this study:

• opportunities for local authorities to provide better bus services, potentially in parallel with consideration of scope to introduce local charging schemes; • the need to develop regional frameworks, within which local and regional bodies can define strategies and identify investment priorities; and • protecting the environment, through reducing harmful emissions.

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Regional context

South East Plan

2.3.4 The South East Plan has been produced by the South East Regional Assembly (SEERA). It seeks to set out an overall vision for the region up to 2026 and is focussed on ensuring continued economic success and quality of life. The final draft of the South East Plan has been approved by the Assembly for submission to the Government on 31 March 2006.

2.3.5 The South East Plan envisages significant new housing development up to 2026, including within the study area. It identifies nine sub-regions, including the Central Oxfordshire Sub-region that incorporates Wantage and Didcot, extending east to Wallingford, west to Witney and north to Bicester.

2.3.6 Two possible options are advanced within the South East Plan for residential development in the Central Oxfordshire Sub-region:

• Option A: expansion of the settlements of Bicester, Didcot, Wantage and Grove, ideally with mixed-use developments incorporating employment opportunities, minimising the need for residents to commute to and from work; and • Option B: expansion of Oxford.

2.3.7 In line with the Oxfordshire Structure Plan, the County Council is advocating Option A and is keen to ensure that appropriate capacity and infrastructure – in terms of education, healthcare, leisure, shopping and other facilities as well as transport - is in place to accommodate this growth.

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Regional Transport Strategy

2.3.8 The Regional Transport Strategy produced by SEERA aims to provide a framework to ensure that investment made by local authorities, transport operators and other stakeholders will help to deliver the regional objective of more sustainable development.

2.3.9 SEERA’s vision, expounded in the Regional Transport Strategy, is of “a high quality transport system [that will] act as a catalyst for continued economic growth and provide for an improved quality of life for all in a sustained and socially inclusive manner”.

2.3.10 Three guiding principals are set out in the Regional Transport Strategy:

• Optimising use of available capacity on the existing transport network before making investment to increase capacity; • Making changes to the transport system, in line with the objective of encouraging transition to use of more sustainable modes; and • Supporting the aims of the South East Plan, in particular through improved management and targeted investment in inter-regional corridors.

Regional Economic Strategy

2.3.11 The Regional Economic Strategy is intended to provide a framework for delivering the economic aspirations of the south east up to 2012. The document highlights the importance of “[accommodating] demand for public and private transport…in a sustainable way to enable efficient movement of people and freight around the region.”

Local context

Oxfordshire Structure Plan

2.3.12 The Oxfordshire Structure Plan 2016, adopted by the County Council on 21 October 2005, sets out the strategy for the development and use of land in the county. Ultimately the document will be supplanted by the framework set out in the South East Plan but both contain common themes in terms of protecting the environment, promoting efficient use of land and resources and ensuring

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continued prosperity by implementing policies designed to deliver on sustainable development policies.

2.3.13 The Structure Plan states that provision will be made for a total of 37,300 additional dwellings within the County in the fifteen years from April 2001 to March 2016. Vale of White Horse District as a whole is scheduled to receive a total of 7,150 additional homes, with South Oxfordshire receiving 7,500 new dwellings up to 2016. In the Vale of White Horse District the existing settlement of Grove will be expanded with a further 2,500 homes. 4,500 new homes are proposed for Didcot which lies on the boundary between the two Districts.

2.3.14 Structure Plan Policy G3 states that “proposals for development will not be permitted unless the planning authorities are satisfied that necessary infrastructure [including] on- or off-site transport measures…are available, or will be provided. Where appropriate phasing will be used to coordinate development with the provision of infrastructure.” The policy also states that contributions will be sought from developers and landowners in accordance with Government advice, to enable this infrastructure to be provided.

Local Transport Plan 2006-2011

2.3.15 The County Council’s Local Transport Plan covering the period 2006-2011 identifies four objectives that are of relevance to this study:

• Tackling Congestion; • Delivering Accessibility; • Safer Roads; and • Better Air Quality. 2.3.16 These objectives reflect the shared priorities for transport agreed by the Government and local authorities on a national basis. The County Council added an additional objective to these four; “improving the street environment.” The objectives are also focussed on delivering the Council’s overarching vision, which is to: “improve the quality of life of all people living in Oxfordshire” and realising the goal of an all-inclusive society.

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Bus Strategy

2.3.17 The County Council’s first Local Transport Plan, covering the period 2001-2006, identified a 3-tier hierarchy of bus services. This is being continued through the emerging Bus Strategy set out in the recently-adopted Local Transport Plan for the period 2006-2011.

2.3.18 The first tier comprises the Premium Routes that are intended to offer customers the benefit of “turn up and go” service frequencies, complemented by high-quality waiting facilities, passenger information and vehicles. After the injection of capital funding, it is intended that services on Premium Routes should be able to run without subsidy. The network of Premium Routes endorsed by the County Council in 2001 included links between Didcot and Oxford, and between Wantage, Grove and Oxford.

2.3.19 The second tier comprises lower density corridors, with significant potential flows of passengers, exemplified by the corridor currently used to link the Wantage and Grove area with Didcot. Under the Bus Strategy, the County Council will make best efforts in order that all settlements over 1,000 population will benefit from an hourly service between 0700 and 1900 from Monday through Saturday. The authority recognises that while some of the Interlink corridors will require subsidy, capital investment in access improvements and at-stop facilities may enhance viability. No specific bus priority measures have yet been identified on this network.

2.3.20 The third tier will comprise feeder services, predominantly subsidised and designed to reflect local circumstances and the results of consultation with parish authorities and other stakeholders.

Rail Strategy

2.3.21 The County Council’s Rail Strategy is incorporated within the Local Transport Plan covering the period 2006 to 2011. It recognises that the authority has “limited but clear opportunities to influence rail use” to, from and within the county. The focus of LTP expenditure in relation to rail is on low-cost, effective improvements to stations to enhance accessibility and passenger information and promote use of rail, delivered in partnership with rail industry and other stakeholders.

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2.3.22 The Strategy recognises that part of the rail network parallels the A34 trunk road, affording scope for some increase in local as well as strategic passenger and freight movements, relieving pressure on the A34. The proposed expansion or relocation of Oxford station, coupled with creation of an improved multi-modal interchange at Didcot Parkway station could assist in delivering this modal shift.

2.3.23 Although no specific proposals are identified in the Provisional LTP for additional rail stations or enhanced east-west rail services on the axis Wantage/Grove- Didcot, the proposed improvements at Didcot Parkway could also enable easier interchange between bus, rail and other sustainable modes for people travelling to and from Wantage, Grove, Harwell and the commercial developments and settlements within the study area.

Vale of White Horse Local Plan

2.3.24 The Vale of White Horse Local Plan 2011, developed by the Vale of White Horse District Council, echoes the Oxfordshire Structure Plan in identifying Grove Airfield as the major site for new housing within the District. It states that the site is expected to accommodate 750 dwellings by 2011 and a total of 2,500 dwellings by 2021.

2.3.25 The Local Plan also states that further employment growth can be expected on Grove Technology Park, which has been established on part of the former Airfield. The document identifies two specific transport enhancements to be made in the vicinity of the site:

1. Realignment of Denchworth Road, which links Denchworth hamlet to Newlands Drive at the north-western corner of the existing village; and 2. A new road link to the A338 north of Grove, south of Bellingers Garage.

2.3.26 It is made clear in the Vale of White Horse Local Plan that financial contributions will be sought from housing developers towards:

• Measures to reduce the incidence of ‘rat-running’ through rural and residential roads in the vicinity of Grove and Wantage; • Improved links – primarily for cyclists and pedestrians - to healthcare facilities and employment opportunities in Grove and Wantage and to the proposed rail station on the Great Western Main Line;

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• Improved cycle links in the eastern part of the District – tallying with the recent extension of the National Cycle Network in the Didcot area under the auspices of Sustrans; • Enhancements to the A338 north of Grove, A417 east of Wantage and accesses to the A34; and • Construction of a Wantage relief road, linking the existing A417 north of East Challow with the section east of Wantage and incorporating Mably Way.

2.3.27 The Local Plan specifically states that improved public transport services are required to link the Grove Airfield development with:

• The proposed rail station; and • The main employment areas at the Harwell Chilton Campus, Milton Park, Abingdon and Oxford.

2.3.28 Reference is also made in the Vale of White Horse Local Plan to proposals for the provision of 500 dwellings to the west of Didcot, on the boundary with South Oxfordshire District, by 2011. The total number likely to be provided west of Didcot, spread across the two Districts, is 3,200 by the end of 2014.

2.3.29 In relation to commercial development, the Local Plan again emphasises the need to secure appropriate contributions to improve and upgrade access from the major arteries including A34, A4130, A4185 and A417.

South Oxfordshire Local Plan

2.3.30 The South Oxfordshire Local Plan 2011 was adopted by South Oxfordshire District Council on 20 January 2006. It sets out the District Council’s policies for use of land and aims to guide development in the District.

2.3.31 The Local Plan Policies that are of particular relevance to this study area:

• Policy G1: Provision will be made for substantial new housing development at Didcot but elsewhere [within South Oxfordshire District] the overall level of development will be restrained; • Policy G3: In considering proposals for new development, locations which are close to services and facilities, and which are well served by public transport will be favoured;

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• Policy D11: Development will only be permitted if adequate on- or off- site infrastructure and other services and facilities made necessary by the development are available or will be provided to service it [with financial contributions being secured from developers via legal obligations to enable the provision of additional infrastructure and/or services]; • Policy T1: Proposals for all types of development will, where appropriate…be accessible by public transport and have a safe walking route to nearby bus stops, or new bus stops and appropriate infrastructure should be provided; and • Policy T5: Where required, planning permission will be granted for proposals which: (i) Improve rail services in South Oxfordshire (ii) Improve access to rail services; and/or (iii) Improve facilities at rail stations provided that there are no significant adverse effects on the environment or the amenities of residents

Vale of White Horse Community Strategy

2.3.32 The Vale of White Horse Community Strategy has been developed by the Vale Strategic Partnership. It identifies three priorities for action in relation to transport:

• Improving bus services and connections to community transport services; • Addressing traffic congestion; and • Liaison to achieve a more systematic and co-ordinated transport system.

Vision and Master Plan for Didcot to 2030

2.3.33 South Oxfordshire and the Vale of White Horse District Councils were due to initiate a public consultation exercise in mid-February 2006 on the development of a vision and master plan for the development of Didcot. The intended purpose of the consultation and a planned public exhibition was to support the case for additional investment in Didcot.

2.3.34 In light of pressing requirements to identify potential sites for residential development in the vicinity of Didcot and define the number of dwellings to be provided within each of the two Districts, the District Councils subsequently opted to place the focus of public consultation on the residential development proposals and the potential impacts associated with development.

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2.3.35 A report discussing the likely impacts of development in the Didcot area was presented to District Councillors in December 2006, as a prelude to the two authorities seeking formal public feedback on the proposed development sites.

Related studies

Oxfordshire Transport Networks Review

2.3.36 The purpose of the Transport Networks Review undertaken by Halcrow on behalf of the County Council was to develop a longer-term strategy for the County’s strategic transport networks, covering all modes of travel.

2.3.37 The Strategy identified key measures that can be grouped under the following headings:

• Influencing Travel Behaviour: through encouraging use of more sustainable modes, influencing the planning process, providing high quality information and considering demand management measures; • Public Transport: including development of ‘Expressway’ services on key corridors, an enhanced bus network, small scale Park and Ride, rail infrastructure improvements, clearer information and streamlined ticketing; and • Roads and Routeing: addressing congestion on specific roads and routes, through traffic management, construction of link roads where appropriate.

2.3.38 The Final Report arising from Stage 3 of the Transport Networks Review also incorporated the outline of a Vision for Public Transport in Oxfordshire, focussing on bus travel. A series of objectives were put forward, including:

• Achieving ‘Turn up and Go’ frequencies on key corridors; • Reducing delays on route through bus priority measures; • Reducing delays at stops, by introducing boarding with pre-paid tickets; • Expansion of information provision, both pre-trip, at-stop and on-vehicle; • Services to be provided by modern, comfortable, accessible vehicles; and • Achieving through-ticketing between services and with the rail system.

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2.3.39 Recognition was given to the need for partnership working with operators and other stakeholders in order to achieve these objectives.

Wantage and Grove Area Strategic Transport Study

2.3.40 In May 2005, Halcrow presented a report to the County Council, setting out the provisional strategic transport strategy (Stage 1) for the Wantage and Grove area up to 2026. The provisional strategy was approved by the County Council’s Executive on 19 April 2005.

2.3.41 The Final Report stemming from Stage 1 of the Wantage and Grove Area Strategic Transport Study identified ‘in principal requirements for infrastructure and public transport measures to develop and improve the strategic level transport situation in the Study area up to 2026’. It considered future demand for travel and measures aimed at ensuring that the transport system is resilient enough to cater for freight and passenger movements in the period up to 2026.

2.3.42 The provisional strategy gave an overview of schemes warranting consideration in light of planned development up to 2011 and potential growth to 2026. The schemes were assessed against the five shared priorities identified in the Local Transport Plan and against other key criteria including affordability, practicality and consistency with local plans and strategies.

2.3.43 Chapter 7 of the Wantage and Grove Area Strategic Transport Study Final Report stated that the subsequent work would be more detailed and would ‘…start to identify specific schemes and prioritise scheme proposals for the short, medium and longer term…’ The present Study identifies options for schemes that could be implemented to develop, promote and increase the mode share of public transport, building on the principals set out in the provisional Strategy for the Wantage and Grove area.

Didcot Area Integrated Transport Strategy

2.3.44 The Didcot Area Integrated Transport Strategy (DIDITS) was prepared in line with a number of over-arching strategic and transport-related objectives. The Didcot Area Transport objectives included:

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• DAT1: To reduce reliance on the use of the private car by improving the choices available to meet transport needs within Didcot and between Didcot and the surrounding settlements; • DAT2: To increase accessibility to facilities for those without cars and/or with mobility impairment; and • DAT3: To promote the use of public transport (bus and rail).

2.3.45 findings from DIDITS and proposed measures associated with the Strategy have been considered in relation to the present Study.

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PART 1

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3 Current transport provision

3.1 Introduction 3.1.1 This Chapter describes the existing road network and the public transport services currently operating within the study area.

3.1.2 At present the bus is the principal public transport mode, in terms of settlements served, within the study area. Services operate in a commercial environment, although certain routes within the study area, notably Stagecoach route 32, are part-subsidised by the County Council to ensure their continued operation. Harwell Chilton Campus contributes towards the operation of routes serving its site, while MEPC has a contracted shuttle bus service linking Didcot Parkway station with Milton Park. The shuttle bus was registered as a public service with effect from 30 May 2005, enabling fare-paying members of the public to travel on the route.

3.1.3 The bus network affords connections to local, inter-regional and intercity train services at Didcot Parkway and Oxford stations, the principal railheads.

3.2 Existing road network 3.2.1 The existing road network in the Wantage and Grove area is shown in Figure 3.1. Work was carried out by Halcrow as part of the Wantage and Grove Strategic Transport Study to identify, in conjunction with officers and Members, the strategically important routes in this area.

3.2.2 The Strategically Important Routes under the County Council’s control in the Wantage and Grove area are highlighted in Figure 3.1 and described in Figure 3.2.

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A415 A420

A338 Abingdon A420 A415

A338 A417

Steventonn Rd

A417 Grove A4130 Wallingfordlli Mably Way Grove Park to Milton Drive Denchworth Road Didcot A420 Ham Road Charlton Village Rd Wantage A417 Ormond Rd

To A338 Swindon

To Strategically Important Routes in the Based upon Ordnance Survey Data with the Permission WEST Wantage and Grove Area of Majesty's Stationaru Office. Crown Copyright Reserved. Figure 3.1 Licence No. LA076805 Oxfordshire County Council. COUNCIL Newbury

Route Description and strategic role

A417 Forms an east-west link from Streatley and Reading (via A329) to and Lechlade via Harwell and Wantage; meets A4130 and A4185 at Rowstock Roundabout, west of Harwell A338 Provides a north-south link between A420 west of Oxford, Hungerford and Salisbury via Grove and Wantage A4130 Connects Henley-on-Thames with Wallingford, Didcot and Milton Park, also linking into the A404 trunk route and the motorway network near Maidenhead in Berkshire, meeting the A34 at Milton Interchange and extending to A417 at Rowstock Roundabout A4185 Links A34 trunk road at Chilton with major employment site Harwell Chilton Campus and A417 at Rowstock Roundabout Steventon Local road providing alternative east-west link from the A338 near Road Grove to B4017 at Steventon and A4130 immediately west of Milton Interchange Grove Park Local road providing alternative link from Grove to A417 east of Drive Wantage, avoiding Wantage town centre Mably Way Local road running east-west at the northern end of Wantage, linking the A338 and Denchworth Road Denchworth Local road running north-south, linking Grove, Mably Way and Road A417 (between Grove and Wantage) Charlton Local road within Wantage providing alternative route from the Village A338 in Wantage to the A417 east of the town, avoiding Wantage Road town centre Ormond Local road within Wantage providing alternative route from the Road A338 south to the A417 east of the town, avoiding the town centre Featherbed Local road running from A417 near East Hendred, used by traffic Lane travelling northbound towards Milton Interchange to avoid congestion at Rowstock Roundabout Ham Road Local road providing alternative route between B4507 and A417 west of Wantage, avoiding the town centre.

Figure 3.2 Strategically Important Routes in the Wantage and Grove area

3.2.3 The A34 is a trunk route linking the Midlands with the South Coast. It is the responsibility of the Highways Agency. The A34 runs from M40 Junction 9 to , passing close to Oxford, Abingdon, Didcot and Newbury en route. A number of studies have been carried out to assess the scope for capacity enhancements on this route to allow for future traffic flows. Proposals have been advanced, with the support of vested interests, for additional interchanges and revisions to existing junctions in the study area. A scheme to provide an extra

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circulatory lane on the roundabout beneath the A34 flyover at the Milton Interchange is already at the detailed design stage.

3.3 Existing bus services 3.3.1 Figure 3.3 illustrates the current pattern of bus services operating in the study area. It identifies the strategic routes that link the main urban centres and employment locations and the non-core routes whose principal function is to provide a socially- necessary service linking outlying settlements with the main towns.

Wantage and Grove to Oxford

3.3.2 Stagecoach in Oxfordshire currently operates five services over the corridor linking Wantage and Grove with Oxford. The principal services are:

• Service X30: from Wantage via Grove, and North Hinksey direct to Oxford, avoiding Abingdon; and • Service 31: from Wantage via Grove, East Hanney, Marcham and Abingdon to Oxford.

3.3.3 Service X30 provides two buses an hour during the daytime between Wantage and Oxford, augmented by service 31 in the morning peak and evenings.

3.3.4 Service 31A comprises one late afternoon departure on Mondays through Saturdays between Wantage and Oxford, through the residential area of Grove.

3.3.5 Services N30 and N31 are night buses, operating between Wantage and Oxford on Friday and Saturday nights.

3.3.6 The pattern of services on this corridor and over the inter-related corridor towards Harwell and Didcot is shown in Figure 3.4 below.

3.3.7 Benefits to the study area arising from the changes on 26 March are:

• The introduction or cascading of low-floor vehicles, offering improved access, to route X30 linking Wantage and Grove with Oxford via A338 and A420; • A faster journey between Wantage, Grove and Oxford via route X30 when compared with previous route X31; • Improved frequency in the evening and on Sundays; and

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• Introduction of through services linking Oxford with Wantage and the employment centres at Harwell Chilton Campus, Didcot and Milton Park – although it may be found that the length of routes 32 and 33, coupled with the need to negotiate junctions such as Frilford Lights could impact on schedule adherence.

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Corridor Service Route Frequency and notes number Wantage / X30 Wantage-Grove (The Bell/Shops)-East Monday-Saturday daytime: 30 minutes. Grove- Hanney (Main Street)-North Hinksey-Oxford Evening service after 1800 from Wantage Oxford via provided by service 31. Sundays: 90 minutes. A338 31 Wantage-Grove (The Bell/Shops)-East Monday-Friday daytime: 35 minutes in a.m. Hanney (Black Horse)-Marcham-Abingdon- peak only. Saturday daytime: 40-50 minutes in Oxford a.m. peak only. Evenings: every 30 minutes from Wantage between 18.23 and 23.23. Augmented by service N30 on Fridays and Saturdays. Sundays: every 60 minutes

31A Wantage-Grove (Brereton Monday-Saturday daytime: one late afternoon Drive/Green/Mayfield Avenue)-Oxford departure from Wantage to Oxford only

N30 Wantage-Grove (Shops)-East Hanney (Main Fridays and Saturdays-only night bus service Street)-North Hinksey-Oxford from Wantage to Oxford. Departures at 00.15, 01.45 and 02.45 N31 Oxford-Grove (The Bell)-Wantage Fridays and Saturdays-only night bus service from Oxford to Wantage. Departures at 01.00, 02.00 and 03.00 Wantage / 32 Oxford-Abingdon-Culham-Sutton Courtenay- Monday-Saturday daytime: 60 minutes. Grove- Milton Park-Didcot-Harwell-Hendreds- Augments services X30, 31 and 31A on the Harwell- Ardington-Wantage-Grove-East Hanney- sector between Wantage and Oxford. 0852 Didcot- Marcham-Abingdon-Oxford arrivals at Wantage and evening journeys do Oxford not extend from Wantage to Oxford. Last departure from Oxford 18.45. No service 33 on Sunday

33 As above, reversed Monday-Saturday daytime: 60 minutes. Augments services X30, 31 and 31A on the sector between Oxford and Wantage. A.m. peak journeys before 0900 originate from Grove, Wantage or Harwell. Last departure from Oxford 18.15 Monday-Friday, 17.15 Saturdays, with

34 Oxford-Abingdon-Drayton-Steventon-Harwell Monday-Saturday daytime only: one departure Chilton Campus-A417-Wantage from Oxford to Harwell Chilton Campus, aimed at meeting journey-to work requirements, in a.m. peak and return journey departing Campus at 16.50 N32 Oxford-Abingdon-Drayton-Sutton Courtenay- Fridays and Saturdays-only night bus service Didcot (23.45 extends to Harwell Chilton from Oxford to Didcot. Departures at 23.45 and Campus, principally for bus layover 02.20 purposes)

Figure 3.4 Stagecoach bus services in the study area from 26 March 2006

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Wantage and Grove to Didcot and Abingdon via Harwell Chilton Campus

3.3.8 Services on this route sector were revised with effect from 26 March 2006, as shown in Figure 3.4 above. Service 32, formerly linking Abingdon with Didcot, Harwell, Wantage and Grove at 60-minute frequency during the daytime on Mondays through Saturdays, has been retained and extended to provide a circular service. This operates in a clockwise direction between Oxford, Abingdon, Didcot, Milton Park, Harwell village, Harwell Chilton Campus, Wantage and Grove, returning to Oxford via East Hanney, Marcham and Abingdon. It is now complemented by service 33, operating in an anti-clockwise direction. There are no plans at present to provide late evening or Sunday services east of Wantage, meaning that residents in this area are unable to access entertainment and leisure facilities in Oxford and that employees working irregular hours or overtime are unable to get to workplaces such as Harwell Chilton Campus and Milton Park, although discussions with both business sites indicates that the number of tenant staff working outside the core hours from 09.00 to 17.00 is small.

3.3.9 The registered timetable includes three eastbound journeys from Wantage towards Harwell, Didcot and Abingdon on route 33 between 06.00 and 09.00 on Mondays to Fridays. Three journeys on route 32 allow access from Abingdon to Milton Park and Harwell Chilton Campus by 09.00 on weekdays.

3.3.10 Services 32 and 33 continue to deviate from the A417 east of Wantage to serve the villages of Ardington, West Hendred and East Hendred that lie south of this main road. They are complemented by service 34 that provides one morning journey from Oxford and Abingdon to Harwell Chilton Campus and on to Wantage via A417 and an equivalent return journey in the early evening. The retention of service 34 reflects existing demand for public transport to make journeys to and from work.

3.3.11 In addition to the Stagecoach services 32, 33 and 34, there are four other routes that serve the principal employment centre at Harwell Chilton Campus. Services 6 and 9, operated by Newbury Buses, link Newbury with Didcot Parkway station via the Campus and Harwell village. The two routes differ between Chilton and Newbury. Service 6 serves villages within West Berkshire that lie west of the A34, including Beedon and Chieveley. Service 9 operates via Compton, Hampstead Norreys and Hermitage. Each service operates every 2 hours but combine to provide a 60-minute frequency on the sector between Chilton village and Didcot. Both services operate on Monday to Saturdays but there is no evening or Sunday

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service. Funding from UKAEA augments subsidies paid by West Berkshire Council to Newbury Buses to guarantee continued operation of these strategic routes. Informal liaison with the operator has revealed that the contract for services 6 and 9 has been extended from January to August 2006 in order that the new contract can reflect any changes necessitated as a result of a planned review by West Berkshire Council. Halcrow has been advised that any changes are unlikely to affect frequency in Oxfordshire but may affect running times and the southern end of the route in Newbury.

3.3.12 Services 94 and 95 are non-core services, operated by the Abingdon Bus Company. The main function of these routes is to link villages such as Aston Upthorpe and with Didcot, enabling residents to make essential journeys to employment, education, healthcare, shopping and leisure facilities. One morning peak hour circular journey is operated over route 94 on Mondays to Fridays from Didcot via Upton and Blewbury villages, returning to Didcot and then serving the Campus bus station. Reference to the service schedule on Traveline shows a total of ten journeys on route 94 on Mondays through Fridays and six journeys on Saturdays.

3.3.13 One afternoon journey on Mondays through Fridays on route 95 links the Campus with Didcot, , Blewbury and Aston Upthorpe, returning to Didcot via and . Reference to the service schedule on Traveline shows a total of six circular journeys on route 95 on Mondays through Fridays and four journeys on Saturdays.

