Appendix a – Detailed Discussion of Inter Urban Corridors

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Oxfordshire Local Transport Plan 2011-2030 County Council Draft – April 2011 ______Appendix A – Detailed discussion of inter-urban corridors.

Oxford-Banbury

Description

A1.1 This corridor heads north out of Oxford, along the A4260/A4165 from Oxford. It accommodates significant movements between Banbury, Kidlington, and Bicester and between these settlements and Oxford. At the Kidlington roundabout (A4260/A4165 junction) the corridor is joined by traffic from the A34 heading to Oxford and Water Eaton Park & Ride. It is the predominant road route between Kidlington and Oxford (to Cutteslowe Roundabout and then into the city centre via Banbury Road or to East Oxford via the A40).

A1.2 Kidlington is extremely well served by bus services to Oxford