3.3.14 Figure 3.5 below summarises the bus services serving Harwell Chilton Campus and the daytime, evening and Sunday service frequencies from 26 March 2006.

3.3.15 The financial contribution made by UKAEA helps to secure the continued operation of three buses per hour to and from the Campus. The frequency between Wantage and the Campus however is at the minimum to qualify this sector as an Interlink route in the context of the county’s Bus Strategy. Figure 3.5 also shows the sparse nature of evening bus services in the corridor between Wantage, Harwell and Didcot and the absence of any Sunday services.

3.3.16 In addition to Harwell Chilton Campus, UKAEA is also the principal landowner and administrator of the Culham Science Park site. Although routes 32 and 33 serve Culham village, this is over 2km from Culham Science Centre, which is located to the east of Culham Station and on the X15 bus route from Abingdon to

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Berinsfield. Future consideration could be given to providing a bus link between the employment and technology centres at Harwell Chilton Campus and Culham Science Park.

Frequency of service to/from Harwell Chilton Campus Operator Service Route Monday to Saturday Evening (after 18.30) Sunday number daytime Newbury 6 Newbury-Chieveley-Beedon-Harwell Chilton 120 minutes No service No service Buses Campus-Harwell village-Didcot 9 Newbury-Hermitage-Hampstead Norreys- 120 minutes No service No service Compton-Harwell Chilton Campus-Harwell village-Didcot Stagecoach 32 Oxford-Abingdon-Culham-Sutton Courtenay- 60 minutes 2 journeys, terminating at No service Milton Park-Didcot-Harwell village-Harwell Wantage with onward Chilton Campus-Hendreds-Ardington-Wantage- connection via service 31 Grove-East Hanney-Marcham-Abingdon-Oxford

33 As above, reversed 60 minutes 3 journeys: 17.15 and No service 18.15 departures from Oxford; 20.24 departure from Wantage to Campus

34 Oxford-Abingdon-Drayton-Steventon-Harwell Monday-Friday only: 1 No service No service Chilton Campus-A417-Wantage journey in each direction (journey-to/from-work flow) Abingdon 94 Didcot-Blewbury-Didcot-Harwell Chilton Monday-Friday only: 1 No service No service Buses Campus journey to Harwell 95 Harwell Chilton Campus-Didcot-East Monday-Friday only: 1 No service No service Hagbourne-Blewbury-Aston Upthorpe-South journey from Harwell Moreton-North Moreton-Didcot Figure 3.5 Bus services to Harwell Chilton Campus from 26 March 2006

Buses serving Milton Park

3.3.17 Figure 3.6 shows bus routes serving Milton Park and service frequencies with effect from 26 March 2006.

3.3.18 There are now two buses per hour linking Oxford, Abingdon, Milton Park and Didcot, complemented by the retention of services at hourly frequency on evenings and Sundays. The shuttle service between Milton Park and Didcot Parkway, procured privately by MEPC, will continue to operate. Information supplied by MEPC shows there are an average of 3,500 single user trips on the shuttle service per week. This is borne out by the findings of the on-bus surveys co-ordinated by Halcrow.

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Frequency of service to/from Milton Park Operator Service Route Monday to Saturday Evening (after 18.30) Sunday number daytime Stagecoach 32 Oxford-Abingdon-Culham-Sutton Courtenay- 60 minutes 2 journeys, terminating at No service Milton Park-Didcot-Harwell village-Harwell Wantage with onward Chilton Campus-Hendreds-Ardington-Wantage- connection via service 31 Grove-East Hanney-Marcham-Abingdon-Oxford

33 As above, reversed 60 minutes 2 journeys: 17.15 from No service Oxford via Wantage scheduled to serve Milton Park at 19.10 Oxford Bus 35A Oxford-Abingdon-Milton Park-Didcot 60 minutes See service 35B 120 minutes (overlap Company with 35B) 35B Oxford-Abingdon-Milton Park-Didcot See service 35A 60 minutes 120 minutes (overlap with 35A) Courtney [Milton Didcot Parkway-Milton Park Monday-Friday: 10 No service No service Coaches Park minutes a.m. and p.m. Shuttle] peak, declining to 60/90 minutes inter-peak

Figure 3.6 Bus services to Milton Park from 26 March 2006

Wantage and Grove to Swindon

3.3.19 There is no direct bus service on Mondays to Fridays from the study area to Swindon. Heyfordian Travel operates service 67A linking Wantage with Faringdon in the west of the county, from where it is possible to change to Stagecoach service 65 towards Swindon. However, there is only one off-peak journey operated year- round on route 67A each weekday; additional journeys only operate in college holidays.

3.3.20 Weavaway Travel operates the X47 Ridgeway Explorer service on Saturdays. This service provides 3 journeys between Wantage and Swindon, permitting shopping journeys as well as access for ramblers to the Ridgeway Path. The route serves the villages of Letcombe Regis, Childrey, Kingston Lisle and Uffington.

Summary

3.3.21 The existing pattern of bus services from Wantage and Grove to Oxford via the A338 is significantly better than the level of service afforded to customers travelling to the east or west of Wantage. The A338 corridor has a 30-minute frequency service, provided by express route X30 during the daytime on Mondays through Fridays. This is complemented by a single journey in each direction per hour on routes 32 and 33 and by morning peak, evening, Saturday and Sunday journeys on route 31.

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3.3.22 Although Stagecoach services 32 and 33 provide access from Wantage and Grove to the major employment sites at Harwell Chilton Campus and Milton Park, the service frequency on Mondays through Saturdays in the peak and off-peak is at the minimum to meet the specification for a secondary Interlink route. The journey is made longer through the need to deviate south of the A417 to serve Ardington and the Hendreds. Prior studies, coupled with projections associated with proposed residential developments, have also identified issues with peak-hour delays on the approaches to Rowstock Roundabout. The quality of vehicles used on this corridor varies significantly and the majority are of the less-accessible step- entrance type. Adverse comments have been made about information and infrastructure in situ on route. These factors combine to make travel by bus a less attractive option than car.

3.3.23 The mainly rural area south of Didcot, including the villages of Upton and Blewbury, has a basic service focussed on trips to the principal local centre and railhead at Didcot. There is a nominal service linking this area to the major employment site at Harwell Chilton Campus.

3.3.24 The Campus and Milton Park are both served by two through buses per hour from Didcot, with effect from 26 March 2006. In addition, shuttle buses operated on behalf of MEPC link Didcot Parkway with Milton Park, with the focus on peak- period travel.

3.4 Existing passenger rail services 3.4.1 The principal rail station in the study area is Didcot Parkway. The station is an important node on the rail network, representing the main access point to train services in the south of the county as well as being the alighting station for people travelling to work at local employment centres such as Milton Park.

3.4.2 Approximately 100 passenger trains in each direction serve Didcot Parkway each day. Over a third of the services are express services operated by First Great Western between London Paddington and or South Wales. The majority of services are local and semi-fast regional trains, also operated by First Great Western, running between London Paddington or Reading and Oxford, Bicester, Banbury and destinations on the .

3.4.3 It is possible to use First Great Western services from Didcot Parkway to connect with inter-regional journeys, operated by Virgin CrossCountry, to the Midlands, the North and the South Coast, at Oxford or Reading.

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3.4.4 FirstGroup has been awarded the Greater Western passenger rail franchise, which incorporating the Great Western Link and Wessex Trains operations. A new timetable starts on 10 December 2006, incorporating some reductions in train frequency.

3.4.5 Proposals costed at £3 million have been put forward for enhancements to the transport interchange at Didcot Parkway (jointly funded from developer contributions and the rail industry). In February 2006 the County Council commissioned a strategic assessment of two high-cost schemes in the Didcot area to identify which scheme should be prioritised for receipt of existing developer contributions. It was concluded that enhancing the interchange at Didcot Parkway, rather than funding an additional subway at Cow Lane, would realise the greatest benefit for the investment made. This decision was endorsed in the recently- adopted Local Transport Plan.

.

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4 Travel patterns

4.1 Introduction 4.1.1 In order to determine a strategy for the development and promotion of public transport and identify appropriate measures to be implemented, it is necessary to gauge existing and likely future demand for travel overall and the proportion of people who are already, or are likely to be, public transport customers.

4.1.2 Considerable work has been undertaken in conjunction with both the Wantage and Grove Area Strategic Transport Study and Didcot area transport model into existing and future traffic flows, focussing on movements to and from workplaces in the morning and evening peak periods, when pressure on the road network is greatest.

4.1.3 In addition, Halcrow recently co-ordinated a programme of on-bus surveys, covering 15 routes, to gather information on use of existing services in the area encompassing Didcot, Harwell, Wantage and Grove. Responses were obtained from more than 500 bus users, who provided details of their current journey purpose, frequency of use and perceptions of the service provided. The objective was to help inform the County Council’s decision-making process on public transport expenditure.

4.1.4 Proposed residential development and new employment opportunities in the area will generate additional travel demand. Consideration has to be given to how these new trips, coupled with redistributed trips between new and established developments, can be allowed for. This may be through enhancement and promotion of more sustainable modes, improved transport network management and investment in new infrastructure where appropriate.

4.2 Principal flows Current traffic flows

4.2.1 Traffic counts carried out in the study area in 2002 and 2004, used to inform the Wantage and Grove Area Strategic Transport Study, revealed that in the period from 0800 to 0900 during the morning peak, movements along A417 east of Wantage and along A338 north of Wantage account for the greatest flows of traffic within the study area. The recorded flow in both directions on A417

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between Harwell and Rowstock Roundabout was more than four times the equivalent flow on A338 south of Wantage. One-third more movements were recorded between Harwell and Rowstock than on A417 at the former Challow Station, west of Wantage.

4.2.2 Figure 4.1 below summarises the morning peak traffic flow data, when the majority of employment-related journeys take place and also shows the two-way flows for a twelve hour period between 0700 and 1900. Flows in the 12-hour period for the east-west A417 are higher than those for the north-south A338 corridor.

Location Two-way traffic flow 0800-0900 Two-way traffic flow 0700-1900 A417 between Harwell and Rowstock 890 6985 A338 north of Frilford Lights 770 5795 A417 at Challow Station 645 6310 A338 between Ridgeway and West 225 2340 Berkshire boundary Figure 4.1 Two-way traffic flows on key axes within the study area

4.2.3 Traffic count data also revealed a very high proportion of morning peak movements in the immediate vicinity of Wantage and Grove on the A417 east of its junction with Charlton Village Road. There were a total of 1315 recorded movements in both directions between 0800 and 0900. The bi-directional morning peak flow recorded on A338 immediately north of the Great Western Main Line was slightly higher, with 1360 recorded movements.

Census information

4.2.4 Data from the 2001 census has been used to inform development of the Wantage and Grove Area Strategic Transport Study, the Didcot Area Integrated Transport Strategy and the Didcot area transport model. The census information includes details of workplace location and modes of transport used to make the journey to work.

4.2.5 Figure 4.2 below illustrates the location of employment for residents of Wantage and Grove, based on the census data.

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11%

38% Wantage & Grove Oxford 23% Harwell IBC & Milton Park Abingdon Didcot Other Oxfordshire Outside Oxfordshire 3%

7% 9% 9%

Figure 4.2: workplace location for residents of Wantage and Grove

4.2.6 Figure 4.2 reveals that:

• Significantly, 38% of people living in Wantage or Grove also work within Wantage or Grove; • 9% of respondents stated they worked in Oxford; • A further 9% advised that their principal workplace was either at Harwell Chilton Campus or at Milton Park; • 23% of people stated they worked elsewhere within Oxfordshire; and • 11% of Wantage and Grove residents indicated that they worked outside Oxfordshire.

4.2.7 Analysis for the Strategic Transport Study determined that 2% of movements from Wantage and Grove to workplaces outside the County were to the Swindon area, accounting for approximately 150 journeys to work. A further 3% of movements were to London, Newbury or Reading.

4.2.8 The analysis of workplace-related data confirmed that over two-thirds (67%) of journeys to workplaces located in Wantage and Grove originate within the two settlements, although there is a high incidence of working from home; 750 out of 3,480 respondents were home workers. 3% of employees working in Wantage and Grove travel from Abingdon, with a further 2% travelling from Oxford and 2% from Didcot.

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801 + JTW OXFORD

Current demand for Journey to Work by all modes

WEST OXFORDSHIRE 663 JTW 21% Other Oxfordshire

VALE OF THE 108 JTW WHITE HORSE Abingdon 3%

SOUTH OXFORDSHIRE

21 JTW 0 JTW 5% 0% Didcot Grove 90 JTW 3 JTW 12% 61 JTW 3% 11% Wallingford Wantage Milton Harwell IBC Park 240 JTW 15% Current Total Demand for Journey to Work from Abingdon (all day - from 2001 census data)

Not all movements will be made every weekday, due to leave, sickness absence, etc Based upon Ordnance Survey Data with the Permission Outside Figure 4.3 of Majesty's Stationary Office. Crown Copyright Reserved. Oxfordshire Licence No. LA076805 Oxfordshire County Council. 0 - 50 JTW 0 - 40 JTW Current Demand for Journey CHERWELL 51 - 100 JTW 41 - 80 JTW to Work by Public Transport 81 - 150 JTW between Major Centres in the 101 - 200 JTW 151 - 300 JTW Study Area 201 - 400 JTW 301 + JTW Exact figure is overlayed on green line 401 - 800 JTW Percentages show proportion of total movements being made by Public Transport

801 + JTW OXFORD

Current demand for Journey to Work by all modes

WEST OXFORDSHIRE

306 JTW Other 26% Oxfordshire

VALE OF THE WHITE HORSE Abingdon

SOUTH OXFORDSHIRE 66 JTW 96 JTW 8% 3%

0 JTW Didcot Grove 0% 101 JTW 3 JTW 72 JTW 9% Wallingford 3% 11% Wantage Milton Harwell IBC Park

702 JTW Current Total Demand for 29% Journey to Work from Didcot (all day - from 2001 census data)

Not all movements will be made every weekday, due to leave, sickness absence, etc Based upon Ordnance Survey Data with the Permission Figure 4.4 Outside of Majesty's Stationary Office. Crown Copyright Reserved. Oxfordshire Licence No. LA076805 Oxfordshire County Council. 0 - 50 JTW 0 - 40 JTW Current Demand for Journey CHERWELL 51 - 100 JTW 41 - 80 JTW to Work by Public Transport 81 - 150 JTW between Major Centres in the 101 - 200 JTW 151 - 300 JTW Study Area 201 - 400 JTW 301 + JTW Exact figure is overlayed on green line 401 - 800 JTW Percentages show proportion of total movements being made by Public Transport

801 + JTW OXFORD

Current demand for Journey to Work by all modes

WEST OXFORDSHIRE 57 JTW 16% Other Oxfordshire

VALE OF THE WHITE HORSE Abingdon 15 JTW

2% SOUTH OXFORDSHIRE 36 JTW 11%

Didcot Grove 0 JTW 0% 51JTW 3 JTW 9 JTW 8% 1% Wallingford Wantage Milton 3% Harwell IBC 42 JTW Park 10%

Current Total Demand for Journey to Work from Grove (all day - from 2001 census data)

Not all movements will be made every weekday, due to leave, sickness absence, etc Based upon Ordnance Survey Data with the Permission Outside Figure 4.5 of Majesty's Stationary Office. Crown Copyright Reserved. Oxfordshire Licence No. LA076805 Oxfordshire County Council. 0 - 50 JTW 0 - 40 JTW Current Demand for Journey CHERWELL 51 - 100 JTW 41 - 80 JTW to Work by Public Transport 81 - 150 JTW between Major Centres in the 101 - 200 JTW 151 - 300 JTW Study Area 201 - 400 JTW 301 + JTW Exact figure is overlayed on green line 401 - 800 JTW Percentages show proportion of total movements being made by Public Transport

801 + JTW OXFORD

Current demand for Journey to Work by all modes

WEST OXFORDSHIRE

3 JTW Other 9% Oxfordshire

VALE OF THE WHITE HORSE Abingdon

SOUTH OXFORDSHIRE 0 JTW 0%

0 JTW 0%

Didcot Grove 0 JTW 0% 0 JTW 0 JTW 0 JTW 0% Wallingford Wantage 0% Milton Harwell IBC Park 0%

33 JTW Current Total Demand for 26% Journey to Work from Harwell Chilton Campus (all day - from 2001 census data)

Not all movements will be made every weekday, due to leave, sickness absence, etc Based upon Ordnance Survey Data with the Permission of Majesty's Stationary Office. Crown Copyright Reserved. Figure 4.6 Outside Oxfordshire Licence No. LA076805 Oxfordshire County Council. 0 - 50 JTW 0 - 40 JTW Current Demand for Journey CHERWELL 51 - 100 JTW 41 - 80 JTW to Work by Public Transport 81 - 150 JTW between Major Centres in the 101 - 200 JTW 151 - 300 JTW Study Area 201 - 400 JTW 301 + JTW Exact figure is overlayed on green line 401 - 800 JTW Percentages show proportion of total movements being made by Public Transport

801 + JTW OXFORD

Current demand for Journey to Work by all modes

WEST OXFORDSHIRE

147 JTW

VALE OF THE 13% WHITE HORSE Abingdon

SOUTH OXFORDSHIRE

9 JTW 36 JTW 0 JTW 12% 10% 0% 69 JTW 11% Didcot Grove 33 JTW 12% Wallingford Wantage Milton Harwell IBC Park

Current Total Demand for Journey to Work from Oxford City (all day - from 2001 census data)

Not all movements will be made every weekday, due to leave, sickness absence, etc Based upon Ordnance Survey Data with the Permission Figure 4.7 of Majesty's Stationary Office. Crown Copyright Reserved. Licence No. LA076805 Oxfordshire County Council. 0 - 40 JTW Current Demand for Journey 0 - 50 JTW CHERWELL 51 - 100 JTW 41 - 80 JTW to Work by Public Transport 81 - 150 JTW between Major Centres in the 101 - 200 JTW 151 - 300 JTW Study Area 201 - 400 JTW 301 + JTW Exact figure is overlayed on green line 401 - 800 JTW Percentages show proportion of total movements being made by Public Transport

801 + JTW OXFORD

Current demand for Journey to Work by all modes

WEST OXFORDSHIRE 3 JTW

10% Other Oxfordshire

VALE OF THE WHITE HORSE Abingdon

SOUTH 0 JTW OXFORDSHIRE 12 JTW 0% 21%

Didcot Grove 0 JTW 0% 3 JTW 7% 0 JTW Wallingford Wantage 0% Milton 0 JTW Harwell IBC Park 0%

Current Total Demand for 3 JTW Journey to Work from Milton Park 8% (all day - from 2001 census data)

Not all movements will be made every weekday, due to leave, sickness absence, etc Based upon Ordnance Survey Data with the Permission of Majesty's Stationary Office. Crown Copyright Reserved. Figure 4.8 Outside Oxfordshire Licence No. LA076805 Oxfordshire County Council. 0 - 50 JTW 0 - 40 JTW Current Demand for Journey CHERWELL 51 - 100 JTW 41 - 80 JTW to Work by Public Transport 81 - 150 JTW between Major Centres in the 101 - 200 JTW 151 - 300 JTW Study Area 201 - 400 JTW 301 + JTW Exact figure is overlayed on green line 401 - 800 JTW Percentages show proportion of total movements being made by Public Transport

801 + JTW OXFORD

Current demand for Journey to Work by all modes

WEST OXFORDSHIRE

72 JTW Other 16% Oxfordshire

VALE OF THE WHITE HORSE Abingdon 21 JTW

2% SOUTH OXFORDSHIRE 27 JTW 7%

Grove Didcot 3 JTW 3 JTW 3% 2% Wallingford 45 JTW Harwell IBC Wantage 9 JTW 13% 72 JTW 3% Milton 11% Park

Current Total Demand for Journey to Work from Wantage (all day - from 2001 census data)

Not all movements will be made every weekday, due to leave, sickness absence, etc Outside Based upon Ordnance Survey Data with the Permission Figure 4.9 of Majesty's Stationary Office. Crown Copyright Reserved. Oxfordshire Licence No. LA076805 Oxfordshire County Council. 0 - 50 JTW 0 - 40 JTW Current Demand for Journey CHERWELL 51 - 100 JTW 41 - 80 JTW to Work by Public Transport 81 - 150 JTW between Major Centres in the 101 - 200 JTW 151 - 300 JTW Study Area 201 - 400 JTW 301 + JTW Exact figure is overlayed on green line 401 - 800 JTW Percentages show proportion of total movements being made by Public Transport

801 + JTW OXFORD

Current demand for Journey to Work by all modes

WEST OXFORDSHIRE

Other Oxfordshire

VALE OF THE WHITE HORSE Abingdon 209 JTW 4% SOUTH OXFORDSHIRE

81 JTW 0 JTW 4% 0% Didcot Grove 65 JTW 39 JTW 3% 51 JTW 5% 4% Wallingford Wantage Milton Harwell IBC Park

Current Total Demand for Journey to Work from Other Oxfordshire (all day - from 2001 census data)

Not all movements will be made every weekday, due to leave, sickness absence, etc Based upon Ordnance Survey Data with the Permission Figure 4.10 of Majesty's Stationary Office. Crown Copyright Reserved. Licence No. LA076805 Oxfordshire County Council. 0 - 50 JTW 0 - 40 JTW Current Demand for Journey CHERWELL 51 - 100 JTW 41 - 80 JTW to Work by Public Transport 81 - 150 JTW between Major Centres in the 101 - 200 JTW 151 - 300 JTW Study Area 201 - 400 JTW 301 + JTW Exact figure is overlayed on green line 401 - 800 JTW Percentages show proportion of total movements being made by Public Transport

801 + JTW OXFORD

Current demand for Journey to Work by all modes WEST OXFORDSHIRE

VALE OF THE WHITE HORSE Abingdon

SOUTH OXFORDSHIRE

36 JTW 2%

Didcot Grove 3 JTW 57 JTW 2% Harwell IBC 7% Wallingford Wantage Milton 54 JTW 3 JTW Park 1% 54 JTW 8% 4%

Current Total Demand for Journey to Work from outside Oxfordshire (all day - from 2001 census data)

Not all movements will be made every weekday, due to leave, sickness absence, etc Based upon Ordnance Survey Data with the Permission Outside of Majesty's Stationary Office. Crown Copyright Reserved. Figure 4.11 Licence No. LA076805 Oxfordshire County Council. Oxfordshire

4.2.9 Analysis of census data was also undertaken to inform development of the Didcot Area Integrated Transport Strategy (DIDITS). The analysis focussed on movements between the study area and key settlements. The aims were to determine overall travel demand, assess potential demand for public transport and to understand where re-routeing might occur as a result of the implementation of new infrastructure or services.

4.2.10 Figures 4.3 through 4.11 illustrate the current demand for travel overall between the major urban and employment centres and the relative proportion of movements by public transport, drawing on census data. The Figures illustrate that the current level of public transport use for Journey to Work movements varies significantly, from no employment-related bus trips between Abingdon and Grove (partly due to the distance from current bus routes to Grove’s main employment site at Grove Technology Park) to a 26% mode share for public transport between Didcot and Oxford where there are bus and train options. The percentage mode share for public transport – bus and train combined - for movements between the main centres, where known, is shown in Figure 4.12.

DESTINATIONS ORIGINS Abingdon Didcot Grove Harwell Milton Wantage Oxford other outside Chilton Park City Oxfordshire Oxfordshire Campus Abingdon 2% 5% 0% 11% 12% 3% 21% 3% 15% Didcot 8% 1% 0% 11% 9% 3% 26% 3% 29% Grove 11% 0% 1% 3% 1% 8% 16% 2% 10% Harwell Chilton Campus 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 9% 0% 26% Milton Park 21% 7% 0% 0% 0% 0% 10% 0% 8% Wantage 7% 2% 3% 13% 3% 1% 16% 2% 11% Oxford City 13% 10% 0% 12% 11% 12% other Oxfordshire 4% 4% 0% 4% 3% 5% outside Oxfordshire 2% 7% 2% 8% 4% 1%

Figure 4.12: Public transport use for Journey to Work as percentage of total Journey to Work movements (from reference to 2001 Census data)

4.2.11 The findings of DIDITS support the conclusion that the principal traffic movements are work-related. The analysis established that:

• More people commute out from Didcot to work than commute inwards to employment sites in the town, specifically excluding Milton Park – this is reflected in Figure 4.4;

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• Similarly, more out-commuting occurs from Wantage and Grove than inward movements to workplaces in the two settlements, with out- commuting from Grove exceeding inward movements almost fourfold; • Oxford is the primary destination for journeys to work originating in Didcot, followed by Milton Park, Abingdon, the Harwell Chilton Campus and Reading; • Oxford is also the primary destination for journeys to work originating in Wantage and Grove, followed by Abingdon then Harwell Chilton Campus and Didcot; and • Milton Park is the employment site that attracts the largest number of journeys to work, followed by Harwell Chilton Campus, then Culham Science Centre.

Roadside interview surveys

4.2.12 A series of roadside interview surveys were undertaken at key locations on the road network in the study area during September 2005. The objective was to obtain information about drivers’ journey origin, destination and purpose to assist the development of the SATURN traffic model covering the Didcot and Wantage area.

4.2.13 Analysis of available survey results for sites on major roads and the approaches to the main employment sites has been carried out as part of this study. The analysis revealed that:

• Out of 971 respondents travelling eastbound on A417 towards Wantage at the Challow survey site between 07.00 and 19.00, 327 (34%) were travelling to work or making a business trip in the morning peak; • Of the eastbound travellers surveyed on A417 at Challow between 07.30 and 09.00, 55% originated from the rural SN7 postcode area that includes Faringdon, and Uffington. As shown in Figure 4.13, 61% of those questioned indicated they were travelling to destinations in Grove and Wantage, with a further 13% bound for Didcot;

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Destinations stated by interviewees eastbound on A417 at Challow

26% Grove & Wantage Didcot 61% Other 13%

Figure 4.13: Destinations stated by interviewees eastbound on A417 at Challow

• Of 581 people surveyed between 08.00 and 18.00 when heading eastbound on the B4507 between Childrey and Wantage, 135 (23%) stated they were travelling to work, with a further 60 people (10%) travelling on work-related business. 108 of these respondents were making these work- related journeys between 07.30 and 09.00; • 56% of respondents travelling east on the B4507 in the morning peak originated from the rural area west of Wantage, with a further 28% from Swindon Borough, the eastern part of Wiltshire and West Oxfordshire District. Wantage was the destination for 29% of journeys, with a further 17% bound for Grove. Just 6% (12 respondents) using this road between 08.00 and 09.00 cited Harwell Chilton campus as their destination, with a further 6% bound for Milton Park; • 1026 responses were secured from drivers travelling south on the A338 at East Hanney, towards Grove and Wantage. 147 of those questioned between 07.30 and 09.00 were making a work related journey. 36% of journeys made on this axis in the morning peak originated from Abingdon, Frilford or Marcham. 83% of those questioned in this morning peak period were travelling to the OX12 postcode area covering Grove and Wantage; • 1364 responses were obtained from people travelling south from Abingdon on the B4017 Drayton Road between 07.00 and 19.00. 35% of respondents in this 12-hour period indicated their journeys were work- related;

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• 79% of those questioned – 182 people – using the B4017 southbound from Abingdon in the morning peak between 07.30 and 09.00 stated they were travelling to work. As shown in Figure 4.14, responses from 42% indicated they were travelling to the Milton Park area. A further 19% cited destination postcodes on Harwell Chilton campus;

Destinations stated by interviewees southbound on B4017 south of Abingdon, 07.30-09.00

39% 42% Milton Park Harwell Chilton Campus Other

19%

Figure 4.14: Destinations stated by interviewees southbound on B4017 south of Abingdon in morning peak

• A total of 1,399 responses were secured from people travelling west on the A4130 at Milton Hill, between the A34 Milton Interchange and the B4017 junction. 259 people (94%) using this link between 07.30 and 09.00 were travelling to work or were on business. As Figure 4.15 shows, 175 of these respondents (57%) stated they were bound for Harwell Chilton Campus. A further 14% of the total number travelling in the morning peak were travelling to destinations in the OX13 6 postcode sub-area covering Frilford and Marcham, with most likely to turn right onto B4017 west of the survey site;

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Destinations stated by interviewees westbound on A4130 west of Milton Interchange, 07.30-09.00

Harwell Chilton Campus 29% OX13 6xx Postcode Sub- Area (Frilford-Marcham- 57% Steventon) 14% Other

Figure 4.15: Destinations stated by interviewees westbound on A4130 at Milton Hill in morning peak

• Responses were obtained from 915 people using the eastbound A417 at the turn. 37% of journeys made during the entire 12- hour survey period were work-related; and • As might be expected, given that the A417 forms the most direct route to Reading, 44% of respondents using the link between 07.30 and 09.00 stated their destinations were in the Reading area. A further 27% were bound for Wallingford and 17% cited destinations in the Blewbury area 2 miles east of the survey location.

4.2.14 The results from analysing available roadside survey data show that the predominant movements from the rural area west of Wantage that occur in the morning peak period – the time when the greatest pressure is placed on the highway network - are to the town itself and to Grove. As is to be expected given the road alignment, over 80% of southbound movements on the A338 at East Hanney in the morning peak are also to Grove or Wantage.

4.2.15 The area in the vicinity of the A4130 and the B4017 is heavily peaked with people undertaking journeys to work. A significant proportion (42%) of trips on the B4017 from the Abingdon direction in the morning peak are to Milton Park but a large percentage is attributable to people travelling to Harwell Chilton Campus (57% on the westbound A4130 at Milton Hill, 19% on the B4017 south of Abingdon). The A34/A4130 junction is the nearest junction for traffic heading to Harwell Chilton Campus from the north as the A34/A4185 junction, which is closer to the Campus, is only available to traffic from the south.

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4.2.16 The A417 at West Hagbourne in the south-east of the study area showed a strong flow towards Reading, which is to be expected as this road is one of the main links from south Oxfordshire towards Reading.

Modal split for journeys to work

4.2.17 Analysis of census data undertaken in conjunction with both the Wantage and Grove Strategic Transport Study and Didcot Integrated Transport Strategy confirmed that the majority of journeys to work are made as a car driver.

4.2.18 Figure 4.16 depicts the mode share for journeys originating in Wantage and Grove.

4000

3500

3000

2500

2000

1500

1000

500

0 Oxford Wantage & Harw ell IBC & Abingdon Didcot Other Outside Grove Milton Park Oxfordshire Oxf ordshire

Other On Foot Bicycle Car-Pass Car-Driver Bus Train Works mainly at Home

Figure 4.16: mode share for journeys originating in Wantage and Grove

4.2.19 Figure 4.16 reinforces the statistics in Figure 4.12, illustrating that current mode share for public transport for journeys to work originating in Wantage and Grove is low overall when compared with car. As might be expected given the topography and location of rail stations, most people using the train are travelling to destinations outside Oxfordshire. The principal destination for work-related journeys made by bus from Wantage and Grove is Oxford.

4.2.20 An assessment of demand for bus travel carried out during development of the Didcot Integrated Transport Strategy, also confirmed the overall numbers

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travelling by bus within the Strategy area to be much lower than by car. However, the number of work-related bus journeys to established employment sites contributes significantly towards reducing congestion. For example, 271 census respondents from across Oxfordshire whose principal workplace was Harwell Chilton Campus stated that they travelled by bus, accounting for almost 7% of regular work-related journeys to this destination.

4.2.21 Although 72% of existing bus users in the Didcot and Wantage area stated they did not own a car when surveyed in October 2005 and January 2006, 13% (74 people) said that they did have a car available for the journey they were currently making. This implies a degree of user awareness of the mode choices available to them and/or disincentives to car use, such as the cost of parking at or near their intended destination. The nature of the survey did not allow for gathering of information on why these respondents had chosen bus in preference to car.

Current bus use: journey purpose, frequency and destinations

4.2.22 On-bus surveys in the Didcot and Wantage area were carried out in the morning peak and off-peak periods on 15 local bus routes during October 2005 and January 2006. The survey programme covered 50 journeys. The number of journeys surveyed between 0800 and 0900 as a proportion of those operated in this morning peak period, together with an extrapolation of useage, is shown in Figure 4.17 below.

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Operator name Service Sector surveyed Number of Journeys surveyed between Number Extrapolation: (both directions) journeys 0700 and 0900 as % of total boarding indicative current surveyed in departures on route (both surveyed demand on all morning peak directions) in morning peak journeys journeys 0700- period 0700- 0900 at time of 0900 survey Abingdon Bus Co 94 Didcot-Blewbury- 150%612 Didcot 95 North Moreton-Didcot 1 50% 10 20

Courtney Milton Park Didcot Parkway-Milton 3 21% 117 557 Coaches Shuttle Park Newbury Buses 6 Chilton-Didcot 0 n/a - no morning peak journeys 0 0 9 Chilton-Didcot 1 50% 1 2 Oxford Bus Co 35A Oxford-Didcot 5 71% 290 408 Stagecoach 31 Wantage-Abingdon 3 50% 48 96 Oxford 32 Grove-Didcot 5 83% 160 193 34 Harwell-Wantage 1 100% 9 9 44 Milton-Abingdon 1 100% 14 14 X31 Wantage-Marcham 3 60% 82 137 Thames Travel 107 Didcot- 4 100% 27 27 130 Didcot-Wallingford 2 40% 52 130 Whites Coaches 38 Grove-Wantage- 0 n/a - no morning peak journeys 0 0 Childrey 92 Didcot town service 0 n/a - no morning peak journeys 0 0 93 Didcot town service 0 n/a - no morning peak journeys 0 0 Totals 30 816 1605 Figure 4.17 – extrapolation to show current demand for bus services in the Didcot Wantage area

4.2.23 Figure 4.17 shows that, after extrapolation from the results of the board and alight surveys, there are over 1,600 existing bus users travelling between 0700 and 0900 daily.

4.2.24 The survey also revealed that:

• Almost 49% of people surveyed (270 out of 556 respondents to the customer questionnaire) were travelling to their usual workplace; and • A further 26% were using the bus to get to school, college or another educational facility.

4.2.25 This statistic shows that, as might be expected, the majority of bus journeys made in the morning peak and off-peak are for utility purposes, as opposed to travel to leisure or recreational facilities. Figures 4.18 and 4.19 illustrate this fact, drawing on the results of morning peak and off-peak surveys on routes 35A and 32:

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Service 35A Oxford-Didcot Going home Percentages reflect proportion of total passengers travelling to usual workplace Going to usual workplace

I am on company 22% business Going to school/college 22131 Off-peak 0% Shopping

2 Personal business Off-peak 79% Visiting friends / relatives 1348 A.M. Peak Recreation/leisure 59% Other 113611 A.M. Peak

0650 0712 0902 1107 Multiple Reasons

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 No Response

Figure 4.18: journey purposes on morning peak and off-peak journeys on service 35A towards Didcot

Service 32 Didcot-Harwell/Wantage Going home Percentages reflect proportion of total passengers travelling to usual workplace Going to usual workplace

20% I am on company business

Going to school/college 1 6 11 6 3 111 Off-peak Shopping 43% 1 3 111 Personal business A.M. Peak

93% Visiting friends / relatives 14 1 A.M. Peak Recreation/leisure 83% Other 119111 A.M. Peak 0716 0820 0856 0902 Multiple Reasons

0102030 No Response

Figure 4.19: journey purposes on morning peak and off-peak journeys on service 32 towards Wantage

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4.2.26 Analysis of trends between journey purpose and frequency of journey showed that the highest proportion of bus trips made is work-related. 200 respondents travelling for work purposes indicated they used the bus every weekday. A further 116 respondents stated they travelled by bus to school, college or university each weekday.

4.2.27 The surveys established that the key movements in the area are to the main employment centres. It was found that:

• Wantage is the primary origin point for bus journeys, with almost 23% of respondents stating they had boarded the bus in the town; • Didcot Parkway and Didcot town centre each accounted for almost 12% of boarding passengers; • The highest incidence of passengers alighting was in Didcot centre (excluding Didcot Parkway), accounting for 20% of the total; • Oxford centre accounted for 19% of alighting; • Milton Park accounted for 14% of alighting; • The other principal destinations recorded were Abingdon (12%), Harwell Chilton Campus, accounting for 9.2% of alighting passengers and Wantage centre at 8.3%; and • 82% of recorded alighting took place at the above locations.

Other journey purposes

4.2.28 Previous studies have considered the incidence and impact of journeys made for purposes other than employment or education. It is recognised that other journey purposes do occur during the peak periods, but tend to be of a more local nature when considered as a proportion of the total number of journeys made.

4.2.29 The on-bus surveys also confirmed that the proportion of journeys made for reasons other than to access employment or education in the morning peak was comparatively very low. This is illustrated in Figure 4.20 which shows the split of journey purposes in the morning peak and off-peak, based on survey data from core routes 31, 32 and 35A and in Figure 4.21 which shows the percentage of people travelling on surveyed journeys on these routes in the peak and off-peak for each journey purpose. Travel for leisure purposes remains in single figures off- peak, although the proportion of shopping-related trips increases from 2% in the morning peak to 13% off-peak.

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Bus travel for all purposes - Peak compared to Off-Peak Derived from results of on-bus surveys on strategic routes 31, 32 and 35A Going to usual workplace

Going home

I am on company business

Going to school/college

13 7 11 17 10 2 2 3 3 5 Shopping Off-peak

Personal business journeys - all purposes

Visiting friends / relatives 58 4 2 31 2 2112 2

Peak Recreation/leisure

Peak versus Off-peak bus Other

0 102030405060708090100110

Number of people travelling Multiple Reasons

Figure 4.20: split of journey purposes for bus journeys made in the morning peak and off-peak (based on surveys undertaken on routes 31, 32 and 35A)

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Journey purpose Peak nos Off-peak nos Peak % Off-peak % Going home 4 7 4% 10% Going to usual workplace 58 13 57% 18% I am on company business 2 11 1% 16% Going to school/college 31 17 30% 24% Shopping 2 10 2% 13% Personal business 2 2 1% 3% Visiting friends / relatives 1 2 1% 3% Recreation/leisure 1 3 0% 4% Other 2 3 2% 4% Multiple Reasons 2 5 2% 7% TOTALS 103 71 100% 100%

Figure 4.21: number of trips and percentage of movements for each identified journey purpose in morning peak and off-peak periods on surveyed journeys on routes 31, 32 and 35A

4.3 Key trip generators Harwell Chilton Campus 4.3.1 There are over 100 organisations based on the Harwell Chilton Campus, which encompasses Harwell International Business Centre, the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, the Health Protection Agency and the Medical Research Council, currently employing around 4,500 people. Liaison with Ian Rodham of UKAEA, the operator of the International Business Centre and principal freeholder, has established that the split of residential locations is approximately as shown in Figure 4.22:

Area Approximate percentage of Approximate number of employees resident in area employees resident in area (%) Didcot 25 to 30 1225 to 1350 Abingdon 20 900 Wantage/Grove 30 1350 Oxford 5 to 10 225 to 450 Newbury/south of Campus 15 675

Figure 4.22: residential location of employees currently based at Harwell Chilton Campus

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4.3.2 Between 75 and 80% of employees live within the study area, with a further 5 to 10% commuting from Oxford, representing a large target market for public transport.

4.3.3 Although there is some shift working, principally associated with the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, the normal weekday working hours for over 90% of employees are 0900-1700, with allowance for flexible working.

4.3.4 In addition, there are an estimated 100-120,000 visitors per annum. Although no survey has been undertaken by UKAEA or tenant businesses on the Campus to determine journey origin and mode choice, anecdotal evidence suggests that the majority of visitors arrive by car. Ian Rodham has stated that UKAEA’s focus to date in respect of public transport has been to secure the operation of 3 or more buses per hour between the Campus and the railhead at Didcot Parkway, on the grounds that this is where the maximum potential for visitor mode change exists.

4.3.5 The Travel Plan developed by UKAEA in partnership with the County Council has been in operation for over three years. The Campus website www.harwell.org.uk incorporates details of the different mode options available to employees and visitors and provides links to bus timetables, individual operator websites and the Traveline public transport journey planner.

4.3.6 A car share scheme and associated website www.harwellcarshare.com has been established in conjunction with Liftshare; over 100 journey matches have been made. There is also anecdotal evidence of informal car sharing.

4.3.7 UKAEA contributes circa £70,000 per annum in total to Oxfordshire County and West Berkshire Councils to secure the continued operation of public bus services 6, 9, 32, 33, 34, 94 and 95 via the bus station on Campus. Approximately 7% of journeys made by employees to the campus are by bus. In addition, an internal shuttle bus operates at lunchtimes, although the future of this service is in doubt due to low patronage.

4.3.8 The existing bus station on the Campus comprises three quality waiting shelters and a static information display. An older shelter is located at the northern end of the layout and appears to be disused. The passenger information available is limited; there are no flags or route information vinyls to show where the services operate to. UKAEA advise that the facility is used by schoolchildren travelling

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from Wantage to the Downs School at Compton, who interchange from service 32 to service 9. It is also used by Stagecoach for bus layover.

4.3.9 Additionally, there are three pairs of bus stops located on the A4185 outside the campus; UKAEA is investigating the potential to upgrade these stops in conjunction with Harwell Parish Council and bus operators. Proposals to alter the Campus layout within the next ten years may enable re-routing of services via Street 9 and Rutherford Avenue, coupled with establishment of additional roadside stops in lieu of the bus station.

4.3.10 The Campus is now connected to the National Cycle Network Route 44 and there is an active Harwell Bicycle Users’ Group (HarBUG) with approximately 100 members.

4.3.11 Organisations based at Harwell Chilton Campus already make extensive use of teleworking and conference call facilities.

4.3.12 A full planning application was submitted to Vale of White Horse District Council in September 2006 by Four Pillars Hotels, in conjunction with UKAEA, for the construction of a hotel and associated leisure facilities on site. The application is currently pending consideration by the District Council.

4.3.13 An outline planning application was submitted to the District Council in July 2005 by UKAEA, for the construction of 275 dwellings on a 9.2 hectare site to the south of Chilton Field. This site was formerly occupied by prefabricated housing and lies immediately south of Harwell Chilton Campus and stretching south-west from the A34/A4185 Chilton Interchange. According to the District Council’s planning information portal, this outline application is currently pending consideration.

Milton Park

4.3.14 Milton Park is a mixed use commercial development located on the former ordnance factory site west-north-west of Didcot. Over 160 organisations are presently based on site, employing over 6,500 people. Only four companies currently operate 24 hours a day, with shift working.

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4.3.15 Principal freeholder MEPC has placed emphasis on mitigating the impact of its sites on the environment, through measures and policies such as landscaping, support for local environmental groups and development of Travel Plans.

4.3.16 Surveys to determine the travel patterns of and modes used by, employees based on site have been undertaken on a regular basis. MEPC’s database is currently being updated with data from surveys undertaken between 2002 and 2005. The survey forms are sent out to all tenants but MEPC advise that a significant number – up to 50 out of 160 businesses – do not provide responses.

4.3.17 The existing Travel Plan for Milton Park draws on the results of a traffic cordon survey carried out in 1999 and an employee travel questionnaire undertaken in 2000. Analysis of the results revealed that the mode share for car was 82%. 8% of journeys were made by bus and 7% by cycle, with the overall mode split being 82:18 for car against alternative modes.

4.3.18 In February 2006, MEPC engaged consultants to update the Travel Plan for Milton Park and review the document on a regular basis. In the interim, MEPC has added a covering note to the existing document, highlighting the measures in place to encourage use of alternative modes and travel-related issues. By extrapolating from base data collected in the 2004 employee questionnaire, MEPC estimate that the overall mode split has improved to 75:25.

4.3.19 The increase in journeys made by alternative modes is attributed by MEPC to the introduction of a contracted shuttle bus service linking Didcot Parkway station with Milton Park. There are 18 shuttle bus journeys in the period 0700-1000 between the station and the Park and 16 journeys in the reverse direction after 1600, with less frequent off-peak connections. Some 3,500 single trips are made on the shuttle bus each week. Partnership working involving businesses based on the Park has enabled the conversion of the two shuttle buses to run on biofuel.

4.3.20 Milton Park is also served by Stagecoach bus routes 32 and 33, linking Milton Park with Abingdon and Oxford to the north and Harwell, Wantage and Grove to the south and west, and routes 35A and 35B connecting the Park with Abingdon, Oxford and Didcot. The introduction of route 33 and extension of route 32, coupled with continued operation of route 35A in the daytime, means that there are again two buses per hour connecting Oxford, Abingdon, Milton Park and Didcot. This goes some way towards addressing concerns raised by MEPC and other stakeholders on route about infrequent

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services, although the connection to Wantage and Grove remains at hourly frequency.

4.3.21 The Milton Park website www.miltonpark.co.uk includes links to the Traveline journey planner and bus operator websites. Information on other mode options including bicycle and taxis is also provided.

4.3.22 MEPC administers a car share scheme in-house. This has been running for 3 years. There are approximately 85 registered participants and 20 identified ‘matches’. Tenant business RM has also established a car share scheme.

Culham Science Centre

4.3.23 Culham Science Centre was established in the early 1960s on the former Culham Airfield. The site covers 195 acres and is owned and managed by the UKAEA. Approximately 1,800 people work on the site. The focus of research undertaken at the site is on nuclear fusion.

4.3.24 UKAEA advise that no up-to-date information is available on the residential location of employees. Anecdotal evidence suggests that the largest proportion of employees travel from Abingdon with other origins – in decreasing order of importance - being Oxford, Didcot, Wantage and Grove.

Grove Technology Park

4.3.25 Grove Technology Park covers a 32-acre portion of the former Grove Airfield site, west of the existing Grove village. There are sixty small companies based in a business centre facility within the site and there are approximately 350 staff in total on site.

4.3.26 The Park is administered by Grove 2000 who advise that no information is available on the residential location of staff. No Travel Plan is presently in place; anecdotal evidence from the Grove 2000 team suggests that 95% of those working on site drive to the Park, with approximately 5% walking or cycling from Grove or Wantage.

Summary of existing travel patterns

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4.3.27 Analysis of source data and cross-reference to prior studies confirms that, as might be expected, the highest travel demand and hence the greatest pressure on the transport network occurs in the morning peak period as people make journeys to work and school or college.

4.3.28 The traffic counts revealed that the highest proportion of two-way movements on the strategic highway network, that the County Council is responsible for, occurred on the east-west A417 between Harwell village and Rowstock Roundabout. This artery provides access, via A4185, to Harwell Chilton Campus which the 2001 census data shows attracts the second largest number of journeys to work within the study area. It is also possible to reach Didcot via A417 and the B4493 through Harwell village, avoiding congestion at Milton Interchange. Roadside interviews carried out in the eastbound direction on A417 near West Hagbourne reveal a high incidence of movements on this axis towards Reading.

4.3.29 The second highest incidence of recorded traffic movements in both directions was on A338 north of the Frilford traffic lights. This is in line with the census data that shows that Oxford is the primary destination for journeys to work originating in Wantage and Grove that involve out-commuting from these urban centres, followed by Abingdon. It also tallies with the results of roadside interviews undertaken on the southbound A338 at East Hanney, where a comparatively high proportion of responses were secured, with 36% of journeys originating from the Abingdon, Frilford and Marcham area and 83% citing destinations in Grove and Wantage.

4.3.30 The roadside interviews and on-bus surveys both revealed a high number of movements from the Abingdon direction towards Milton Park in the morning peak. 42% of drivers using the B4017 south of Abingdon indicated they were travelling to Milton Park, with a further 19% giving destinations on the Harwell Chilton Campus. Board-and-alight surveys showed that Oxford Bus Company route 35A, linking Oxford, Abingdon, Milton Park and Didcot had the second highest patronage levels in the survey area. Other than the single journey on Stagecoach route 34, there is no regular bus service providing a link from Abingdon to Harwell. There are, however, buses every hour operating via Didcot.

4.3.31 Employment-related travel demand in the morning peak from the rural area west of Wantage is principally to workplaces in Grove and Wantage.

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4.4 Future projections 4.4.1 In addition to accommodating the increasing demand for travel arising from people already living and working in the study area, there is a considerable amount of new development that will add to the overall demand for travel, as outlined in Chapter 2. This section discusses future travel patterns in light of the proposed employment-related and residential developments.

4.4.2 As detailed in Chapter 2, the Structure Plan states that the two districts of South Oxfordshire and the Vale of White Horse need to accommodate over 14,000 additional dwellings and there is also considerable planned employment-related development. This provision is reflected in the Local Plans adopted by the respective districts and represented in Figures 4.23 and 4.24. A strategic highway model for the study area is currently being developed. Its purpose is to assess the impact of different levels of housing and employment growth and identify infrastructure requirements. On validation of the base model and following agreement on future year network and matrices, the trip rates and patterns of movement can be utilised to undertake a more detailed assessment of public transport enhancements. Information could be utilised to inform a more detailed assessment of options in a Stage 2 of this Study.

4.4.3 For the purpose of this Stage 1 Study, a provisional assessment has been made looking specifically at the potential likely future public transport usage by employees at the two main employment sites of Harwell Chilton Campus and Milton Park.

Milton Park

4.4.4 As already identified, around 6,500 people are currently employed at Milton Park. Of these employees, over 80% travel to work by car, with around 10% using public transport (source: Milton Park Travel Plan). This results in 700 people arriving by bus per day (almost 200 in the morning peak) and 180 using trains to get to Didcot Parkway and the shuttle bus to the Milton Park site (50 in the morning peak). There are almost 7500 car arrivals per day (including visitors), with almost 2000 in the morning peak alone.

4.4.5 Future expansion at Milton Park is anticipated to increase employee numbers by almost 40% to around 9000 (source: discussions with MEPC). The Masterplan for the future development of Milton Park focuses on provision of offices as opposed

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WEST OXFORDSHIRE

VALE OF THE WHITE HORSE Abingdon

SOUTH OXFORDSHIRE

Didcot Wantage and Grove 609 JTW 470 JTW Wallingford Milton Park Harwell IBC

Predicted Total Demand for Journey to Work in 2016 from Didcot to Milton Park and Harwell Chilton Campus

Not all movements will be made every weekday, due to leave, sickness absence, etc Based upon Ordnance Survey Data with the Permission Figure 4.25 of Majesty's Stationary Office. Crown Copyright Reserved. Licence No. LA076805 Oxfordshire County Council. 0 - 50 JTW 0 - 40 JTW 41 - 80 JTW CHERWELL 51 - 100 JTW 81 - 150 JTW 101 - 200 JTW 151 - 300 JTW 201 - 400 JTW 301 + JTW 401 - 800 JTW Predicted Public Transport (bus and train) demand for Journey to Work 801 + JTW Exact figure overlays green OXFORD bandwidths Current demand for Journey to Work by all modes

WEST OXFORDSHIRE

VALE OF THE WHITE HORSE Abingdon

SOUTH 218 JTW OXFORDSHIRE

Milton Wantage and Grove Park Didcot 45 JTW

Wallingford 218 JTW Harwell IBC

Predicted Total Demand for Journey to Work in 2016 from Wantage and Grove to Milton Park and Harwell Chilton Campus

Not all movements will be made every weekday, due to leave, sickness absence, etc Based upon Ordnance Survey Data with the Permission Figure 4.26 of Majesty's Stationary Office. Crown Copyright Reserved. Licence No. LA076805 Oxfordshire County Council.

to distribution warehouses. Office developments usually have a higher density of employees and hence will generate more passenger trips than warehouses.

4.4.6 MEPC’s view is that, as part of its planned expansion, it is willing to contribute to transport enhancements providing that there are discernable benefits in terms of improved access to the site. The site operator is focussed on securing improvements to the A34/A4130 Milton Interchange and strengthening or replacement of the existing bridge access across the Great Western Main Line at the western end the site.

4.4.7 In terms of the existing travel patterns and associated site development and housing development planned in the study area, it is anticipated that the number of people travelling from Didcot and Wantage and Grove will rise significantly, as shown in Figures 4.25 and 4.26. With limited interventions, and assuming a similar modal usage to today, this could result in some 600 public transport movements between Didcot and Milton Park per day (including on the rail station shuttle) and almost 50 from Wantage and Grove combined.

Harwell Chilton Campus

4.4.8 As already identified some 4,500 people are currently employed at Harwell Chilton Campus. Similarly to Milton Park, over 80% travel to work by car, though with only 7% using buses (source: based on Harwell employee survey and Milton Park comparisons). This still results in over 300 people arriving by bus per day. It is unclear how many use trains to access the Campus via Didcot Parkway station and buses/taxis, but could be up to 125 per day assuming similar numbers to Milton Park. There are over 5,100 car arrivals per day (including visitors), with 1,300 in the morning peak.

4.4.9 Information about the locations of employees at Harwell is less detailed than at Milton Park, though a significant number are known to live in the study area. Some 25%-30% of car users are from Didcot, and up to 30% from Wantage & Grove (source: based on Harwell employee survey and Milton Park comparisons). Public transport use is generally slightly lower than at Milton Park, but still accounts for some 160 bus trips per day from Didcot to the Campus (which does not include any using the rail station), and up to 130 from Wantage & Grove.

4.4.10 Following discussions with Ian Rodham at Harwell Chilton Campus, future expansion is anticipated to increase employee numbers by almost two thirds to

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around 7,500 (source: discussions with Harwell and declared plans). Ian Rodham advised that UKAEA is planning infrastructure provision on the basis of an additional 3,000 people being employed on site between 2006 and 2016. Based on the existing information on the residential location of employees, up to 80% of the additional staff are likely to commute from the Didcot, Grove, Wantage and Abingdon areas.

4.4.11 Thus, based on this information and the significant housing development planned in the study area, including that adjacent to the Harwell Campus itself, it is anticipated that with limited interventions, and assuming a similar modal usage to today, this could result in some 260 bus users travelling between Didcot and Harwell per day (plus potentially another 200 using trains and buses), and almost 220 from Wantage & Grove as shown in Figures 4.25 and 4.26.

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Other Non-Residential development sites

4.4.12 Information has been obtained on other sites that were allocated for Non- Residential development in April 2005. In general the areas of land involved are small, with the exception of: • Former railway land at Didcot Parkway (16.39 hectares): proposed use for B1, B2 or B8 offices or warehousing; • Land east of Didcot town centre (3.94 hectares): proposed use for Light Industry; • Didcot town centre (4.06 hectares): proposed use for Shops

4.4.13 These sites are all in close proximity to Didcot Parkway station, benefiting from good public transport links when compared with other sites in the study area.

Transport Networks Review

4.4.14 Overall trip-making in Oxfordshire was studied as part of the Transport Networks Review. This considered movements in a multi-modal transport model of an average hour of an average day in 2000, and provided forecasts of potential movements, based on potential future developments and trends in trip-making, to 2011 and 2021. While care should be taken in considering the results of a macro forecast disaggregated over the relatively small area covered by the study area, it is useful to illustrate the potential forecasts of changes in trip-making.

4.4.15 In 2000, the Wantage and Grove area generated some 767 trips to locations in the study area in an average hour (covering all modes and all trip purposes). Around 500 of these were destined for locations in Wantage and Grove, with some 19% of the remainder bound for the Milton Park area. The TNR model subsequently forecasts an increase of around 31% trips from Wantage and Grove by 2011 (to 1005 trips) with a further doubling from 2011 to 2021 (to 2151 trips).

4.4.16 Trips to the Milton Park area (encompassing the Milton Park site and some surrounding villages) are similarly forecast to increase in the TNR model. In the 2000 model, some 589 trips from the study area are destined for the Milton Park area. This is subsequently forecast to increase by 34% to 791 in 2011 and to 1563 by 2021 (an increase of over 2.5 times).

4.4.17 It is not possible to reliably isolate similar figures for trips destined for the Harwell Chilton Campus given the nature of the model network in the area.

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5 Conceptual networks

5.1 Introduction 5.1.1 This Chapter summarises the baseline situation and identifies issues affecting the transport network. It also presents options for conceptual public transport networks to meet the travel patterns outlined in Chapter 4 and identifies route strategies to allow for movements between the major urban and employment centres.

5.2 Baseline situation: present public transport network and transport network issues 5.2.1 The present public transport network in the study area is principally bus-based, although it is possible to travel by rail between Didcot Parkway and Oxford and to destinations outside the area.

5.2.2 The bus network comprises strategic and non-core routes, as described in section 3.3, and seeks to meet a range of journey purposes. Although in general it is possible to make a direct journey between the major centres, some routes are convoluted. For example, people using the bus from Milton Park to Grove have to travel via Didcot, Harwell village, Harwell Chilton Campus and Wantage. People travelling from Abingdon to work at Harwell Chilton Campus either use the one direct journey on route 34 via Drayton and Steventon, or have to travel via Sutton Courtenay, Milton Park and Didcot.

5.2.3 The strategic routes broadly use the main arterial roads within the study area to link the major settlements with employment sites and with the rail stations at Didcot Parkway and Oxford.

5.2.4 Certain strategic routes, notably services 32 and 33, incorporate deviations to serve settlements including Ardington, East Hanney, East and West Hendred that are located off the main roads.

5.2.5 These deviations afford access for residents of these settlements to employment and education opportunities and facilities in the main towns. However, the deviations also contribute to longer journey times, making the service less attractive to people making longer distance journeys to work or between towns.

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Buses are also required to negotiate additional bends, impacting on passenger comfort.

Transport network issues

5.2.6 There are a number of identified ‘hotspots’ in the study area, particularly on the main arterial roads, where traffic volumes are approaching or already exceed available capacity. These locations have been identified from the following sources of information:

• The Oxfordshire Transport Networks Review (although the congestion hotspots defined were based on locations with congestion on a 12 hour average rather than at peak hours); • The Didcot Area Integrated Transport Strategy; • Information provided by the key bus operators within the County; • Information provided through the Wantage and Grove Area Strategic Transport Study (WAGASTS) Officers Working Group, comprised of Officers from the District and County Councils; • Comments raised through the LTP consultation process between October and January 2005 (via a web-based questionnaire); and • Information provided through the WAGASTS Members Steering Group workshop held on 19th January 2005.

5.2.7 The identified congestion hotspots should be considered as two categories, as follows:

• Firstly, those current congestion hotspots that have been identified from technical modelling work or a part of a previous study. Note that the majority of these are junctions; and • Secondly, additional congestion hotspots that were not identified through previous technical modelling work but which have been identified through observation and the Wantage and Grove STS MSG Workshop. Note that these are a mixture of junctions and links in the road network.

5.3 Principal congestion hotspots identified through previous technical work 5.3.1 Figure 5.1 identifies the location of principal congestion hotspots identified through previous technical work. It sets out the source of information from which this congestion has been identified and provides details of the nature of the congestion.

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Location Details Source of information

Rowstock Roundabout The Rowstock roundabout is Didcot ITS, Phase II (Junction on the A417 located approximately 2.5 miles – Strategic route) north of Harwell Chilton Campus. WAGASTS Officers Working Phase II of the Didcot ITS Group specifically identified Rowstock Roundabout as being over capacity WAGASTS MSG in the AM peak, and close to capacity in the PM peak. Particular problem of queuing on the A417 back from the junction.

Milton Interchange Identified as a junction with Transport Networks Review (Junction on the significant capacity problems during A4130-link to key peak periods, causing particular Local Transport Plan 2006- employment site) access problems for Milton Park 2011 employment site and safety issues of queuing traffic leaving the A34. Didcot ITS, Phase II

WAGASTS Officers Working Group

WAGASTS MSG

Frilford Lights A signal controlled staggered Transport Networks Review (Junction on the A338) junction at the intersection of the A415 travelling east-west and A338 Local Transport Plan 2006- travelling north-south. The traffic 2011 signals were installed in the 1990s as a measure to reduce accident WAGASTS Officers Working numbers at what has previously Group been one of the worst accident ‘black-spots’ in Oxfordshire. At WAGASTS MSG peak hours, queues can build up on all entries to the junction.

Figure 5.1: Principal congestion hotspots in the study area

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5.4 Additional congestion hotspots 5.4.1 Through consultation with the WAGASTS Officers and Members Steering Group, additional locations were identified as being affected by congestion, particularly in peak periods. These locations were:

• A417 east of Wantage; • Charlton Village Road; • Denchworth Road; • Wantage Market Square; • A4185 in vicinity of Harwell IBC; • Access onto A338 in general; and • Hanney Road at junction of B4017 in Steventon.

5.5 Effects of Congestion on Public Transport 5.5.1 Congestion at hotspots impacts on overall bus journey times, forcing operators to incorporate a ‘congestion factor’ into service timetables. For example, Service 32 which travels through Rowstock Roundabout has a timetabled journey time between Harwell Village and Harwell Chilton Campus of 10 minutes during the peak period and 7 minutes in the off peak period. The need to allow for congestion may also dictate the use of additional vehicles and drivers, increasing costs further in an area that is remote from the principal operators’ depots in Oxford, although operator Stagecoach has reached agreement for vehicle layover at Harwell Chilton Campus during the evening.

5.5.2 Delays associated with congestion affect the reliability of services and adversely impact on passengers’ perceptions of the service, particularly where the bus does not offer any additional benefits to travel by private car, for example where there is no or limited bus priority.

5.5.3 Congestion on the approach to junctions, coupled with traffic volume and speed on the major roads, can make it difficult for buses to re-join the main road, impacting on punctuality and reliability.

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5.6 Options for conceptual public transport networks Option 1: revise strategic routes to use main arterial roads

Objective: to make journeys between the major urban and employment centres more direct, hence making public transport more attractive as a mode option

5.6.1 Reference to census and traffic count data, roadside interviews and results of on- bus surveys has confirmed that the highest demand for travel occurs in the morning peak, when journeys are made to work and education. Although available data reveals a high incidence of people working close to home (e.g. over 500 people living in the vicinity of Grove stated that they also worked in the immediate area) there is also a high level of work-related movements between the main towns and employment centres in the study area. For example, over 700 residents of Wantage who responded to the 2001 census indicated their place of work lay in either Didcot, on the Harwell Chilton Campus or at Milton Park.

5.6.2 There is a case for revisions to strategic routes, with some or all journeys operating along the main arterial roads to link the main towns and employment centres instead of deviating to serve settlements off-route.

5.6.3 On-bus surveys undertaken in the morning peak on service 32 during October 2005 revealed comparatively small numbers of people boarding buses in the villages located east of Wantage and south of the A417, as shown in Figure 5.2. The numbers boarding in the off-peak period were equally low.

Service 32 07.04 Service 32 08.02 Service 32 08.20 Service 32 08.56 Service 32 09.09 Grove-Harwell Wantage-Didcot Harwell-Wantage Didcot-Wantage Wantage-Didcot Village name Number Number Number Number Number Number Number Number Number Number boarding alighting boarding alighting boarding alighting boarding alighting boarding alighting Ardington0110001501 East Hendred 7030210010 West Hendred 0000101000 Figure 5.2 Numbers boarding and alighting from service 32 in villages south of A417 during morning peak (based on surveys carried out in October 2005)

5.6.4 There would be benefits in terms of journey time and less significantly in terms of passenger comfort and fuel consumption, with buses having fewer sinuous road sections to negotiate. The revisions, as shown in Figure 5.3, could help to address – through mode shift - identified issues with congestion on A417 east of Wantage by making the bus a more direct, rapid and hence attractive travel option,

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11 East Hanney 3 Culham Milton / B4016 / B4017 9 10 Route Option Sutton GROVE Courtenay 2 DIDCOT 6 MILTON PARK 5 1 4 8 7 OPTION 1 West / East HARWELL Revise strategic bus routes to use main arterial roads instead WANTAGE Ardington Hendred CHILTON of deviating to serve villages off these main roads CAMPUS Figure 5.3

particularly if combined with other quality enhancements. The revisions would also address difficulties for buses re-joining this road and potentially the A338 at East Hanney if the decision was taken to re-route all buses along the main road instead of through the village. The routing to the north-west of Didcot could also be altered so that the longer-distance services no longer deviate to serve Sutton Courtenay and Culham en route to Abingdon.

5.6.5 The revisions could be implemented just for morning and evening peak period journeys, to make these more direct for people using the bus to travel to and from work. The highest number of respondents to on-bus surveys carried out between 06.30 and 08.30 were travelling from Wantage through to Didcot (31 people, amounting to 40% of the total number of respondents who boarded in Wantage). A further 9 people were travelling through to Harwell Chilton Campus and 7 people were bound for Milton Park. However, it would be less confusing for intending customers if a single standard route was operated throughout the day, instead of several variations.

5.6.6 It would be necessary to make provision for feeder services from the villages south of the A417, west of the A338 and north-west of Didcot, either connecting with the strategic route at an interchange on the main road and/or providing a link through to the nearest urban centre, to ensure access for residents of those settlements to facilities in line with the County Council’s overarching commitments. Quality infrastructure would also have to be provided at stops on the main roads, particularly at those stops closest to the villages. Consideration could even be given to developing small-scale Park-and-Ride sites on core corridors, a measure outlined in Chapter 7.

Concept Benefits Disbenefits

Revise strategic bus routes to use Would make bus more attractive for Villages off-route would lose some main arterial roads work-related travel between main or all direct services to urban towns and employment centres; centres;

Minor improvement to comfort for It would be necessary to provide an through passengers – fewer bends to alternative feeder service(s), negotiate en route; complemented by enhanced interchange/stop facilities alongside Minor improvement to fuel the core routes. consumption due to straighter, more direct route – fewer junctions and

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bends to decelerate for.

Achievable/viable short-term (2006- Achievable/viable medium-term Achievable/viable long-term (2016- 11)? (2011-16)? 21)?

√ √ √

Commentary: Revisions to routes 32 and 33, to operate via arterial routes instead of deviating to serve villages south of A417, west of A338 and north-west of Didcot could save in excess of 10 minutes from the schedule in the peak period. More direct services would be more attractive to potential customers making Journey to Work movements and assist in capturing trips from new developments, particularly if combined with other quality enhancements, potentially generating more revenue. However, capital and revenue costs associated with provision of feeder services would be significant; estimated operating cost per service of £45,000, on basis of procuring a minibus to operate 10 hours per day, covering 240km/day. Capital funding would also have to cover cost of new interchange stops on arterial routes.

Desirable highway infrastructure measures: bus priority via signals and/or bus lanes at Rowstock Roundabout and Milton Interchange; signal priority for buses through Frilford Lights and on sector Abingdon-Oxford; bus priority through Marcham - the latter may by achieved via re-routing of general traffic via a Marcham bypass

RATING: √ - option has potential to contribute to modal shift and retention of custom for through journeys

Option 2: develop three core quality corridors

Objective: develop three core quality bus corridors linking Oxford and Abingdon with Wantage and Grove, Oxford and Abingdon with Didcot, and Wantage with Didcot, complemented by a Didcot-Harwell Chilton Campus shuttle to encourage travel for Journey to Work and other purposes between these centres by a more sustainable mode

5.6.7 This option, shown in Figure 5.4, would see resources focussed on developing: • an upgraded north-south bus corridor linking Oxford with Wantage via Abingdon and Grove; • a north-south corridor linking Oxford with Didcot via Abingdon; and • an east-west corridor linking Wantage with Didcot. These core corridors would be augmented by a shuttle service linking Didcot with Harwell Chilton Campus, with the ability to interchange from the Oxford-Didcot and Wantage-Didcot core services to the shuttle en route.

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5.6.8 Information from the 2001 Census, supported by the on-bus survey results, indicates relatively high demand for travel overall and specifically by bus from Wantage to Oxford. Over 450 census respondents indicated that their journey to work movement was from Wantage to Oxford, with a further 371 stating that they travelled to Abingdon for work; census data on public transport use for Journey to Work as a percentage of total Journey to Work movements indicates that up to 16% of people (72 out of the 453 participants working in Oxford) travel from Wantage to work in Oxford, with a further 7% making the journey from Wantage to work in Abingdon by bus. This has been recognised in the designation of the Wantage-Abingdon-Oxford corridor as a future Premium Route and the recent allocation of low-floor vehicles to the corridor, working service X30. It is also reflected in the on-bus surveys that found approximately 10% of those boarding in Wantage in the morning peak were travelling to Abingdon.

5.6.9 As stated above, the on-bus surveys also revealed high demand in the morning peak for travel from Wantage through to Didcot and to the employment sites at Harwell Chilton Campus and Milton Park. Results from traffic counts, roadside interviews and from the census meanwhile point to a large number of movements by all modes between Abingdon and Harwell Chilton Campus (over 560 trips throughout the day, only 11% of which are currently made by bus or a combination of public transport modes) and from Didcot to Abingdon (over 850 trips throughout the day, less than 8% of which are being made by public transport).

5.6.10 The concept of three core corridors would be in line with the Council’s existing policy of upgrading the quality of services, information and infrastructure along corridors in their entirety to become Premium Routes, or to achieve secondary ‘Interlink’ status. It would afford existing and potential customers travelling between the principal urban and employment centres in the area a viable, more attractive and sustainable mode choice for their journeys.

5.6.11 The second north-south corridor, linking Oxford with Didcot via Abingdon could be delivered by enhancing the existing service 35A. There are different route options for this core service, including via A34, as outlined in paragraph 5.6.18.

5.6.12 It could be necessary to create an interchange where the second and third corridors meet, to enable customers travelling from Wantage and Grove to reach Harwell Chilton Campus via a peak period shuttle service. Upgrading of the existing, basic

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customer waiting facilities and information at Wantage Market Place, where the first and third corridors meet, would also be required

5.6.13 Prior studies, including research undertaken by Colin Buchanan and Partners and a study for the Scottish Executive1, have discerned disbenefits associated with interchange. There are risks, in particular of missed connections, and inconvenience associated with waiting that the Scottish Executive study terms ‘fixed’ disbenefits. There is also a variable penalty - the amount of waiting and transfer time when interchanging. The research for the Scottish Executive considered the effect of interchange on bus demand by indirect means, by converting the benefits of removing interchange into cost units and deducing the effect from reference to bus fare elasticity. Sampling established that the cost associated with having to interchange was 71 pence. Removal of an interchange was calculated to lead to an increase in bus demand of around 18%, given a bus fare elasticity of –0.4.

5.6.14 Hence, although there would be benefits in terms of a streamlined network and potentially increased demand for more direct bus services between the urban centres, there are also disbenefits to customers travelling to destinations no longer benefiting from a through service. An option would be to extend the Wantage- Didcot corridor in peak periods or throughout the day to Grove and in peak periods from Rowstock Roundabout south to Harwell Chilton Campus, as shown in Figure 5.4. The latter would follow the existing deviation of approximately four miles, running contrary to the concept of direct corridors linking urban centres.

5.6.15 The incidence of 09.00-17.00 working at Harwell Chilton Campus means that it is not viable to operate core services from Oxford and Abingdon to the Campus throughout the day. As shown in Figure 5.4, there is scope to create a shuttle service or services linking Didcot Parkway and the Campus. In the peak period, this shuttle service could be met either: • by working in partnership with MEPC to extend the publicly-accessible Didcot Parkway-Milton Park shuttle to Harwell Chilton Campus, operating via a bus- or intermodal interchange in the vicinity of the A34/A4130 Milton Interchange, A4130 and A4185;

1 Interchange and Travel Choice, Volume 1, Section 7.1 (2001) www.scotland.gov.uk/cru/kd01/blue/itcv1_13.htm

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• by using Section 106 funding from the proposed Great Western Park development to implement a Didcot Parkway-Great Western Park- Campus service, as discussed in paragraph 5.6.20.

5.6.16 The off-peak requirement, to transport visitors and employees – the latter particularly at lunchtime - between the Campus, the railhead at Didcot Parkway and shops in Didcot town centre could be met either: • by working with West Berkshire Council and Newbury Buses to enhance frequency on services 6 and 9 in the Didcot area; or • by extending certain journeys on the Milton Park shuttle service; or • by extending the operating hours of the proposed Didcot-Great Western Park-Campus services discussed in paragraph 5.6.20.

5.6.17 The small number of off-peak movements between Harwell Chilton Campus and Wantage or Grove could be catered for by enhancing the existing on-street interchange at Rowstock Roundabout, most likely in conjunction with proposed signalisation of this junction.

5.6.18 The Scottish Executive study confirmed, from customer interviews, that the most important facilities to provide at any location where interchange is required are good quality waiting shelters, electronic Real Time and printed timetable information and clear signs. Personal security issues that can be addressed through provision of CCTV and presence of staff were found to have “moderate value”. So-called “convenience factors”, such as existence of a café or restaurant were found to be the least important attributes. If efforts are made to significantly enhance passenger information and comfort at interchanges, this offsets what the study terms “the expenditure of personal resources of physical, cognitive and emotional effort in [undertaking] journeys involving interchange.”

5.6.19 There are different route options available, including operating peak period or all east-west services along the A417 – without diverting to serve the villages to the south, as per Option 1 - then from Rowstock Roundabout either via Harwell village or A4130 Milton Hill. It would be possible to use the A34 to link Milton Park and Didcot with Oxford, presenting benefits in terms of speed when road is not congested and in terms of visibility to potential customers currently using the car. The A34 is however frequently congested to the south and west of Oxford and there is a high ratio of Heavy Goods Vehicle movements. Consequently it may be preferable to use the existing bus route along B4017 south of Abingdon – reflecting the volume of movement southbound along this road to Milton Park

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and Harwell Chilton Campus - although the B4017 is subject to congestion through Steventon.

5.6.20 It should also be noted that proposals have already been put forward, in conjunction with development plans for Great Western Park, for the provision of peak and off-peak services linking the planned development with central Didcot and with Harwell Chilton Campus. Coupled with the possible re-routing of existing services such as Newbury Buses’ 6 and 9 through Great Western Park, this could overcome the need to route the core Wantage-Didcot service via Harwell village as happens at present. If appropriate priority measures were provided, this core west-east service could operate via Milton Hill, Milton Interchange and either A4130 or Milton Park to Didcot. Signal priority and or bus lanes on A4130 at Milton Hill and through Milton Interchange could also benefit the north-south Oxford-Didcot service if routed via Steventon. Were the Grove-Didcot route concept (see Option 4 below) to be developed along a dedicated alignment, public transport lanes and signal priorities on these approaches could enhance the reliability of this service.

5.6.21 Priority measures would also be required on at least the western, southern and eastern arms of Rowstock Roundabout, depending on the route option selected. These could be delivered as part of the proposed signalisation.

5.6.22 To the west of the study area, congestion hotspots at Frilford Lights and through Marcham on the A338 corridor linking Wantage and Grove with Abingdon and Oxford would have to be addressed.

Concept Benefits Disbenefits

Develop three core quality If coupled with guaranteed Demand for travel is highly-peaked corridors interchange and high quality waiting – need to determine most efficient facilities/information or direct peak deployment of resources in off-peak services coupled with interchange e.g. could Didcot-Milton Park- off-peak, this would significantly Harwell shuttle buses could operate improve the public transport offer, Didcot town shuttle off-peak; meeting existing and predicted Significant capital investment medium term demand for Wantage- required to achieve step-change in Abingdon-Oxford, Oxford- quality; Abingdon-Milton Park-Didcot and Wantage-Didcot movements; If deviations to serve villages away from arterial roads are withdrawn as Demand for peak movements to and

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from Harwell Chilton Campus could per Option 1, it would be necessary be met via a shuttle service; to provide an alternative feeder service(s) to/from these villages – Would tally with established strategy this has capital and revenue cost of progressively enhancing entire implications corridors as Premium or Interlink Routes;

Subject to service frequency, would meet business stakeholders’ desire for reliable, regular, high-quality public transport services that are attractive to employees and visitors.

Achievable/viable short-term (2006- Achievable/viable medium-term Achievable/viable long-term (2016- 11)? (2011-16)? 21)?

X √ √

Commentary: it would be necessary to negotiate and secure significant developer, operator and/or other external funding to implement each corridor in turn, hence option is unlikely to be feasible in the short-term. Example cost of quality corridor, including 17 new vehicles, quality information and infrastructure at 40 stops is £3.44 million.

Desirable highway infrastructure measures: bus priority via signals and/or bus lanes at Rowstock Roundabout and Milton Interchange; signal priority for buses through Frilford Lights and on sector Abingdon-Oxford; bus priority through Marcham - the latter may by achieved via re-routing of general traffic via a Marcham bypass; establishment of primary interchange facility in vicinity of Milton Interchange, complemented by enhanced on-street interchanges at Wantage Marketplace and Rowstock Roundabout

RATING: √√ - option likely to have significant positive effect on modal shift and will meet MEPC aspiration for high-quality frequent services linking urban centres to Milton Park

Option 3: develop three quality corridors, with extension of Oxford-Didcot corridor to Newbury via Harwell

Objective: develop three core quality public transport corridors linking Oxford and Abingdon with Wantage and Grove, Wantage with Didcot, and extending a corridor from Oxford and Abingdon southwards from Didcot to Newbury, potentially via Harwell Chilton Campus, to encourage travel for Journey to Work and other purposes between the major centres within the study area and cross-boundary from West Berkshire

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3 East Hanney Culham A34 route option 10 Potential extension of 9 Wantage - Didcot Proposed Great Western Park corridor to Grove Sutton (GWP) development (peak period or all day) GROVE Courtenay 2 to provide direct Grove - B4493 route option (yellow line); Didcot service MILTON PARK 6 Potential Didcot-Harwell Chilton Campus route - shuttle via Milton Park or via GWP (green line) 5 1 4 DIDCOT OPTION 3 8 Develop three core quality bus corridors, 7 West / East with extension of WANTAGE Oxford - Harwell corridor to Newbury: Ardington Hendred HARWELL To Oxford with Wantage via Abingdon and Grove; Oxford with Newbury via Abingdon and Potential extension of Wantage - Didcot CHILTON Newbury Harwell Chilton Campus; and corridor to Harwell Chilton Campus Wantage and Didcot. (peak period only) to provide direct Grove / CAMPUS via A34 Wantage - Harwell CC service Figure 5.5

5.6.23 Selection of this option, shown in Figure 5.5, would see the establishment of three core corridors as outlined in Option 2, but with a southwards extension of the Oxford-Didcot corridor through to Newbury. A deviation could be implemented at least in the peak period to serve Harwell Chilton Campus.

5.6.24 This option would offer a more sustainable and – subject to the route strategy adopted – rapid mode choice for people travelling between Newbury, which has been identified as a sub-regional hub by the Regional Assembly, and the surrounding area to work, education, leisure facilities and shops in Oxfordshire and vice-versa. It would entail partnership working with West Berkshire Council as well as transport operators.

5.6.25 West Berkshire Council’s second Local Transport Plan (LTP2) recognises the cross-boundary movements that take place to and from Oxfordshire, although without making any specific references to origins or destinations for such movements or their volume, and the importance of the A34 corridor for inter- regional and freight flows. It also highlights the fact that the existing bus services in the predominantly rural area of West Berkshire District bordering Oxfordshire are in decline and require heavy subsidy to ensure their retention.

5.6.26 West Berkshire Council is committed to reviewing the bus network in rural West Berkshire and seeking “the best way to deliver services effectively”2. The authority’s Passenger Transport Strategy, appended to the LTP2 document does not make any specific reference to reviewing or enhancing the cross-boundary services into Oxfordshire.

5.6.27 Oxfordshire County Council’s Bus Strategy highlights that cross-boundary journeys account for less than 2% of all bus passenger journeys at present. The County Council makes best efforts to assist and encourage the development of cross-boundary services in ways other than providing subsidy, for example through arranging the provision of quality bus stop infrastructure. In instances where a cross-boundary service brings benefits to residents on both sides of the county boundary, the County Council aims to work in partnership with neighbouring authorities to secure a mutually-beneficial service, with the proportion of funding contributed by each authority reflecting the benefits accruing to each.

2 Local Transport Plan 2006-2011, Chapter 5, Table 5.2 (West Berkshire Council, 2006)

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5.6.28 At present there is no direct bus or coach service between Newbury and Oxford. Reference to the Traveline website indicates that National Express service 310 only links the towns on Saturdays, en route between and Bradford. This may be due to limited demand; information from UKAEA is that only 15% of employees based at Harwell Chilton Campus travel in from West Berkshire, although census data indicates a high level of demand for work-related movements from outside Oxfordshire to Abingdon and Oxford, with over 1,500 people travelling from surrounding authority areas including West Berkshire to these centres each day. Cross-reference to the Newbury Movements Study produced by Atkins for West Berkshire Council has not revealed any more precise data on cross-boundary movements from the District to specific destinations in Oxfordshire.

5.6.29 There is a small risk that establishment of an inter-urban service between Newbury and Didcot could abstract from revenue on the existing, part-subsidised services 6 and 9 operated by Newbury Buses, although the route followed by these services is circuitous, the number of through passengers is currently in single figures and the primary focus of the routes is on linking villages in West Berkshire with Newbury and with the railhead at Didcot Parkway.

5.6.30 The most logical route for this inter-urban service between Chilton and Newbury would be via A34, notwithstanding the fact that this trunk route – identified as an International and Inter-regional corridor in the Regional Transport Strategy for the South East - is affected by accidents, congestion and high volumes of HGV movements. It would be desirable to introduce buses that afford a higher level of comfort to customers making longer inter-urban journeys, when compared with normal stage carriage vehicles. An example vehicle type would be the Eclipse Commuter, produced by Wrightbus, introduced on the trunk route 500 in Dumfries and Galloway in January 2006. This combines coach-style comfort and capacity with low-floor access meeting the requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act.

5.6.31 It would be possible to create an interchange between the core corridor and Newbury Buses services 6 and 9 at Harwell Chilton Campus, if peak period or all core services were routed via A4130/A4185 between the Milton and Chilton Interchanges - subject to the agreement of UKAEA – or on the periphery of Chilton village, or in East Ilsley village where there is a well-marked bus stop that is served by northbound and southbound journeys.

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5.6.32 Another possibility would be to achieve a connection between the interurban corridor and local bus services to Didcot in the vicinity of Milton Interchange, rather than running the service into central Didcot.

5.6.33 As with Option 2, it would be possible to register the operation as a limited stop service running via A34 north of Didcot, or run the service via B4017 through Steventon and Abingdon to meet identified demand for travel between Abingdon, Milton Park and Harwell Chilton Campus.

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Concept Benefits Disbenefits

Develop three quality corridors, If coupled with guaranteed Demand for travel is highly-peaked with extension of Oxford-Didcot interchange and high quality waiting – need to determine most efficient corridor to Newbury facilities/information or direct peak deployment of resources in off-peak; services coupled with interchange Significant capital investment off-peak, this would significantly required to achieve step-change in improve the public transport offer, quality; meeting existing and predicted medium term demand for Wantage- If deviations to serve villages away Abingdon-Oxford, Oxford- from arterial roads are withdrawn as Abingdon-Milton Park-Didcot and per Option 1, it would be necessary Wantage-Didcot movements; to provide an alternative feeder service(s) to/from these villages – Demand for peak movements to and this has capital and revenue cost from Harwell Chilton Campus could implications. be met via deviation from Milton Interchange via A4130 and A4185 before returning to A34 at Chilton, or via Chilton Interchange if new slip roads were constructed on the north side, although this is unlikely to happen;

Would fill perceived gap by providing a high-quality, more frequent cross-boundary service linking Newbury/West Berkshire with Oxfordshire, although would require support from other stakeholders and authorities, in the face of uncertainty over demand particularly southbound;

Could represent a prime opportunity for further developing partnership working with West Berkshire Council and UKAEA;

Would tally with established strategy

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of progressively enhancing entire corridors as Premium or Interlink Routes;

Subject to service frequency, would meet business stakeholders desire for reliable, regular, high-quality public transport services, attractive to employees and visitors

Achievable/viable short-term (2006- Achievable/viable medium-term Achievable/viable long-term (2016- 11)? (2011-16)? 21)?

X √ √

Commentary: it would be necessary to negotiate and secure significant developer, operator and/or other external funding to implement each corridor in turn, meaning that this option is unlikely to be feasible in the short-term. Potential for partnership working with West Berkshire Council and UKAEA would mean that any bid for central funding to augment Section 106 and LTP money would be strengthened.

Desirable highway infrastructure measures: bus priority via signals and/or bus lanes at Rowstock Roundabout and Milton Interchange; signal priority for buses through Frilford Lights and on sector Abingdon-Oxford; bus priority through Marcham - the latter may by achieved via re-routing of general traffic via a Marcham bypass; establishment of primary interchange facility in vicinity of Milton Interchange, complemented by enhanced on-street interchanges at Wantage Marketplace and Rowstock Roundabout; if A34 route option selected, may require additional slip roads on north side of Chilton Interchange to enable Oxford-Newbury core service to serve Harwell Chilton Campus

RATING: √ - option will contribute towards retaining custom, achieving modal shift and potentially capturing new trips. Presents possibility for partnership working but there is uncertainty over demand for cross-boundary movements and increased capital and revenue costs when compared with Option 2.

Option 4: create new west-east link between Wantage, Grove and central Didcot

Objective: to reflect the pattern of planned residential and commercial development in the Grove area in the medium-term and long-term, encouraging modal shift as well as capturing entirely new trips from the residential developments to the railhead and employment opportunities at Didcot and Milton Park

5.6.34 Option 4, depicted in Figure 5.6, directly seeks to reflect the pattern of planned residential and commercial development in the area in the medium-term (from

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11

3 East Hanney Dedicated 2 9 alignment 10 MILTON PARK Proposed Great Western Park GROVE (GWP) development

6 DIDCOT 5 1 Option of using existing / 4 planned roads 7 OPTION 4: Create new west-east link between Wantage, West / East WANTAGE 8 Grove and central Didcot enabling retention of existing Ardington Hendred HARWELL customers, modal shift and capturing of trips from new residential developments in Wantage / Grove area to Didcot Potential Didcot - Harwell CHILTON town centre and Parkway rail interchange.Complement with Chilton Campus route - shuttle CAMPUS shuttle service to Harwell CC via Milton Park or via GWP Figure 5.6

2011 to 2016) and long-term (post 2016). It envisages creation of a public transport link along an existing or entirely new alignment between the Grove Airfield site, which is due to receive 750 homes by 2011 and ultimately be expanded to 2,500 dwellings, and central Didcot.

5.6.35 Subject to the route strategy adopted, the link could be extended south from Grove to Wantage, which is likely to receive more small-scale housing allocations such as the 60-unit development currently planned for Mill Street. At the eastern end, services could be routed via Great Western Park and/or Milton Park, also enabling interchange with rail services at Didcot Parkway and access to shopping and leisure facilities such as the Orchard Centre in Didcot.

5.6.36 It is envisaged that the link would be complemented by quality bus corridors linking Oxford and Abingdon with Wantage and with Didcot, in line with the Premium Routes strategy.

5.6.37 A connection to Harwell Chilton Campus could be achieved via an interchange with a shuttle service to the site, either in the vicinity of the A4130/A34 Milton Interchange or at Didcot Parkway. Ultimately, subject to demand and identification of an off-peak use for resources, direct services from Grove to the Campus could be introduced in the peak period, operating along the same alignment. Alternatively, the Didcot-Harwell Chilton Campus shuttle service could be further upgraded to form a branded ‘branch’, complementing the core Grove-Didcot service.

5.6.38 Provision of such a link, with a rail interchange at Didcot Parkway, could make it unnecessary to progress further with proposals to re-open a station on the Great Western Main Line to serve Grove and Wantage.

5.6.39 If the decision was taken to provide a reserved alignment for public transport services between Grove and Didcot, this would address identified issues with: • traffic congestion in Wantage near the confluence of A338 and A417 that impact on bus operations; • congestion along, and access onto, A417 east of Wantage; and • the congestion hotspot at Rowstock Roundabout.

5.6.40 If a frequent, reliable service and associated facilities of suitable quality were provided, making public transport more attractive for those travelling from Grove/Wantage to Didcot and further afield, this could encourage modal shift as

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well as capturing entirely new trips from the residential developments. This could address issues with rat-running through the Charlton Village Road area of Wantage and congestion in the town centre.

5.6.41 Thames Water’s proposals for the Abingdon Reservoir would see the existing Steventon Road/Hanney Road submerged. As a consequence, any new alignment that might be constructed parallel to the railway may have to be for general traffic, rather than dedicated for public transport. Conversely, construction of a revised, more direct route for general traffic may be opposed by the Highways Agency, on the grounds that this would make it easier for people to travel from Grove and Wantage to join the A34 at the already congested Milton Interchange. 5.6.42 Subject to the mode option chosen, it would be possible for the service to use existing or proposed roads, such as the A338-A417 Wantage north-eastern bypass, as opposed to a dedicated alignment. Consideration must be given to public transport priority and allowance made for buses to use proposed new roads intended to relieve pressure on the existing strategic highway network.

Concept Benefits Disbenefits

Create new west-east link Subject to service frequency, quality If dedicated alignment decided upon, between Wantage, Grove and of vehicles, information and waiting capital costs will be high, on top of central Didcot facilities, scope to secure modal shift revenue costs associated with quality for trips from Grove/Wantage and service; capture new trips from planned Highly-peaked demand for work- developments (e.g. Grove Airfield) related movements although high- towards Milton Park and Didcot frequency, high-quality service would Parkway/town centre; enable Wantage/Grove residents to Would allow for contra-flow travel to Didcot and further afield movement Didcot Parkway-Grove for leisure, shopping and other Technology Centre; purposes

Offers scope to relieve congestion within Wantage and on A417 east of town;

Subject to alignment, could also relieve pressure on Rowstock Roundabout and provide alternative to providing priority measures on its approaches

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Achievable/viable short-term (2006- Achievable/viable medium-term Achievable/viable long-term (2016- 11)? (2011-16)? 21)?

X √ √

Commentary: Potential to provide attractive, high-quality, high-frequency service. If dedicated alignment decided upon, high associated capital cost (e.g. £86.5 million for 25km busway including 14 new vehicles); likely to require significant developer and external funding to cover capital and revenue costs, hence not a short-term option.

Desirable highway infrastructure measures: these are dependent upon the route selected but assuming an entirely new dedicated alignment, the measures will include public transport priority via signals and/or bus lanes at Milton Interchange; establishment of primary interchange facility in vicinity of Milton Interchange; connecting shuttle services to Harwell Chilton Campus from Didcot will benefit from public transport priority via signals and/or bus lanes at Rowstock Roundabout

RATING: √ - option will contribute towards retaining custom, achieving modal shift and potentially capturing new trips, providing that significant funding barrier can be overcome

5.7 Summary of public transport network concept options 5.7.1 Figure 5.7 below identifies which of the four public transport network concept options presented above are achievable in the short-, medium- and long-term and shows the summary rating for each option:

Options Achievable short- Achievable medium- Achievable long-term Rating of option based on term (2006-11) term (2011-16) (2016-21) ability to retain custom, achieve modal shift and capture new trips

1: Revise strategic √ √ √ √ bus routes to use main arterial roads

2: Develop three X √ √ √√ core quality corridors

3: Develop three X √ √ √ quality corridors as above, with extension of Oxford-Harwell corridor to

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Newbury

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4: Create new X √ √ √ west-east link between Wantage, Grove and central Didcot

Key to overall rating of options: √√ Option is likely to have a significant positive effect in retaining custom, achieving modal shift and capturing new trips

√ Option will contribute towards retaining custom, achieving modal shift and potentially capturing new trips if implemented

Figure 5.7: Summary of public transport network concept options

5.7.2 Figure 5.7 shows that only Option 1 – revisions to strategic bus routes to operate via main arterial roads - is deemed to be feasible in the short-term. This option has the potential to retain existing customers making through journeys between the main urban and employment centres by making bus journeys more direct. A greater degree of modal shift is likely if the re-routing is coupled with frequency and quality enhancements en route. Consideration has to be given to provision of feeder services from villages, either to interchange stops on the main roads or to the nearest urban centre, to offset withdrawal of the route deviations that currently serve those settlements.

5.7.3 Options 2 and 3, involving the development of three quality bus corridors are both deemed feasible in the medium and long-term, providing that sufficient developer and/or external funding can be secured to offset the significant capital and revenue costs of these schemes. Given uncertainties over the level of cross-boundary movements between West Berkshire and Oxfordshire, additional revenue costs involved in extending the Oxford-Abingdon-Harwell quality corridor south to Newbury and additional risks involved in delivering quality improvements across a local authority boundary, Option 2 is adjudged to be more feasible than Option 3 overall.

5.7.4 Option 4 envisages the creation of a new west-east link between Wantage, Grove and central Didcot, either along a dedicated alignment or using existing and/or proposed roads. This offers great potential to achieve modal shift and capture new trips from proposed new developments such as Grove Airfield. However, the scale

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of the capital investment required and ongoing revenue implications means that this option is only viable in the medium to long-term, in parallel with the construction of new residential and commercial development.

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6 Summary of Part 1: Issues and Concepts

6.1 Introduction 6.1.1 Part 1 of this study has provided the inputs to enable evolution of the strategy and this Chapter summarises the key issues identified and the public transport network concepts devised to address these issues.

6.2 Summary of identified issues 6.2.1 The key issues affecting the transport network overall and public transport in particular are as follows:

• Public transport has a very low mode share at present. The network comprises a complex pattern of services with a range of frequencies, aimed at meeting diverse needs; • Prior studies have identified that there are some existing constraints at junctions on the highway network that affect general traffic movements and hence public transport operations; • A substantial amount of employment-related and residential development has been allocated to the study area over the short, medium and longer term. This has significant implications for transport provision but also offers opportunities to secure developer funding to augment public money and investment by operators, resulting in a more sustainable and viable public transport network; • Analysis of existing travel patterns, sourced from traffic count data, on- bus surveys and census information, reveals that the principal movements occur on the east-west axis formed by A417, on the north south axis formed by A338 from Abingdon to Wantage and Grove and on A4130/B4017 in the vicinity of Milton Interchange. There is the potential to persuade existing car users and those likely to make journeys to and from the new developments to transfer to public transport; but • The strong bias towards peak demand means that such services are not commercially viable.

6.3 Public transport network concepts 6.3.1 Chapter 5 presented four conceptual options for public transport networks. Of these four options, only Option 1 – revisions to strategic bus routes to operate via main arterial roads – was assessed as feasible in the short-term period from 2006-

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11. If the decision was taken to implement this option, consideration would have to be given to providing feeder services to restore links from outlying settlements to the core network and facilities in urban centres. The beneficial effect on demand and hence revenue from making core services more direct would be countered by the revenue costs of providing these feeder services. It would also be necessary to provide quality infrastructure along the core corridors, particularly at stops closest to the outlying villages formerly served by deviations.

6.3.2 Option 2 envisaged the development of three quality bus corridors, linking: • Oxford with Wantage via Abingdon; • Oxford with Didcot via Abingdon and Milton Park, complemented by a peak-period shuttle service from Didcot to Harwell Chilton Campus with interchange opportunities en route; • Wantage with Didcot via Milton Park.

6.3.3 Option 3 envisaged the extension of the second corridor to provide an inter-urban link between Oxford, Abingdon and Newbury via A34, routing via Harwell Chilton Campus at least in the peak period. This would afford the opportunity for partnership working with West Berkshire Council and UKAEA.

6.3.4 Options 2 and 3 and were deemed feasible in the medium and long-term, subject to the availability of developer and/or external funding to offset the significant capital and revenue costs. Option 2 was adjudged to be more feasible than Option 3 due to continuing uncertainty over the level of cross-boundary movements between West Berkshire and Oxfordshire, additional costs involved in extending the Oxford-Abingdon-Didcot quality corridor south to Newbury and additional risk involved in delivering quality improvements across a local authority boundary.

6.3.5 Option 4 envisaged the creation of a new west-east link between Wantage, Grove and central Didcot, either along a dedicated alignment or using existing and/or proposed roads, affording great potential to achieve modal shift and capture new trips from proposed new developments such as Grove Airfield. Due to the scale of capital and ongoing revenue investment required this option is only viable in the medium to long-term, in parallel with new residential and commercial development

6.3.6 Taking account of the issues and conceptual public transport networks identified in Part 1, Part 2 of this study discusses and recommends solutions that could be applied in the context of these conceptual networks to retain existing customers,

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encourage present car users to transfer to public transport and capture trips associated with new development planned for the area.

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PART 2

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7 Enhancement options

7.1 Introduction 7.1.1 It should be emphasised that in order to influence travel behaviour there are three key tools identified in current transport policy. These are:

• Direct and targeted initiatives – for example Travelwise campaigns; • Increasing the availability and attractiveness of alternatives – in the case of this study, public transport modes; and • Restraining demand for car use.

7.1.2 Whilst it is recognised that this study is focussing on increasing the availability and attractiveness of public transport through a variety of possible enhancement measures, it is important to appreciate the interrelationships between the three policy areas. In order to capitalise on enhancements designed to make public transport more attractive and convenient, it is necessary to make the car less attractive and increase public awareness of the mode choices available to them.

7.1.3 This Chapter considers options for enhancements to public transport that could be applied in the context of the conceptual public transport network options outlined in Chapter 5 to retain existing customers, encourage present car users to transfer to public transport and capture trips associated with new development planned for the area. The enhancement options have the potential to markedly improve the quality of public transport and make these modes more attractive to existing and potential customers. The options have been identified through reference to UK, European and North American case studies deemed to demonstrate best practice and innovation. Costs associated with these options have been cited, where known.

7.1.4 Evidence from case studies, predominantly those centred on urban areas shows that the increase in market share for public transport is greatest in instances where a package of enhancement measures is introduced. Given that the business and housing developments currently proposed within the study area are likely to take place over a period of more than fifteen years, funding from developers will be secured in tranches. In turn, this is likely to require a phased approach to transport enhancements.

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7.1.5 The potential exists for the County Council, transport operators and other stakeholders to work in partnership to evolve a public transport network in the Wantage, Grove, Didcot and Abingdon area that affords its customers a suitably frequent service, representing value for money. The network should provide a comfortable travelling and waiting environment supported by appropriate pre-trip and en route information. If complemented by suitable measures that encourage people to think about using public transport instead of the car, this could reduce the need to make large scale investments in road schemes.

7.2 Summary of options considered 7.2.1 The options for enhancements to public transport, considered in detail below, are as follows:

• Option 1: Bus service frequency enhancements; • Option 2: Improve passenger information; • Option 3: Enhance ticketing arrangements; • Option 4: Extend discounted ticketing; • Option 5: Apply branding to bus services; • Option 6: Improve bus stops and waiting facilities; • Option 7: Develop small-scale Park & Ride; • Option 8: Introduce Demand Responsive Transport; • Option 9: Introduce low-emission vehicles • Option 10: Introduce Rapid Transit; and • Option 11: Provide additional heavy rail infrastructure.

7.3 Option 1: Bus service frequency enhancements 7.3.1 According to the Confederation of Passenger Transport, over 70% of public transport journeys of less than ten miles are made by bus. The same source states that around 16 million people use the bus at least once a week.

7.3.2 Buses are the main public transport mode in the study area. The County Council has sought to progressively develop the bus network in conjunction with operators and in line with its adopted Bus Strategy. Reference to published timetables and discussion with stakeholders has confirmed though that there are specific corridors where the frequency of the current bus service is inadequate, particularly in the morning and evening peak travel periods.

7.3.3 Increases in bus patronage associated with standalone frequency improvements are less significant than in cases where a concerted efforts has been made to improve

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all aspects of the service provided. For example, First Berkshire’s decision to enhance the frequency on the corridor linking Bracknell and east Berkshire with Reading, from three buses an hour to four only delivered patronage increase of less than 1% over a 12-month period after implementation. By contrast, implementation of a package of improvements - including new vehicles, distinctive branding and simplified routing - by Trent and Barton Buses on its route serving Calverton in Nottinghamshire led to an increase in patronage of 29% in the first year from launch.

7.3.4 The frequency of core services linking Oxford with Wantage and with Didcot via Abingdon, and Wantage with Didcot could be enhanced in the context of the conceptual options 1, 2 and 3 for public transport networks outlined in Chapter 5, as part of a package of improvements that could be applied to these corridors.

7.4 Option 2: Improve passenger information 7.4.1 Intending public transport users will have varying information requirements, largely depending on their familiarity with the network or the particular route they are using, or on their trip destination. Important entry points to the bus network, including modal interchanges such as rail stations, therefore justify a more comprehensive level of information provision.

7.4.2 Research by the Department of Transport (now DfT) Bus Working Group, carried out in 1996 highlighted the importance of accurate, adequate and easily-understood public transport information. The information items identified as the most valuable in available literature are:

• A comprehensive and comprehensible printed timetable; and • Electronic Real Time Information displays.

7.4.3 In a report produced for County Council in 1999, the TAS Partnership determined that the one of the three measures offering the best rate of return on investment was provision of high quality signage at boarding and interchange points, complemented by clear and concise information. The other optimum measures were service simplification and branding.

7.4.4 It would be possible to provide better bus stop infrastructure, comprising an improved quality pole, flag and information case at all bus stops on strategic routes across the study area. This could be an interim measure, pending full upgrade to

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Interlink or Premium Route status. An indicative cost per stop is £290, comprised of:

• £200 for supply & install of new 76mm diameter pole; • £50 for supply & install of flag similar to that shown in Figure 7.1; • £40 for supply & install of timetable case.

7.4.5 If the County Council opted to upgrade a corridor with 25 marked stops in each direction making a total of 50 stops, the cost would be £14,500.

Figure 7.1: Bus stop flag bearing NaPTAN stop name and route information vinyls

7.4.6 Halcrow’s RTI Stage 2 Feasibility Report identified scope to extend Oxfordshire County Council’s existing Real Time Information system, supplied by ACIS, to cover the Abingdon area in the period 2006-11. Some RTI signs are currently being installed in Abingdon. A further extension of RTI to strategic routes in the study area could be implemented, but this depends on operators providing on-bus equipment. There are inherent problems with operators equipping buses on routes that are financially supported.

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7.4.7 Improvements to passenger information provision would form a vital element in the successful implementation of any of the four concepts for public transport networks outlined in Chapter 5. The research undertaken for the Scottish Executive on Interchange and Travel Choice, referred to in Chapter 5, emphasises the importance attached by bus users to the provision of accurate, comprehensible and comprehensive information when faced with the need to interchange en route. Network concept options 2 and 3 outlined in Chapter 5 both envisage the creation of core corridors complemented by interchange facilities allowing transfer between services on these core corridors and with shuttle services such as that proposed to connect Didcot with Harwell Chilton Campus.

7.5 Option 3: Enhance ticketing arrangements 7.5.1 In view of the proportion of journeys – almost 12% of the total journeys surveyed in October 2005 and January 2006 - currently being made between the railhead at Didcot Parkway, Harwell Chilton Campus, Milton Park and the wider study area, there is a case for the introduction of a multi-modal ticketing scheme to enable easier interchange between rail and bus.

7.5.2 PlusBus is a national scheme that is intended to make it easier for rail passengers to interchange onto buses at one or both ends of their rail journey. The scheme has been established by Journey Solutions with the support of the Association of Train Operating Companies and the Government. Passengers can ask for a PlusBus add- on when purchasing a rail ticket for a journey that starts or finishes at participating stations. The aim of PlusBus is to offer unlimited access to bus services for interchanging passengers, complemented by good quality information about interchange opportunities and validity at participating stations.

7.5.3 Oxford is one of more than 135 UK towns and cities with an established PlusBus scheme, building on previous integrated ticketing arrangements implemented by . Journey Solutions state that all local operators participate in the Oxford scheme, which covers the entire urban area. The cost of an adult PlusBus add-on is £2.00. Season tickets are available at £11.00 for a 7-day period, £30.00 for a month, £90.00 for a quarterly ticket or £330 for an annual ticket. The PlusBus season ticket prices are very similar to those offered by Stagecoach in Oxfordshire for a Countryrider ticket, affording unlimited travel within the study area and north to Abingdon, although the Countryrider product is not valid for journeys to, from and within Oxford.

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7.5.4 Reading also has an established PlusBus scheme, supported by distinctive publicity at the station. In spite of this, Reading Transport’s scheme manager confirms that take-up to date has been very low (2 recorded incidences of PlusBus being presented per annum on one Premier Route), underlining the need to increase awareness of the product and the benefits to customers.

7.5.5 The major costs incurred at the local level in setting up and maintaining the Reading PlusBus scheme in its first two years of operation were associated with publicity. £2000 was spent on a bespoke information display unit and £600 on updates to PlusBus information posters. Reading Transport assigned scheme management to a member of their staff, masking the costs associated with calculating and apportioning reimbursement between participating local operators.

Figure 7.2: the distinctive PlusBus information display on Reading Station forecourt

7.5.6 It is possible to purchase a through rail-bus ticket to Harwell, Wantage and Abingdon (only). Efforts to create a PlusBus zone for Didcot have been limited by the existence of a large number of bus operators, with none being prepared to take a lead role.

7.5.7 The Oxfordshire Transport Networks Review recommended further exploration of the scope for interoperable ticketing. It also highlighted that “a significant part of the delay caused to buses is due to the time taken for passengers to board and buy or show tickets.” Although the TNR acknowledges that “in the deregulated environment it is not easy for measures such as pre-paid or off-bus ticketing to be introduced, as they will rarely be commercially attractive to operators”, the report

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emphasis the need to continue joint working with operators and Government to seek ways of applying this best practice within the County.

7.5.8 The County Council already sponsors PlusPass, a ticket that allows travel on all the major operators’ within Oxford. A consultation on fares and ticketing carried out by the authority, completed in January 2006, revealed widespread support for the extension of interoperable ticketing arrangements. 61% of respondents felt that return tickets valid on different operators’ services, should be introduced. 77% of respondents believed that the acceptance of multi-operator and multi-journey tickets should be made a condition of any contracts relating to secured services. Additionally, 50% of responses favoured the introduction of a Didcot area Travelcard, with the other 50% expressing no view on this issue.

7.5.9 The Bradfield Rural Links project, centred on a rural area north-west of Sheffield has succeeded in introducing interoperable ticketing for concessionary pass holders, branded H-pass, allowing interchange between all bus and tram services at South Yorkshire PTE’s Hillsborough Interchange without the need to pay a second fare. Again this was coupled with other measures including provision of shelters with solar-powered lighting, the facility to vary services on demand and issuing of free travel vouchers if services fall below par. The package of measures contributed to a dramatic 159% increase in patronage between 2002 and 2004, set against a target of 10% in the first year and 5% each year thereafter. Liaison with SYPTE has established however that there are no proposals to extend interoperable ticketing until Quality Contract arrangements are further developed.

7.5.10 Other ticketing options that could be considered in order to reduce delays en route associated with the purchase of tickets and to make public transport more accessible for intending customers, include the introduction of ‘carnet’-type ticketing and Roadside Ticket Machines.

7.5.11 Customers could be offered the opportunity of buying a carnet or book of tickets from shops in villages, towns and employment sites within the study area, enabling them to make multiple journeys and avoiding the need to buy when boarding the bus. Since November 2005, a range of period and carnet tickets, enabling travel on First-operated services, have been available via interactive PayPoint terminals located in shops in the York area. There are 14,000 PayPoint terminals located in convenience stores, newsagents, off licences, petrol stations and supermarkets nationwide, including the Co-op in Grove, Rowes Newsmarket in Wantage and four outlets in Didcot. A robust business case would need to be developed for this

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enhancement. Experience in Reading revealed that bars, clubs and other outlets associated with the evening economy were reluctant to embrace the idea of selling carnets of night bus tickets, irrespective of the apparent benefits to their patrons wishing to travel home, forcing the authority to review its approach.

7.5.12 Roadside Ticket Machines (RTMs) selling bus tickets have so far only been installed in two areas in the UK – London and Reading. Hertfordshire and Worcestershire County Councils are however actively investigating the concept. RTMs are more suited to an urban environment where the volume of passengers boarding and delays associated with purchase on-bus are appreciably higher. Transport for London (TfL) regards RTMs as a last resort payment method, selling only single journey tickets and one-day bus passes. The organisation is keen to promote the use of smartcards, which would be difficult to administer in a rural area. TfL has calculated the revenue cost per annum to be approximately £4,300 per RTM, 10% of which is attributable to cash collection and banking. This revenue cost is high when set against the benefits accruing from reductions in delay. It would also be necessary to develop a comprehensible front panel to make it easier for intending customers to purchase tickets. Additionally, anecdotal evidence points to adverse feedback from customers faced with having to find the exact fare in coins to purchase tickets from RTMs in locations where there is no facility to obtain change.

7.5.13 In the context of the four concept options for public transport networks outlined in Chapter 5, the most beneficial ticketing-related enhancements would be the introduction of multi-modal and interoperable ticketing.

7.6 Option 4: Extend discounted ticketing 7.6.1 The growth in car travel and the fall in bus patronage since 1980 have been accompanied by a slight reduction in motoring costs and rising bus fares in real terms.

7.6.2 The overall cost of motoring (including purchase, maintenance, petrol and oil, and tax and insurance) has remained at or below its 1980 level in real terms, although the real cost of fuel is now 7 per cent higher than in 1980, despite falling by over 10 per cent since 2000.

7.6.3 In contrast to overall motoring costs, public transport fares have risen in real terms since 1980. In 2003, bus and coach fares were 34 per cent higher and rail fares 36 per cent higher than in 1980.

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7.6.4 Over the same period, average disposable income has gone up more than 90 per cent in real terms. Transport by any mode has therefore become more affordable, with a greater improvement in the affordability of car use than that of public transport.

7.6.5 If young people, the commuters of the future, are to be persuaded to continue using public transport beyond the age of 17 when they can take their driving test, they need to be offered an incentive. The County Council, in partnership with operators could consider extending discounted fares for younger bus users aged over 18. This benefit could also be extended to those seeking employment or those economically disadvantaged in other ways, to offset the costs associated with travel by public transport.

7.6.6 The Government’s Social Exclusion Unit found that one of the most significant factors in transport and social exclusion is high ticket prices. This tallies with the findings of a study carried out by the Consumer Council in Scotland in 2002. The introduction of a pass allowing those aged up to 26 and others on low incomes to travel on public transport at a discounted rate would help to promote public transport use and retaining the user base beyond the point at which young people emerge from school or college.

7.6.7 The Saver Bus concept introduced by National Express in the West Midlands, though focussed on an urban area affected by social exclusion, operating with a low flat fare of 60p for each adult travelling, delivered patronage growth of 11% between its launch in July 2004 and the end of January 2005.

7.6.8 Costs associated with this type of initiative are difficult to gauge. It is recognised that local authorities, including the County and District Councils in Oxfordshire are already committed, financially and in terms of administration, to delivering full fare concessionary travel for senior citizens and other eligible people from 1 April 2006. However, it may be appropriate to further investigate the proportion of people currently resident in the study area who are economically disadvantaged and who may benefit from discounted ticketing arrangements. It would also be beneficial to understand the proportion of affordable housing planned to be provided as part of the residential developments in the medium and longer term. If significant provision of affordable housing is planned, the case for this measure is strengthened.

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7.7 Option 5: Apply branding to bus services 7.7.1 The idea of an integrated public transport network could be furthered by the application of local branding to vehicles, passenger information and infrastructure.

7.7.2 Cornwall County Council has led a project team, including operators’ representatives, that has implemented the Corlink network in the Bodmin and Carnon Vale areas, with smaller semi-flexible services feeding into core bus route 55. The distinctive Corlink branding has been applied to different operators’ vehicles and at-stop infrastructure. It has been backed-up by publicity campaign involving door-to-door leafleting across the operating area and by the progressive introduction of Real Time Information. Cornwall County Council states that it is difficult to quantify the effect of branding alone on increasing awareness of travel choices and encouraging use of the services. However, a baseline survey of approximately 1,300 respondents was carried out in the Corlink operating area prior to launch and has been repeated on an annual basis since. The results reveal that passenger satisfaction with the branded network is 35% higher than for conventional bus services. Cornwall County Council is keen to emphasise the benefits in terms of reducing social exclusion within the operating area, rather than concentrating on patronage figures.

7.7.3 A TAS Partnership study3 revealed that 33% of passengers questioned were attracted to use Trent Barton’s Calverton Connection service in Nottinghamshire due to its distinctive branding. The study also found that 76% of people questioned while travelling on the Elstree and Borehamwood Network in Hertfordshire “believed the service branding to be worthwhile”.

7.7.4 Oxfordshire County Council could investigate the scope work with Stagecoach and other local bus operators to evolve a branded network, in particular Newbury Buses who already operate low-floor accessible buses on routes 6 and 9 to Didcot. Informal discussions with this operator indicate there are no plans to introduce branding to Newbury Buses at present.

7.7.5 Newbury Buses’ parent company, Reading Transport Limited, succeeded in increasing patronage by 4% on Route 17 in urban Reading over a six month period. In common with most other best practice case studies, this followed the

3 TAS Partnership: Outcomes Overview contained within Good Practice Guide on Outcomes from Quality Bus Partnerships, available at www.tas-passtrans.co.uk/table_7

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introduction of a package of measures, including new accessible vehicles bearing ‘Quality Travel for Reading’ branding, RTI and at-stop infrastructure enhancements. The overall expenditure to implement a Quality Corridor on urban route 17 was £3.4 million, including £2.64 million investment in seventeen new buses, £477,000 on infrastructure, £203,000 on additional RTI system components and £120,000 on bespoke stop-specific static information designed by Best Impressions at over 40 stops.

Figure 7.3: Distinctive branding applied to a low-floor bus

7.7.6 Reading Transport’s commercial division, Goldline Travel, operates two branded services in the Reading urban area, Daytrack and the Thames Valley Park shuttle, that are focussed on meeting business travel requirements. The Daytrack service, funded jointly by Prudential Property Management and Reading Borough Council connects the GreenPark business development and Madejski Stadium with central Reading. It dovetails with the Fasttrack-branded service operated by First to provide a combined frequency inbound of 7 to 8 minutes in the morning peak and interpeak, reducing to 15 minutes in the afternoon. Outbound, the frequency is reversed. This reflects the fact that the major flow throughout the morning is towards the town centre but the pattern also affords a high-quality service for the lesser number of business users travelling out to GreenPark and the conference facilities at the Stadium.

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7.7.7 The Thames Valley Park shuttle service, linking central Reading with Thames Valley Park to the east of the town, will see a significant enhancement in July 2006. Five new high-specification vehicles are currently under construction. Information in the industry press suggests they will be equipped with leather seats, entertainment systems and air conditioning, complemented by a distinctive branded external finish. This will tally with the Thames Valley Park management team’s objective of increasing passenger journeys by a third. Prior surveys undertaken in 2005 indicated there were 2,000 journeys per week on the shuttle service. Projections suggest that the number of people working at Thames Valley Park will increase from the current level of 10,000 staff to 15,000 by 2010.

7.7.8 If applied as part of a package of improvements to frequency, vehicles, passenger information and infrastructure, branding could be introduced on core corridors and potentially to shuttle and feeder services envisaged in all of the four conceptual public transport network options identified in Chapter 5.

7.8 Option 6: Improve bus stops and waiting facilities 7.8.1 A Bus Delay Study undertaken by Halcrow in the Swindon area, encompassing rural sectors to Highworth and Wootton Bassett, revealed that the delay associated with boarding, alighting and layover at bus stops was, on average, 58% of the total delay experienced on route on weekdays. For service 7, linking Swindon with Highworth, the delay associated with bus stops was 67% of the total. This statistic provides justification for investment to making boarding and alighting easier at bus stops, as well as streamlining ticketing arrangements.

7.8.2 The removal of inset bays in favour of carriageway bus stops or bus boarders, where road safety considerations allow, would reduce delays associated with passenger access and egress and for the bus rejoining the traffic stream. If complemented by regularly-maintained shelters offering adequate weather protection, this would improve the waiting environment for existing and potential users. Improvements to infrastructure would be key to the successfully introduction of any of the four conceptual public transport network options identified in Chapter 5. The majority of bus stops in the study area have only rudimentary shelters at present – as shown in Figure 7.4 - or afford no weather protection at all.

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Figure 7.4: Scope for improvement - basic waiting shelter at Rowstock Roundabout bus stop

7.8.3 An approximate capital cost per stop, based on a 3-metre full-height Kassel kerb section, complemented by a new 3-bay non-advertising shelter and litter bin, is £9,800. Cross reference to Traveline stop-level information indicates there are 24 stops in each direction between Wantage and Abingdon, resulting in an approximate cost of £470,400 to provide infrastructure enhancements on this sector. This excludes the revenue costs of maintaining any new shelters not covered by an advertising arrangement. Based on quotations supplied by Adshel, maintenance costs for a five year period, would be £1,800 per shelter.

7.8.4 Ultimately the Council could pioneer the introduction of hub facilities at the main stops in towns and villages, comprising a comfortable, enclosed, staffed waiting area with broadband internet access to public services such as NHS Direct and education resources – thereby potentially reducing the need to make journeys – and Real Time and static information covering the public transport network and departures from that location.

7.9 Option 7: Develop small-scale Park & Ride 7.9.1 At present Stagecoach routes 32 and 33 deviate off main roads to serve villages including Ardington, East and West Hendred, East Hanney, Sutton Courtenay and Culham. Concept option 1 for a revised public transport network, outlined in Chapter 5, envisages these routes being altered to operate direct along main arterial routes, including the A417 and A338, at least in the morning and evening peak –. This would save at least five to seven minutes from the schedule, based on

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withdrawal of the deviation south of A417 alone and avoid congestion and difficult turns where the bus enters and leaves the main road.

7.9.2 These route revisions could be offset by creating a number of small-scale Park and Ride facilities adjacent to the main arterial routes and by providing minibus feeder services from the villages, either to the Park and Ride stops or through to the nearest urban centres. The Park and Ride facilities could also encourage some motorists currently making the full journey by car to transfer to the bus for part of their journey.

7.9.3 The Livingston FastLink project in Scotland is an example of a small-scale Park and Ride scheme. It was introduced to improve the A899 Livingston Road corridor. It aims to make this main road less car-dominated and to make access to bus services easier through improved bus stop facilities and using low floor easy access buses.

Figure 7.5: Small-scale Park and Ride car park, part of the Livingston FastLink project

7.9.4 Three high quality bus halts have been constructed which have raised kerbs, up to date information, screens suitable for real time information, CCTV, street lighting, and cycle parking. These halts also offer a limited number of car parking spaces, enabling them to act as acting as park and ride sites.

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Figure 7.6: High-quality bus halt at Howden, part of the Livingston FastLink project

7.9.5 Since FastLink was opened there has been some reduction in journey times. For example, the journey from the Knightsridge Fastlink halt to Livingston now takes 6 minutes compared to 18 minutes. The construction cost for FastLink, not including new buses is approximately £2.4 million.

7.9.6 An example of a feeder service that could link the villages south of the A417 to the revised core corridor already exists in Oxfordshire. The Oxford Tube Connection is funded using Rural Bus Challenge money secured from DfT. It comprises 2 services that operate on Mondays through Fridays to and from the M40 junction at Lewknor, where passengers can transfer to the Oxford Tube coach service to London or Oxford. Service TB1 operates from , Cuxham and Watlington and service TB2 operates from Thame, Chinnor, Kingston Blount and Aston Rowant. Each village is surrounded by a pick up zone where subject to pre- booking passengers can be picked up from an agreed point.

7.9.7 The service is operated using 8-seater taxibuses. At Lewknor investment has been made in new bus lay-bys, shelters and information at the coach stop with a freephone available for further information or help. The County Council also opted to install barriers to deter parking alongside the B4009 beneath the M40, to reduce the incidence of commuters driving to Lewknor to board the Oxford Tube and encourage people to use the Oxford Tube Connection.

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7.10 Option 8: Introduce Demand Responsive Transport 7.10.1 The rural area to the South East of Didcot is currently has a basic scheduled bus service linking villages such as Upton and Blewbury to Didcot, as described in Chapter 3. An option would be to supplant this with a Demand Responsive Transport (DRT) service, with an accessible vehicle or vehicles operating a part- fixed route that could be varied in certain sectors to enable people to be picked up and set down as required. This could offer the flexibility of a door-to-door service to many residents, who would either be able to contact the DRT call centre to pre- book their journey or board at marked stops on the fixed route sector. The flexibility offered by DRT could also be exploited to enable employees travelling from outlying settlements and even peripheral areas of Didcot from their homes direct to workplaces. DRT is, however, costly to provide and is difficult to access for those living outside the operating area.

7.10.2 DRT services already operate in rural West Berkshire and north Hampshire. The routes in West Berkshire are branded Call-A-Bus; those in Hampshire operate under the Cango branding. They are aimed at fulfilling Journey-to-Work, other utility and leisure needs. Call-A-Bus is a very marginal operation and has witnessed several cuts since its inception in 2000. The Cango network has enjoyed varying success. In the Alresford area, patronage levels required the introduction of larger midibuses. On the Hampshire-West Berkshire border, Cango services were rationalised following poor take-up.

7.10.3 The DRT concept can also be focussed on meeting Journey-to-Work requirements. With funding from the National Assembly for Wales, Flintshire County Council developed the innovative Deeside Shuttle to provide accessible transport between residential areas and the Deeside Industrial Park, where public transport links were poor.

7.10.4 Over 98% of journeys to the Deeside Industrial Park were made by car, creating traffic chaos at peak times and reducing air quality in the area. Employers were also hard hit by the lack of public transport with an average of 38% of vacancies unfilled after 12 months because workers without cars were unable to attend job interviews and make their way to work.

7.10.5 The Deeside Shuttle DRT operation was established with a spine route running between the residential and industrial areas. The minibuses are able to deviate within defined zones to pick up or drop off passengers. Vehicles have fixed stops as well as scheduled deviations to coincide with shift changes. The network is

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supported by a call centre equipped with customised scheduling and despatch software. Flintshire County Council estimates that the Deeside Shuttle has the potential to save 24,000 car journeys per annum.

7.10.6 It should be considered however that the services linking villages to the south east of Didcot with the town operate over non-core routes and consequently may be deemed less of a priority for enhancement when compared with core corridors.

7.11 Option 9: Introduce low-emission vehicles 7.11.1 There may be scope to build upon the investment already made by bus operators in Oxfordshire in new vehicles powered by engines that meet the Euro 3 and Euro 4 standards, by introducing hybrid-power or fuel cell buses and making existing and potential users aware of the environmental benefits associated with their introduction. The very nature of the leading edge work undertaken at Harwell Chilton Campus could thus be reflected in the transport provision to the site. Whilst it is difficult to quantify the patronage benefits that may accrue from introduction of ‘greener’ vehicles, it is likely that employees would feel more inclined to use a more sustainable mode using the latest vehicle technology.

7.11.2 Stagecoach, one of Oxfordshire’s principal bus operators is trialling the diesel- electric Designline hybrid in the UK. Initial trials, reported in Bus and Coach Professional, point to a 5 per cent reduction in fuel consumption as well as a significant cut in carbon deposits in the engine and lower vehicle emissions overall.

7.11.3 The Government has sponsored the New Vehicle Technology Fund, administered by the Energy Saving Trust as part of its TransportAction initiative. The Fund has contributed towards development of the Wright Electrocity hybrid, successfully trialled across the UK and introduced in London in February 2006, and Mercedes Citaro hydrogen fuel cell powered buses. Like Designline, the Electrocity concept represents the interim, hybrid-power option, using a microturbine running on diesel, LPG or natural gas.

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Figure 7.7: Hydrogen fuel-cell powered bus currently operating in London (photo courtesy of Fuel Cell Bus Club: www.fuel-cell-bus-club.com )

7.11.4 The three fuel-cell powered buses that are currently operating in London cost in excess of £1 million each. Their range of 120 miles and acceleration rate of 0 to 35 miles per hour of approximately 12 seconds makes this current technology more suited to an urban environment. Further development and a reduction in associated costs – or a marked increase in the price of fossil fuels - will be necessary before fuel-cell powered buses are a viable option for operation over the interurban corridors envisaged in the four conceptual public transport networks detailed in Chapter 5.

7.12 Option 10: Introduce Rapid Transit 7.12.1 The term Rapid Transit covers a variety of different modes, ranging from high capacity buses operating in the general traffic stream, over demarcated bus lanes within the highway boundary or on segregated busways, through the concept of a guided bus running on a special track, to trams, other light rail vehicles, metro systems and monorails.

7.12.2 The 1990s witnessed significant investment in tram systems in the UK, focussed on providing an attractive mode option for journeys in congested urban and suburban areas. However, escalating capital and revenue costs led the Government to review this policy. Bids to implement new tram networks in Leeds and on Merseyside have recently been turned down. Local authorities submitting bids for supplementary funding in 2004 were advised by the Government Office for the South East that bus-based schemes would be considered more favourably.

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7.12.3 The current travel patterns identified in Chapter 4, coupled with the network issues within Wantage and Grove, at Rowstock Roundabout and at Milton Interchange outlined in Chapter 5 and predicted future demand, lend support to the concept of a high-quality, bus-based Rapid Transit link between Wantage, Grove and Didcot Parkway. This is as envisaged in concept option 4 that is proposed in Chapter 5.

7.12.4 A variety of Rapid Transit systems have been or are in the process of being implemented worldwide, including:

Civis

• Marketed as a system of light public transport for mainly urban environments; • Fully-accessible and capable of carrying 150 passengers; • Based on optical guidance with diesel-electric propulsion; • Can be used on ordinary roads as well as dedicated lanes with inset ‘guidance strips’; • Reputed to cost 1 million Euros (approx £666,000) per vehicle but this is offset by the reduced costs of infrastructure; and • Civis is already in operation in Las Vegas in the USA and is to be introduced in Rouen and Clermont-Ferrand in France.

ftr / StreetCar

• A bus rapid transit concept developed by FirstGroup and WrightBus; • Principally aimed at urban environments; • Bespoke vehicles equipped with ‘ergonomic communal seating, infotainment screens, air conditioning, smoother ride, anti glare glass and interior lighting;’ • Complemented by barcoded weekly, 4 weekly and 10 journey passes available from PayPoint outlets and infrastructure measures to be delivered by local authority partners, including distinctive super-stops and Clearways; • The first ftr service will be introduced in the UK in York in May 2006 on service 4, an east-west route that currently operates at 8 minute headway during the daytime and that saw growth of 22% in 2004; • Estimates put the cost of each ftr vehicle in the region of £250,000- £300,000 per vehicle. Service 4 is already part of the York Overground network which saw an 18% increase in passengers in 2004. The service 4

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alone and is seen as one of the fastest growing bus routes in the country; and • Swansea is beginning to formulate plans for an ftr service with Bath also showing interest in the concept.

Nottingham Express Transit (NET)

• The most recent light rail system to have opened in the UK; • Operated by 15 accessible trams, each with a capacity of 190 people; • The route is 14 kilometres long of which 10 kilometres runs parallel to the heavy rail and 4 kilometres runs on street; • Line One serves outlying former mining communities and disadvantaged areas in the city of Nottingham; • Line One is intended to form part of an integrated network, linked to orbital bus routes and serving serves five park & ride sites which in total have 3,000 spaces; • Line One was designed, financed and built through a £200 million Private Finance Initiative underwritten by the Government; • After two years operation 9.7 million journeys were made on the tram up from 8.4 million journeys in year one. The passenger numbers for both years are better than target; • 25% of passengers use park & ride (after 2 years of operation); • 30% of passengers have transferred from cars; • 60% of tickets used are multi-modal (bus/tram joint tickets); • 99% of passengers are positive about the system; • Public transport usage on the Line One corridor has increased by 20% at peak times; and • Traffic has reduced by between 8 and 9% on parallel roads where the tram runs on street close to the city centre – although Traffic Regulation Orders associated with NET will have had an effect on this.

7.12.5 In February 2006, Cambridgeshire County Council secured Government backing to construct the Cambridgeshire Guided Busway. Its aim is to provide high quality, reliable and frequent local public transport along a corridor parallel to the A14.

7.12.6 Modern, accessible buses meeting current emissions standards and adapted with special guide-wheels will travel on a segregated guideway that will replace the disused railway line from St Ives to Cambridge. The buses will then continue through Cambridge on normal roads, rejoining the guideway at Cambridge Railway

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Station to travel through to Addenbrookes Hospital and a Park and Ride site at Trumpington. The guideway itself will run from St Ives via the proposed new town of Northstowe to Cambridge Science Park. There is scope for extensions to serve planned residential developments at Arbury Park north-west of Cambridge and at Trumpington and Addenbrookes to the south of the city.

7.12.7 In August 2004, Cambridgeshire County Council published a cost/benefit analysis relating to the proposed Cambridgeshire Guided Busway. Following a public enquiry at which 2,750 objections were heard, principally on environmental grounds but also from a consortium wishing to re-instate the railway for freight and passenger flows, this scheme is scheduled to open in late 2008. The total capital cost of this scheme was estimated at £86.5 million at 2002 prices, including £2.1 million for the purchase of 14 buses at £150,000 each.

7.12.8 The required operating costs were estimated in 2004 as £2.2 million, assuming that the service would start in 2006, increasing to £3.1 million in 2016. This is based on mileage and operating staff calculations using the service schedule and forecast patronage. The annual maintenance cost, covering maintenance of the guideway, park and ride sites and information systems, is estimated at £0.43 million.

7.13 Option 11: Provide additional heavy rail infrastructure Grove Rail Station

7.13.1 It remains an aspiration of Oxfordshire County Council to reinstate a station on the Great Western Main Line to serve Grove and Wantage. The establishment of this station forms the core of the Transport Assessment developed by Faber Maunsell for the Grove Airfield residential development. A major issue is the absence at present of a suitable service to call at the proposed station. Further, no detailed work has been done by the Train Operating Companies or other stakeholders to gauge the level of demand for such a facility. Cross-referring to examples of other new and re-opened stations, such as Warwick Parkway, the capital costs would be circa £3 million.

Inter-regional rail link: Didcot to South Coast

7.13.2 As a means of reducing congestion on the A34 corridor there may be scope to reinstate, or construct along a new alignment, a heavy rail link from Didcot via Newbury to the South Coast port of . The sinuous former Didcot, Newbury and Southampton Railway, closed in 1964, was upgraded during the

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Second World War specifically to carry additional freight traffic. Construction of a heavy rail alignment paralleling the A34, coupled with identification of intermodal freight transfer facilities could facilitate transfer of freight flows from road to rail, freeing up additional road space.

7.13.3 However, other than releasing road capacity for passenger movements within the study area, it is difficult to discern benefits from implementing this scheme for people wishing to travel to, from and within the study area of, unless capacity was provided to allow for local or inter-urban passenger flows to dovetail with the freight service.

7.13.4 Additionally, if the former railway alignment was chosen, it would be necessary to re-route the Chapter of National Cycle Network route 44 that has been established by Sustrans between Didcot and Upton on the disused track-bed.

Figure 7.8: Former alignment of Didcot, Newbury & Southampton Railway near Upton village, now forming part of National Cycle Network route 44, linking Didcot with Harwell Chilton Campus

7.13.5 Although ’s recently published Route Utilisation Strategy for the South Western Main Line envisages enhancement of the freight loading gauge on the existing Southampton to Midlands route via , Reading and Didcot – contrary to the attitude adopted by the now defunct Strategic Rail Authority - current Government policy is against large scale investment in new infrastructure and the costs of reinstating a heavy rail link between Didcot and the South Coast are likely to prove prohibitive.

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7.13.6 Capital costs for heavy rail identified by the Transport Studies Unit at Oxford University range from £5 million to £20 million per kilometre for suburban rail infrastructure4.

4 TEST Project – The Supply of Public Transport: a Manual of Advice (TSU, Oxford University, available at www.tsu.ox.ac.uk/test/MoA_exsu.html)

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8 Evaluation of options

8.1 Assessment framework 8.1.1 This Chapter describes the methodology used to assess the various options for enhancement and goes on to present the results of the assessment. The aim has been to consistently appraise the available options, irrespective of the fact that different modes and measures have been considered.

8.1.2 The first stage in developing the methodology for the assessment was to identify objectives against which the options would be assessed. A set of strategic and local objectives were identified from reference to national, regional and sub- regional policies and plans. Objectives were also defined in relation to Demand, Modal Shift, the Environment and Costs.

8.1.3 A set of assessment tables was then prepared, with one table covering each enhancement option. Allowance was made for subjective commentary, supported by available evidence, and for a simple marking system to show whether an option is likely to have:

• A significant positive effect, enabling objectives to be achieved, if implemented; • A less-marked positive effect; • No effect in terms of delivering a specific objective, or where detrimental effects associated with that option nullify positive effects; • A negative impact, preventing an objective from being attained; and • A significant negative impact.

8.1.4 Finally, a summary table was prepared to depict the results of the assessments, to enable comparison of the benefits and costs associated with each option and allow outline recommendations to be developed.

8.2 Results of assessment 8.2.1 The assessment tables for each of the options identified in Chapter 7 appear below, complemented by the summary table at the end of this Chapter.

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8.2.2 The option assessed as having the greatest positive impact in relation to the investment made is Option 5 – introduction of branding, in line with the concept of an integrated public transport network.

8.2.3 However, research undertaken as part of this study and by others has proved that the introduction of branding is more effective in increasing patronage and modal share for public transport if combined with other options for enhancement, namely enhanced service frequency, improved ticketing arrangements, upgrades to passenger information and waiting facilities and new more accessible vehicles with reduced emissions. The assessment found that all of these complementary measures also delivered positive benefits against the defined objectives.

8.2.4 Other options assessed as having a positive effect, particularly as part of a package of improvements, were:

• Option 1: bus service frequency enhancements; • Option 2: improvements to passenger information; • Option 3: enhanced ticketing arrangements – making it easier for customers to transfer between rail and bus and/or between different bus operators’ services; • Option 6: improvements to bus stops and waiting facilities; • Option 8: introduction of Demand Responsive Transport – in terms of improved accessibility and flexibility to serve a range of origin and destination locations; and • Option 10: introduction of Rapid Transit – in terms of ability to address congestion and meet demand in the medium and longer-term.

8.2.5 Options assessed as having a Neutral effect overall when introduced on their own were:

• Option 4: extension of discounted ticketing – in light of high associated revenue cost; • Option 7: development of small-scale Park and Ride – on the grounds that such schemes may not improve accessibility for those without a car and can have an adverse impact on the immediate street and wider environment; • Option 9: introduction of low-emission vehicles – not effective as a standalone measure and on the grounds that further development is

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required to make hybrid power or fuel cell vehicles a viable option for interurban corridors; and • Option 11: provision of additional heavy rail infrastructure – on grounds of very high capital investment required, considerable associated revenue costs, need to provide additional capacity in parallel and inability to meet short-term demand.

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Wantage and Grove - Didcot and Abingdon Public Transport Study Assessment of Options Option 1: Bus service frequency enhancements

Assessment area Objectives Assessment of Option Summary assessment (sources) against specific objective National Policy Tackling congestion More effective if suitably publicised and combined with other measures (<1% √ (Government patronage on First Berkshire after standalone frequency increase, compared Shared Priorities, with 29% where Trent Barton introduced Calverton Connection) reflected in Safer roads No direct impact on road safety. Indirectly, more frequent bus services could Neutral Oxfordshire LTP contribute to encouraging people to use bus rather than car, reducing car 2006-2011) movements and hence making roads safer for other users Delivering accessibility Increased frequency makes it easier and more convenient to travel to a range √√ of destinations Better air quality Depends on age, type and propulsion of buses being used. Indirectly, could Neutral contribute to encouraging people to use bus rather than car, reducing movements and emissions. However, could mean more bus movements and associated emissions

Improving the street Could have a detrimental effect on aesthetic of streets within the study area, Neutral environment particularly if combined with additional infrastructure. Indirectly, more frequent services could encourage bus use rather than car, making roads less car- dominated

Regional Policy Optimise use of No direct impact. Indirectly, more frequent bus services could contribute to Neutral (Regional available capacity encouraging people to use bus rather than car, reducing car movements and Transport and hence freeing up capacity on the existing highway network Economic Strategies) Encourage transition to Significant positive effect, particularly if combined with other measures such √√ use of more sustainable as improved waiting environment modes Support the aims of the No direct impact although frequency improvements following a network Neutral South East Plan assessment would tally with the idea of improved management. Indirectly, more frequent bus services could encouraging bus use, reducing car movements, congestion and pollution.

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Local Policy (Local Address traffic More effective if suitably publicised and combined with other measures √ Plans, Community congestion by reducing Strategies) reliance on private car use Improve bus services Significant positive effect √√ and connections to community transport Increase accessibility to Increased frequency makes it easier and more convenient to travel to a range √√ facilities for those of destinations without cars

Demand Meet short-term Measure has potential to increase overall capacity on bus routes linking key √ demand 2006-2011 locations, particularly Wantage/Grove with Harwell Chilton Campus and Meet medium-term Didcot/Milton Park (where significant commercial and residential development √ demand 2011-2016 is planned). Meet long-term demand √ 2016-2021

Modal shift Contribute to modal shift Significant positive effect, more significant if combined with other √√ enhancement measures

Environmental Reduce environmental Depends on age, type and propulsion of buses being used. Indirectly, could Neutral impact associated with contribute to encouraging people to use bus rather than car, reducing car movement movements and emissions. However, frequency increase means more bus movements and associated emissions

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Costs Realise Best Value for Depends on nature of corridor and whether complementary measures (e.g to Neutral investment made waiting facilities) are implemented in parallel. If there is significant unmet demand and frequency enhancements are publicised appropriately, patronage increase will demonstrate VfM CAPITAL COST AND ASSUMPTIONS: on basis of purchase of 1 single-deck £120,000 bus REVENUE COST AND ASSUMPTIONS: Bus operating 13 hours per day, £81,500 covering 240km per day, 252 weekdays per annum; cost also allows for consumables (tyres, fuel, oil etc), driver wages, depreciation, tax and insurance OVERALL SUMMARY Significant positive benefits: improved accessibility, incentive to switch mode √ (particularly if combined with other quality measures) and contribute to better co-ordination

Key to marking √√ Option is likely to have a significant positive effect, enabling objectives to be achieved, if implemented √ Option will contribute towards achievement of objectives if implemented Neutral Option is unlikely to have an effect in delivering this policy area, or detrimental effects may nullify positive X Option is likely to have a negative impact, preventing objective from being attained XX Option is likely to have a significant negative effect, preventing objective from being attained

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Wantage and Grove - Didcot and Abingdon Public Transport Study Assessment of Options Option 2: Improve passenger information

Assessment area Objectives Assessment of Option Summary assessment (sources) against specific objective National Policy Tackling congestion Although no direct impact, enhanced information can help indirectly to address √ (Government traffic congestion by making people aware of the existence of public transport Shared Priorities, services and how/where to board purchase tickets etc. More effective combined reflected in with other measures Oxfordshire LTP Safer roads No direct impact Neutral 2006-2011) Delivering accessibility If accessibility is seen in terms of making the public transport network more √√ accessible and bringing down barriers that may deter potential customers, improvements to passenger information can afford significant benefits Better air quality No direct impact Neutral Improving the street If aesthetics are considered when procuring and installing display units and Neutral environment displaying information, this Option will enhance the street environment. Conversely, additional infrastructure to display information (poles, cases) could cause clutter

Regional Policy Optimise use of No direct impact Neutral (Regional available capacity Transport and Encourage transition to More effective if combined with other measures to enhance service quality √ Economic use of more sustainable Strategies) modes Support the aims of the No direct impact Neutral South East Plan

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Local Policy (Local Address traffic Although no direct impact, enhanced information can help indirectly to address √ Plans, Community congestion by reducing traffic congestion by making people aware of the existence of public transport Strategies) reliance on private car services and how/where to board purchase tickets etc. More effective combined use with other measures Improve bus services Measure will improve one key aspect of bus services √√ and connections to community transport Increase accessibility to Although no direct impact, enhanced information can potentially reduce √ facilities for those information 'barrier' faced by existing and potential users without cars

Demand Meet short-term No direct impact Neutral demand 2006-2011 Meet medium-term No direct impact Neutral demand 2011-2016 Meet long-term demand No direct impact Neutral 2016-2021

Modal shift Contribute to modal shift Although no direct impact, enhanced information can help indirectly to contribute √ to modal shift by making people aware of the existence of public transport services and how/where to board, interchange between buses and onto rail etc.

Environmental Reduce environmental No direct impact Neutral impact associated with movement

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Costs Realise Best Value for Measure will improve one key aspect of bus services - identified as one of the 3 √√ investment made measures representing best value for investment in TAS Report for Hampshire CC (1999) CAPITAL COST AND ASSUMPTIONS: Assumes upgrade of at-stop information. £14,500 Based on £290 per stop, covering supplyand install of standard flag and case on new pole, and total of 50 stops to be upgraded REVENUE COST AND ASSUMPTIONS: assumes replacement of timetable £750 information (by operator or local authority) twice a year plus replacement of case components where damage occurs OVERALL SUMMARY Measure is more effective if implemented as part of a package of improvements. √ Crucially, information enhancements are identified as one of three measures affording best value for investment made. Neutral effect in other respects

Key to marking √√ Option is likely to have a significant positive effect, enabling objectives to be achieved, if implemented √ Option will contribute towards achievement of objectives if implemented Neutral Option is unlikely to have an effect in delivering this policy area, or detrimental effects may nullify positive X Option is likely to have a negative impact, preventing objective from being attained XX Option is likely to have a significant negative effect, preventing objective from being attained

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Wantage and Grove - Didcot and Abingdon Public Transport Study Assessment of Options Option 3: Enhance ticketing arrangements

Assessment area Objectives Assessment of Option Summary assessment (sources) against specific objective National Policy Tackling congestion Although no direct impact, enhanced ticketing can help indirectly to address √ (Government traffic congestion by making it easier for people to purchase bus and rail Shared Priorities, tickets, to transfer from bus to rail and vice-versa and between buses reflected in Oxfordshire LTP Safer roads No direct impact Neutral 2006-2011) Delivering accessibility If accessibility is seen in terms of making the public transport network more √√ accessible and bringing down barriers that may deter potential customers, enhanced ticketing can afford significant benefits Better air quality No direct impact Neutral Improving the street No direct impact UNLESS decision is taken to install Roadside Ticket Neutral environment Machines, which could be deemed as additional on-street clutter

Regional Policy Optimise use of No direct impact Neutral (Regional available capacity Transport and Encourage transition to More effective if combined with other measures to enhance service quality √ Economic use of more sustainable Strategies) modes Support the aims of the No direct impact Neutral South East Plan

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Local Policy (Local Address traffic Although no direct impact, enhanced ticketing can help indirectly to address √ Plans, Community congestion by reducing traffic congestion by making it easier for people to purchase bus and rail tickets, Strategies) reliance on private car to transfer from bus to rail and vice-versa and between buses. use Improve bus services Simplifying ticketing and making it easier to purchase tickets in advance √√ and connections to through a variety of outlets would improve one key aspect of bus services community transport Increase accessibility to Although no direct impact, enhancements to and simplification of, ticketing √ facilities for those arrangements can potentially make it easier for intending customers to without cars purchase tickets and travel

Demand Meet short-term demand No direct impact Neutral 2006-2011 Meet medium-term No direct impact Neutral demand 2011-2016 Meet long-term demand No direct impact Neutral 2016-2021

Modal shift Contribute to modal shift Although no direct impact, enhancements to and simplification of, ticketing √ arrangements can potentially make it easier for potential customers to purchase tickets and travel, with an attendant reduction in dwell times at stops and in overall journey times

Environmental Reduce environmental No direct impact Neutral impact associated with movement

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Costs Realise Best Value for Significant costs involved in implementation, principally associated with Neutral investment made installation, configuration/re-configuration of terminals and back-office systems and administration (reimbursement) CAPITAL COST AND ASSUMPTIONS: assuming introduction of a PlusBus £10,000 scheme covering the study area £5000 on at-station information, advance publicity including on-bus plus a nominal £5,000 to reconfigure bus ETMs to record tendering of PlusBus.

REVENUE COST AND ASSUMPTIONS: assumes Didcot PlusBus scheme will £2,500 be managed by current OBC local scheme manager, with cost accepted by bus operator. £2,500 sum to cover updates to PlusBus publicity and an annual awareness campaign OVERALL SUMMARY Simplification of ticketing arrangements and making tickets available through √ more outlets can make it easier for intending customers, particularly if the enhancements include multi-modal ticketing. Indirect congestion benefit. Otherwise neutral

Key to marking √√ Option is likely to have a significant positive effect, enabling objectives to be achieved, if implemented √ Option will contribute towards achievement of objectives if implemented Neutral Option is unlikely to have an effect in delivering this policy area, or detrimental effects may nullify positive X Option is likely to have a negative impact, preventing objective from being attained XX Option is likely to have a significant negative effect, preventing objective from being attained

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Wantage and Grove - Didcot and Abingdon Public Transport Study Assessment of Options Option 4: Extend discounted ticketing

Assessment area Objectives Assessment of Option Summary assessment (sources) against specific objective National Policy Tackling congestion Although no direct impact, extension of discounted ticketing beyond the age of √ (Government 18 would act as an incentive to young people to continue using public transport Shared Priorities, for at least some trips, reducing the incidence of car journeys amongst this age reflected in group. Oxfordshire LTP 2006-2011) Safer roads No direct impact, but statistics show highest incidence of car accidents √ involves men aged under 25. Risks associated with young male drivers reduce if more continue to use public transport

Delivering accessibility Extension of discounted ticketing could make it easier for young people and √ those deemed economically disadvantaged to travel to employment, education, healthcare, leisure and other facilities Better air quality No direct impact Neutral Improving the street No direct impact Neutral environment

Regional Policy Optimise use of No direct impact Neutral (Regional available capacity Transport and Encourage transition to Extension of discounted ticketing beyond the age of 18 would act as an √ Economic use of more sustainable incentive to young people to continue using public transport rather than Strategies) modes transferring back to bus or other public transport modes Support the aims of the No direct impact Neutral South East Plan

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Local Policy (Local Address traffic Although no direct impact, extension of discounted ticketing beyond the age of √ Plans, Community congestion by reducing 18 would act as an incentive to young people to continue using public transport Strategies) reliance on private car for at least some trips, reducing the incidence of car journeys amongst this age use group. Improve bus services Discounted travel would help to make bus travel a more attractive option √ and connections to community transport Increase accessibility to Extension of discounted ticketing could make it easier for young people and √ facilities for those those deemed economically disadvantaged to travel to employment, education, without cars healthcare, leisure and other facilities

Demand Meet short-term No direct impact Neutral demand 2006-2011 Meet medium-term No direct impact Neutral demand 2011-2016 Meet long-term demand No direct impact Neutral 2016-2021

Modal shift Contribute to modal shift Although no direct impact, discounted ticketing could encourage young people - √ the principle target market - to continue travelling by public transport after the age of 18

Environmental Reduce environmental Discounted ticketing could encourage young people to continue travelling by √ impact associated with public transport after the age of 18 instead of travelling by car movement

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Costs Realise Best Value for Significant investment required to fund discounted travel for young people and X investment made economically disadvantaged, over and above existing concessionary travel schemes, configure terminals and back-office systems and administer reimbursement. Negative impact

CAPITAL COST AND ASSUMPTIONS: based on development costs of £115,000 £39,500 and varying costs of ETM software configurations for four operators cited by Wayfarer for Reading smartcard scheme, taking cost to £90,000. £25,000 for passes and staffing REVENUE COST AND ASSUMPTIONS: difficult to gauge. £2.1 million per £2,120,000 annum to cover 3.3 million journeys p.a., based on journeys made in Reading under full fare concessionary travel scheme. Renewal of passes: £20,000

OVERALL SUMMARY Significant associated revenue costs as well as political implications. However, Neutral it would be particularly beneficial in terms of retaining public transport users beyond the age of 18 & could be extended to benefit economically disadvantaged Key to marking √√ Option is likely to have a significant positive effect, enabling objectives to be achieved, if implemented √ Option will contribute towards achievement of objectives if implemented Neutral Option is unlikely to have an effect in delivering this policy area, or detrimental effects may nullify positive X Option is likely to have a negative impact, preventing objective from being attained XX Option is likely to have a significant negative effect, preventing objective from being attained

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Wantage and Grove - Didcot and Abingdon Public Transport Study Assessment of Options Option 5: Apply branding to bus services

Assessment area Objectives Assessment of Option Summary assessment (sources) against specific objective National Policy Tackling congestion Although no direct impact, branding has potential to make people more √ (Government conscious of bus as an alternative mode as well as making mode visually more Shared Priorities, attractive, particularly if combined with other enhancements to service quality. reflected in Oxfordshire LTP Safer roads No direct impact - although measure can make bus visually more attractive and Neutral 2006-2011) encourage bus use as opposed to private car, thereby reducing car trips and hence making roads safer Delivering accessibility No direct impact Neutral Better air quality No direct impact Neutral Improving the street Aesthetic liveries and branding, designed with consideration for the √ environment environment in which the vehicles will be operating and where the infrastructure is located, can contribute to enhancing the street environment

Regional Policy Optimise use of No direct impact Neutral (Regional available capacity Transport and Encourage transition to Branding has potential to make people more conscious of bus as an alternative √√ Economic use of more sustainable mode as well as making mode more attractive, particularly if combined with Strategies) modes other infrastructure/service quality-related enhancements Support the aims of the No direct impact Neutral South East Plan

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Local Policy (Local Address traffic Although no direct impact, measure has potential to make people more √ Plans, Community congestion by reducing conscious of bus as an alternative mode as well as making mode visually more Strategies) reliance on private car attractive. Assessed subjectively as having making positive contribution in use helping deliver this objective. Improve bus services Branding contributes to improving the image of bus services. 33% of customers √√ and connections to using Calverton Connection attracted by branding; 76% of customers community transport interviewed in Hertfordshire agreed with concept of branding on their service

Increase accessibility to No direct impact Neutral facilities for those without cars

Demand Meet short-term No direct impact Neutral demand 2006-2011 Meet medium-term No direct impact Neutral demand 2011-2016 Meet long-term demand No direct impact Neutral 2016-2021

Modal shift Contribute to modal shift Although no direct impact, branding has potential to make people more √ conscious of bus as an alternative mode as well as making mode visually more attractive, particularly if combined with other enhancements to service quality.

Environmental Reduce environmental No direct impact Neutral impact associated with movement

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Costs Realise Best Value for Identified as one of the 3 measures representing best value for investment in √√ investment made TAS Report for Hampshire CC (1999) CAPITAL COST AND ASSUMPTIONS: £120,000 for branded stop-specific £250,000 information for 1 Quality Bus Corridor and extrapolating to cover bus liveries, publicity and initial promotion REVENUE COST AND ASSUMPTIONS: on basis of one campaign per annum £25,000 to raise awareness of route brand, at 1/10th cost of initial capital investment

OVERALL SUMMARY Potential to make people more conscious of bus as an alternative mode and √√ make service more attractive, especially combined with other quality-related enhancements. Branding identified in TAS study as 1 of 3 measures delivering best value

Key to marking √√ Option is likely to have a significant positive effect, enabling objectives to be achieved, if implemented √ Option will contribute towards achievement of objectives if implemented Neutral Option is unlikely to have an effect in delivering this policy area, or detrimental effects may nullify positive X Option is likely to have a negative impact, preventing objective from being attained XX Option is likely to have a significant negative effect, preventing objective from being attained

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Wantage and Grove - Didcot and Abingdon Public Transport Study Assessment of Options Option 6: Improve bus stops and waiting facilities

Assessment area Objectives Assessment of Option Summary assessment (sources) against specific objective National Policy Tackling congestion Although no direct impact, improvements to stops and waiting facilities have the √ (Government potential to make the waiting environment more appealing and safer for existing and Shared Priorities, potential customers, as well as making boarding and alighting easier reflected in Oxfordshire LTP 2006-2011)

Safer roads No direct impact - although measure can make bus visually more attractive and Neutral encourage bus use as opposed to private car, thereby reducing car trips and hence making roads safer Delivering accessibility Significant potential to improve physical access to the public transport network - not √√ only in terms of actual boarding of/alighting from buses but also in terms of clearly identifying bus stops as access points

Better air quality No direct impact - although measure can encourage bus use as opposed to private Neutral car, thereby reducing car trips and hence associated pollution Improving the street If improvements are designed with the aesthetics of the surrounding environment in Neutral environment mind, infrastructure can help to improve the street environment. However, new stops and shelters can be deemed 'additional street clutter'

Regional Policy Optimise use of No direct impact Neutral (Regional available capacity Transport and Encourage transition to Quality infrastructure has potential to make bus more attractive as a mode, √√ Economic use of more sustainable particularly if combined with other, service quality-related, enhancements Strategies) modes Support the aims of the No direct impact Neutral South East Plan

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Local Policy (Local Address traffic Although no direct impact, improvements to at-stop facilities and waiting √ Plans, Community congestion by reducing environment have potential to make bus more appealing, encouraging people to Strategies) reliance on private car consider using bus instead of car. use Improve bus services Infrastructure improvements contribute to improving the image of the bus as a mode √√ and connections to as well as individual services. Improvements at interchanges can make it more community transport convenient for customers transferring from community transport to mainstream services Increase accessibility to No direct impact, but in general terms improvements to the waiting environment will Neutral facilities for those make the overall journey experience more appealing without cars

Demand Meet short-term No direct impact Neutral demand 2006-2011 Meet medium-term No direct impact Neutral demand 2011-2016 Meet long-term demand No direct impact Neutral 2016-2021

Modal shift Contribute to modal shift Although no direct impact, improvements to at-stop facilities and waiting √ environment have potential to make bus more appealing, encouraging people to consider using bus instead of car. Assessed subjectively as positive

Environmental Reduce environmental No direct impact Neutral impact associated with movement

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Costs Realise Best Value for Identified as providing a more modest return when compared with service √ investment made simplification, branding and information enhancements CAPITAL COST AND ASSUMPTIONS: assumes provision of Kassel kerb, new £470,400 advertising shelter and litter bin at each of 48 stops (24 in each direction) between Wantage and Abingdon REVENUE COST AND ASSUMPTIONS: per annum cost. Assumes cleaning and £19,780 maintenance of 48 shelters at cost of £360 each per annum (taking Adshel quote of £1,800 for cleaning and maintenance for one shelter for a five year period). Allowance of £2,500 also made OVERALL SUMMARY Infrastructure improvements offer significant potential to improve physical access to, √ and aesthetics of, the public transport network. Upgraded waiting facilities will help encourage people to consider using the bus Key to marking √√ Option is likely to have a significant positive effect, enabling objectives to be achieved, if implemented √ Option will contribute towards achievement of objectives if implemented Neutral Option is unlikely to have an effect in delivering this policy area, or detrimental effects may nullify positive effects X Option is likely to have a negative impact, preventing objective from being attained XX Option is likely to have a significant negative effect, preventing objective from being attained

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Wantage and Grove - Didcot and Abingdon Public Transport Study Assessment of Options Option 7: Develop small-scale Park & Ride

Assessment area Objectives Assessment of Option Summary assessment (sources) against specific objective National Policy Tackling congestion Potential to reduce dominance of car on key corridors √ (Government Safer roads Potential to reduce car movements across a wider area, although there will √ Shared Priorities, still be movements to the Park & Ride sites; fewer car movements means reflected in decreased risk of accidents and hence safer roads Oxfordshire LTP Delivering accessibility Offers potential to improve access to public transport network - identifying √ 2006-2011) bus stops adjoining P&R sites as access points. Accessibility could decrease if an existing route is revised

Better air quality Assessed subjectively as having a positive impact against this objective, on √ the grounds that Park and Ride provision will reduce the need to make car movements over a wider area, hence reducing emissions

Improving the street Infrastructure at Park & Ride sites can be sensitively designed to fit into the X environment surrounding environment. However, iinfrastructure and associated car movements, can also be deemed to detract from the environment

Regional Policy Optimise use of Has potential to reduce car movements across a wider area, freeing up √ (Regional available capacity capacity at junctions and on links Transport and Encourage transition to Has potential to encourage people to consider using the bus for at least part √√ Economic use of more sustainable of their journey, particularly if coupled with other quality enhancements Strategies) modes Support the aims of the No direct impact Neutral South East Plan

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Local Policy (Local Address traffic Measure offers potential to reduce dominance of car on key corridors and √ Plans, Community congestion by reducing crucially car movements over a wider area, reducing effects of congestion Strategies) reliance on private car at key junctions use Improve bus services If establishment of Park and Ride sites is coupled with revisions to Neutral and connections to frequency, enhanced information and vehicle quality, objective will be community transport attained. However there could be negative impacts e.g. abstraction from revenue of existing services Increase accessibility to Dependent upon the location of settlements in relation to proposed Park X facilities for those and Ride sites. If a bus service is re-routed away from specific settlements without cars in order to fulfil a Park & Ride function, accessibility for residents could decrease

Demand Meet short-term Has potential to meet demand in short, medium and long term. Depends on √ demand 2006-2011 location of Park and Ride sites, scale of parking facilities provided initially, Meet medium-term scope for expansion & frequency of P&R services √ demand 2011-2016 Meet long-term demand √ 2016-2021

Modal shift Contribute to modal shift Has potential to encourage people to consider using the bus for at least part √√ of their journey, particularly if coupled with other quality enhancements

Environmental Reduce environmental Park & Ride offers potential to reduce car movements over a wider area but Neutral impact associated with there will still be car movements to and from the site, perhaps more so if movement existing services are re-routed away from outlying settlements to use a core corridor.

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Costs Realise Best Value for Livingston FastLink pilot scheme has only recently opened; the only √ investment made evidence of value for money so far is in terms of journey time savings (12 minute reduction for one movement). Subjective assessment of positive effect against this objective CAPITAL COST AND ASSUMPTIONS: on basis of construction of 3 small- £3,120,000 scale Park & Ride sites at £2.4 million and investment in 6 new single-deck buses to operate P&R service at cost of £120,000 each REVENUE COST AND ASSUMPTIONS: 6 buses operating P&R service 13 £500,000 hours per day, 240km per day, 252 weekdays per annum; allowance for consumables (tyres, fuel, oil etc), driver wages, depreciation, tax and insurance £11,000 to cover maintenance of infrastruc

OVERALL SUMMARY Significant capital investment but offers significant potential to realise modal Neutral shift if quality facilities & service are provided. Can have a detrimental impacts on environment and in revenue abstraction Key to marking √√ Option is likely to have a significant positive effect, enabling objectives to be achieved, if implemented √ Option will contribute towards achievement of objectives if implemented Neutral Option is unlikely to have an effect in delivering this policy area, or detrimental effects may nullify positive X Option is likely to have a negative impact, preventing objective from being attained XX Option is likely to have a significant negative effect, preventing objective from being attained

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Wantage and Grove - Didcot and Abingdon Public Transport Study Assessment of Options Option 8: Introduce Demand Responsive Transport (DRT)

Assessment area Objectives Assessment of Option Summary assessment (sources) against specific objective National Policy Tackling congestion Effective if variation allowed to serve identified origin and destination points, √ (Government providing door-to-door service. Needs suitable publicity, adequate capacity & Shared Priorities, infrastructure/information at timed stops reflected in Oxfordshire LTP Safer roads No direct impact on road safety. Indirectly, more frequent bus services could Neutral 2006-2011) contribute to encouraging people to use bus rather than car, reducing car movements and hence making roads safer for other users Delivering accessibility A DRT 'door-to-door' service can make it easier and more convenient to travel √√ to and from a range of destinations, particularly benefitting those without a car

Better air quality No direct impact, although DRT has potential to help reduce car movements Neutral and hence emissions Improving the street Additional bus movements could have a detrimental effect on aesthetic of Neutral environment streets within the study area, particularly if combined with additional infrastructure. However, can contribute to encouraging people to use bus

Regional Policy Optimise use of No direct impact. Indirectly, DRT could contribute to encouraging people to use Neutral (Regional available capacity bus rather than car, reducing car movements and hence freeing up capacity on Transport and the existing highway network Economic Encourage transition to Subjectively assessed as having a positive effect, commensurate with scale of √ Strategies) use of more sustainable DRT scheme, particularly if combined with appropriate publicity, booking modes arrangements and identification/development of interchange points with core network Support the aims of the No direct impact although introduction of DRT would tally with the idea of Neutral South East Plan improved management and targeted investment. Indirectly, DRT could contribute to encouraging people to use bus, reducing car movements and attendant congestion/pollution.

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Local Policy (Local Address traffic Effective if flexible-routing allows variation to serve identified origin and √ Plans, Community congestion by reducing destination points, enabling provision of a door-to-door service, if capacity is Strategies) reliance on private car sufficient to allow peak flows and if complemented with publicity, pre-booking use service etc Improve bus services Significant positive effect, if established to allow identified demand to be met √√ and connections to through variation & augmented with publicity campaign, pre-booking etc. DRT community transport can fulfil community transport function Increase accessibility to Likely to have a significant positive effect; DRT can provide a door-to-door √√ facilities for those service and permit interchange with core bus services and rail network without cars

Demand Meet short-term Has potential to meet demand in short, medium and long term. Ability to meet √ demand 2006-2011 demand depends on scope to vary route to serve users' origins and Meet medium-term destinations, and on service capacity √ demand 2011-2016 Meet long-term demand √ 2016-2021

Modal shift Contribute to modal shift Subjectively assessed as having a positive effect, commensurate with scale of √ DRT scheme, particularly if combined with appropriate publicity, booking arrangements and identification/development of interchange points with core network

Environmental Reduce environmental Potential to reduce car movements and hence emissions. This is dependent on √ impact associated with service pattern adopted, available capacity, public awareness of and movement attractiveness of, the service.

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Costs Realise Best Value for Employment-focussed Deeside Shuttle is cited as realising Best Value (2,300 √ investment made journeys per week), as is Lincolnshire InterConnect, Wiltshire Wigglybus and majority of routes on Hampshire's Cango network CAPITAL COST AND ASSUMPTIONS: assumes DRT vehicles are hired and £17,500 not purchased (hence these have revenue costs associated, not capital); capital cost is for 10 fixed stops at £550 each, £2,000 for publicity and £10,000 to establish DRT booking service REVENUE COST AND ASSUMPTIONS: assumes recruitment of 2 booking staff £47,000 at £15,000 each, hire of 2 new midibuses at £6,500 per annum (using hire rates for 3 year old double deck vehicles), £3,000 to cover running costs of call centre and £1,000 publicity OVERALL SUMMARY Demand Responsive Transport is likely to contribute to improved bus services √ and crucially to improved accessibility, affording a door to door service and connections with other modes. Key to marking √√ Option is likely to have a significant positive effect, enabling objectives to be achieved, if implemented √ Option will contribute towards achievement of objectives if implemented Neutral Option is unlikely to have an effect in delivering this policy area, or detrimental effects may nullify positive X Option is likely to have a negative impact, preventing objective from being attained XX Option is likely to have a significant negative effect, preventing objective from being attained

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Wantage and Grove - Didcot and Abingdon Public Transport Study Assessment of Options Option 9: Introduce low emission vehicles

Assessment area Objectives Assessment of Option Summary assessment (sources) against specific objective National Policy Tackling congestion No direct impact Neutral (Government Safer roads No direct impact Neutral Shared Priorities, Delivering accessibility No direct impact, although any new low-emission vehicles are likely to be of the Neutral reflected in more easily accessible low-floor type Oxfordshire LTP Better air quality Significant positive impact √√ 2006-2011) Improving the street Positive impact in terms of air quality, as above; dependent also on scale and √ environment aesthetics of vehicle used, its livery and frequency of service

Regional Policy Optimise use of No direct impact Neutral (Regional available capacity Transport and Encourage transition to If accompanied by publicity campaign, highlighting the environmental benefits √ Economic use of more sustainable associated with the vehicles and the bus mode as a whole, this measure has Strategies) modes potential to encourage transition Support the aims of the No direct impact Neutral South East Plan

Local Policy (Local Address traffic No direct impact Neutral Plans, Community congestion by reducing Strategies) reliance on private car use Improve bus services Appropriately-specified low-emission vehicles can offer a quieter, more comfortable √ and connections to and accessible travelling environment community transport Increase accessibility to No direct impact - dependent upon route(s) that vehicles are allocated to Neutral facilities for those without cars

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Demand Meet short-term No direct impact - dependent upon other factors, including route(s) that vehicles are Neutral demand 2006-2011 allocated to, capacity of vehicles, frequency of service Meet medium-term Neutral demand 2011-2016 Meet long-term demand Neutral 2016-2021

Modal shift Contribute to modal shift No direct impact Neutral

Environmental Reduce environmental Significant positive impact √√ impact associated with movement

Costs Realise Best Value for Difficult to gauge; significant investment required. Introduction of hybrid and fuel cell Neutral investment made buses in London and other European cities has been achieved through partnership working, with investment being underwritten by TfL and EU CAPITAL COST AND ASSUMPTIONS: assumes 6 fuel cell buses at cost of £1 £7,000,000 million each plus £1 million allowance for installation of supporting infrastructure at depot REVENUE COST AND ASSUMPTIONS: assuming revenue costs amount to 10% of £600,000 capital purchase cost of each bus; hence £100,000 per bus per annum x 6 buses

OVERALL SUMMARY Low emission vehicles should form part of a package of infrastructure and service Neutral improvements. Hydrogen fuel cell technology requires further development before viable application to interurban routes Key to marking √√ Option is likely to have a significant positive effect, enabling objectives to be achieved, if implemented √ Option will contribute towards achievement of objectives if implemented Neutral Option is unlikely to have an effect in delivering this policy area, or detrimental effects may nullify positive effects X Option is likely to have a negative impact, preventing objective from being attained XX Option is likely to have a significant negative effect, preventing objective from being attained

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Wantage and Grove - Didcot and Abingdon Public Transport Study Assessment of Options Option 10: Introduce Rapid Transit (RT)

Assessment area Objectives Assessment of Option Summary assessment (sources) against specific objective National Policy Tackling congestion Likely to have a significant positive effect if Rapid Transit corridor links key √√ (Government origin and destination locations Shared Priorities, Safer roads No direct impact on road safety. Indirectly, provision of an attractive RT Neutral reflected in service could contribute to encouraging people to use public transport rather Oxfordshire LTP than car, reducing car movements and hence making roads safer for other 2006-2011) users Delivering accessibility All Rapid Transit modes identified through research are fully-accessible to all √ members of the community. In terms of access to employment/facilities/services, dependent on route(s) adopted and nature of vehicles (rail vs road) Better air quality Dependent on propulsion system used; many RT vehicles are capable of √ being equipped with fuel cell or electric power systems Improving the street Infrastructure and vehicles can be sensitively designed to fit into the Neutral environment surrounding environment. However, the infrastructure (segragated/unsegregated routes, stops) can also be deemed to detract from the environment

Regional Policy Optimise use of Introduction of RT scheme usually associated with investment to create Neutral (Regional available capacity designated 'lanes' - either through revisions to existing layouts or creating Transport and new alignments Economic Encourage transition to Likely to have a significant positive effect if Rapid Transit corridor links key √√ Strategies) use of more sustainable origin and destination locations modes Support the aims of the No direct impact Neutral South East Plan

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Local Policy (Local Address traffic Likely to have a significant positive effect if Rapid Transit corridor links key √√ Plans, Community congestion by reducing origin and destination locations and is suitably publicised and combined with Strategies) reliance on private car other measures use Improve bus services If RT mode is a variation on bus, introduction will provide a significant positive √√ and connections to effect community transport Increase accessibility to Likely to have a significant positive effect if Rapid Transit corridor links key √√ facilities for those origin and destination locations without cars

Demand Meet short-term Sheer capital investment required and time to secure Parliamentary approval X demand 2006-2011 (for a rail-based RT scheme) and/or progress through Public Enquiry means Rapid Transit is not a realistic short-term option Meet medium-term Subject to funding being available and consensus on implementation, an bus- √√ demand 2011-2016 based RT scheme could be put in place to meet demand in the medium- and long term between key origin and destination locations Meet long-term demand √√ 2016-2021

Modal shift Contribute to modal shift Likely to have a significant positive effect if Rapid Transit corridor links key √√ origin and destination locations

Environmental Reduce environmental Likely to have a significant positive effect if Rapid Transit corridor links key √√ impact associated with origin and destination locations and is supported by quality enhancements to movement enhance attraction of RT mode

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Costs Realise Best Value for Nottingham Express Transit has witnessed a 15% increase in patronage in a Neutral investment made year (9.7 million journeys in year 2 against 8.4 million in year 1), reprsenting significant return for £200 million PFI investment. Best Value harder to prove for other schemes CAPITAL COST AND ASSUMPTIONS: capital cost of Cambridgeshire £86,500,000 Guided Busway cited by Cambridgeshire CC (2002 prices), based on approx 25km route REVENUE COST AND ASSUMPTIONS: £3 million operating cost and £3,400,000 £400,000 maintenance cost cited for Cambridgeshire Guided Busway, based on operation of 14 guided buses OVERALL SUMMARY Rapid Transit is not a realistic short-term option but could be implemented to √ meet demand and hence reduce congestion in the medium and longer term between key origin and destination locations. Significant capital and revenue investment is required Key to marking √√ Option is likely to have a significant positive effect, enabling objectives to be achieved, if implemented √ Option will contribute towards achievement of objectives if implemented Neutral Option is unlikely to have an effect in delivering this policy area, or detrimental effects may nullify positive X Option is likely to have a negative impact, preventing objective from being attained XX Option is likely to have a significant negative effect, preventing objective from being attained

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Wantage and Grove - Didcot and Abingdon Public Transport Study Assessment of Options Option 11: Provide additional heavy rail infrastructure

Assessment area Objectives Assessment of Option Summary assessment (sources) against specific objective National Policy Tackling congestion Likely to have a significant positive effect if additional infrastructure √√ (Government serves/links key origin and destination locations Shared Priorities, Safer roads No direct impact on road safety. Indirectly, provision of a station or an Neutral reflected in additional rail route and service could contribute to encouraging people to use Oxfordshire LTP public transport rather than car, reducing car movements and hence making 2006-2011) roads safer for other users Delivering accessibility Modern rail vehicles and new stations are legally required to be fully- √ accessible. In terms of access to employment/facilities/services, dependent on route(s) adopted, proximity of station(s) to facilities, interchange opportunities

Better air quality Dependent on train type in use; Indirectly, provision of a station or an √ additional rail route and service could contribute to encouraging people to use public transport rather than car, reducing car movements and hence emissions associated with the car Improving the street Infrastructure and vehicles can be sensitively designed to fit into the Neutral environment surrounding environment. However, additional infrastructure can also be deemed to detract from the environment

Regional Policy Optimise use of Evidence relating to other proposed stations (at Corsham and Chineham) and X (Regional available capacity route enhancements (South West Main Line) indicates that capacity Transport and enhancements - additional train sets, revisions to signalling, additional track - Economic are invariably required Strategies) Encourage transition to Likely to have a significant positive effect if additional infrastructure √√ use of more sustainable serves/links key origin and destination locations modes Support the aims of the Assessed as having a Neutral impact; option can be seen as expanding, Neutral South East Plan rather than better managing, existing network but could contribute to delivering economic success through reduced congestion

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Local Policy (Local Address traffic Likely to have a significant positive effect if additional infrastructure √√ Plans, Community congestion by reducing serves/links key origin and destination locations Strategies) reliance on private car use Improve bus services No direct impact - mode under consideration is rail as opposed to bus. Indirect Neutral and connections to benefit if interchange facilities are sensitively designed and feeder bus community transport service(s) is provided Increase accessibility to Likely to have a significant positive effect if additional infrastructure √√ facilities for those serves/links key origin and destination locations without cars

Demand Meet short-term Sheer capital investment required and time to secure planning permissions X demand 2006-2011 and progress through Public Enquiry means heavy rail is not a realistic short- term option Meet medium-term Subject to funding being available, consensus on implementation and √√ demand 2011-2016 agreement on service provision, an heavy rail scheme (particularly a new/re- Meet long-term demand opened station) could be put in place to meet demand in the medium- and √√ 2016-2021 long term

Modal shift Contribute to modal shift Likely to have a significant positive effect if heavy rail infrastructure helps to √√ link key origin and destination locations

Environmental Reduce environmental Likely to have a significant positive effect additional infrastructure serves/links √√ impact associated with key origin and destination locations, is supported by quality rail service and if movement rail vehicles employ environmentally-sound propulsion method

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Costs Realise Best Value for Dependent on a range of circumstances, including: proximity of stations to Neutral investment made attractors, origin & destination points, ease of interchange, frequency and adequacy of passenger rail service, assessment methodology used to determine Benefit/Cost ratio CAPITAL COST AND ASSUMPTIONS: assumes one new station at capital £128,000,000 cost of £3 million and 25 km of new rail line at £5 million per kilometre, using highest cost estimates cited for heavy rail by Oxford University TSU

REVENUE COST AND ASSUMPTIONS: taking operating cost of £10.70 per £539,280 vehicle kilometre identified by Oxford University's TEST research team, assuming a 5km route, 20 return journeys (i.e. 40 single movements of 5km each) per day on 252 weekdays per annum OVERALL SUMMARY Additional heavy rail infrastructure requires extremely high capital investment Neutral and has significant associated revenue costs. It should also be emphasised that additional infrastructure reqires additional capacity - conflicting with regional objectives Key to marking √√ Option is likely to have a significant positive effect, enabling objectives to be achieved, if implemented √ Option will contribute towards achievement of objectives if implemented Neutral Option is unlikely to have an effect in delivering this policy area, or detrimental effects may nullify positive X Option is likely to have a negative impact, preventing objective from being attained XX Option is likely to have a significant negative effect, preventing objective from being attained

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SUMMARY TABLE: Assessment of Options against Objectives

Ride Transit Extend service vehicles Provide services ticketing Improve Objectives Demand ticketing Enhance emission Option 9: Option 6: Option 2: Option 7: Option 8: Option 3: Option 4: Transport Introduce heavy rail additional stops and frequency Option 10: Option 11: passenger information discounted Responsive Improve bus scale Park & infrastructure arrangements Introduce low Option 1: Bus enhancements Develop small- Option 5: Apply waiting facilities branding to bus Introduce Rapid Tackling congestion √√√√√ √ √ √Neutral √√ √√ Safer roads Neutral Neutral Neutral √ Neutral Neutral √ Neutral Neutral Neutral Neutral Delivering accessibility √√ √√ √√ √ Neutral √√ √ √√ Neutral √√ Better air quality Neutral Neutral Neutral Neutral Neutral Neutral √ Neutral √√ √ √ Improving the street environment Neutral Neutral Neutral Neutral √ Neutral X Neutral √ Neutral Neutral

Optimise use of available capacity Neutral Neutral Neutral Neutral Neutral Neutral √ Neutral Neutral Neutral X

Encourage transition to use of more √√ √ √ √ √√ √√ √√ √ √ √√ √√ sustainable modes Support aims of South East Plan Neutral Neutral Neutral Neutral Neutral Neutral Neutral Neutral Neutral Neutral Neutral Address traffic congestion by √√√√√ √ √ √Neutral √√ √√ reducing reliance on private car use

Improve bus services and √√ √√ √√ √ √√ √√ Neutral √√ √ √√ Neutral connections to community transport

Increase accessibility to facilities for √√√√√Neutral Neutral X √√ Neutral √√ √√ those without cars

Meet short-term demand 2006-2011 √ Neutral Neutral Neutral Neutral Neutral √√Neutral X X

Meet medium-term demand 2011- √ Neutral Neutral Neutral Neutral Neutral √√Neutral √√ √√ 2016 Meet long-term demand 2016-2021 √ Neutral Neutral Neutral Neutral Neutral √√Neutral √√ √√

Contribute to modal shift √√√√√√ √ √√√Neutral √√ √√ Reduce environmental impact Neutral Neutral Neutral √ Neutral Neutral Neutral √√√√√√√ associated with movement Realise Best Value Neutral √√ Neutral X √√ √ √ √ Neutral Neutral Neutral Capital cost (if known) £120,000 £14,500 £10,000 £115,000 £250,000 £470,400 £3,120,000 £17,500 £7,000,000 £86,500,000 £128,000,000 Revenue cost/year (if known) £81,500 £750 £2,500 £2,120,000 £25,000 £19,780 £500,000 £47,000 £600,000 £3,400,000 £539,280

OVERALL SUMMARY √√√Neutral √√ √ Neutral √ Neutral √ Neutral

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9 Recommendations and next steps

9.1 Introduction 9.1.1 This Chapter presents recommendations for enhancement options that could be implemented in the short-term, medium-term and longer-term to retain existing customers, encourage potential users to transfer to public transport and capture custom from planned developments.

9.2 Recommendations for short-term enhancements 9.2.1 In the short-term period from 2006 to 2011, it is recommended that the County Council:

• works with bus operator Stagecoach and stakeholders including MEPC and UKAEA to enhance the frequency of the existing bus services 32 and 33 linking Grove and Wantage with Harwell Chilton Campus, Milton Park and Didcot, focussing on the morning and evening peak periods, with consideration being given to operating some or all journeys via the A417 as per concept option 1 outlined in Chapter 5. Consideration will also need to be given to the provision of feeder services from villages currently served by deviations on these routes. This recommendation is in light of the high volume of existing and predicted future movements between urban and employment centres over this axis; • works with bus operators to discern the scope and costs to provide additional peak-period journeys linking Oxford and Abingdon with Milton Park and with Harwell Chilton Campus, in light of the high volume of movements to both employment sites revealed by roadside interviews, by on-bus surveys and discussions with representatives of MEPC and UKAEA; • works with bus operators to implement interim enhancements – pending full upgrade to Premium Route status - to static passenger information and waiting facilities at bus stops and to introduce route branding, in parallel with the cascading of accessible low-floor vehicles, on the Oxford- Abingdon-Grove-Wantage and Oxford-Abingdon-Didcot corridors; • works with Journey Solutions, bus and train operators, MEPC and UKAEA to implement a PlusBus scheme covering the study area, permitting rail customers to transfer to bus at Didcot Parkway without the need to purchase an additional ticket;

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• considers introducing Demand Responsive Transport to replace basic scheduled services currently operating in the rural area south-east of Didcot, encompassing Aston Tirrold, Aston Upthorpe, Blewbury, Chilton, East and West Hagbourne, North and South Moreton, in light of the flexibility offered by the DRT concept and scope to deliver overarching policy objectives, particularly in terms of accessibility; • works with businesses to promote teleworking, to reduce need to make physical journeys, building on initiatives by UKAEA and tenant businesses at Milton Park and Grove Technology Park – this would be in line with current policy to enhance remote access to services and evolve E- government; and • works with business partners to evaluate options and potential for cost sharing, to enable development of detailed proposals for a Rapid Transit system linking Wantage and Grove with the railhead at Didcot Parkway, in lieu of the proposed rail station at Grove, and to investigate options for the development of a transport interchange in the vicinity of the A34/A4130 Milton Interchange, affording access directly or via shuttle services into Milton Park and, via a peak-period shuttle service, to Harwell Chilton Campus. This would be in line with concept network option 4 outlined in Chapter 5, envisaged for implementation in the medium- to long-term.

9.3 Recommendations for medium-term enhancements 9.3.1 In the medium-term period from 2011 to 2016, it is recommended that the County Council:

• Works with bus operators and other stakeholders to complete the enhancement of the Oxford-Abingdon-Grove-Wantage and Oxford- Abingdon-Didcot bus corridors with Real Time Information and upgraded facilities at all stops, to enable these corridors to be designated as Premium Routes; • Works with bus operators and other stakeholders to revise and enhance the Wantage-Didcot corridor with Real Time Information and upgraded facilities at key stops in line with the County’s established ‘Interlink’ secondary route concept. This would be furthered by development of: - primary interchange facilities in the vicinity of the A34/A4130 Milton Interchange;

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- a secondary on-street interchange at Rowstock Roundabout to cater for off-peak movements between Wantage and Harwell Chilton Campus; - bus priority at Milton Interchange, A4130/B4017 junction and on all arms of Rowstock Roundabout; - peak-period shuttle services linking Didcot with Harwell Chilton Campus via the primary interchange, as envisaged in concept option 2; - proposed services linking Didcot Parkway with the Campus via Great Western Park and Harwell village in the peak and, less frequently, in the off-peak. • Works with business partners, District-level authorities, developers and transport operators to secure legal permissions and match funding from central Government as appropriate for the Rapid Transit system linking Wantage and Grove with the railhead at Didcot Parkway, to ultimately supplant the upgraded bus route. Coupled with the upgrade to services on the existing corridor, this proposal takes account of the Transport Networks Review forecasts of a doubling in trips from Wantage and Grove between 2011 and 2021.

9.4 Recommendations for long term enhancements 9.4.1 In the long-term period from 2016 to 2021, it is recommended that the County Council:

• Works with business partners, District-level authorities, developers and transport operators to implement the Rapid Transit system linking Wantage and Grove with the railhead at Didcot Parkway, either connecting with shuttle bus services or incorporating branches serving the employment sites en route, delivering a further step-change in service quality for customers travelling between Wantage, Grove, Didcot, Milton Park and Harwell Chilton Campus.

9.5 Next steps 9.5.1 The preceding recommendations arise from the initial scoping work under Stage 1 of this study to determine options and establish broad-brush capital and revenue costs. Further work will be required to examine in detail the feasibility of implementing specific options, following consideration of this report by the client and joint discussions.

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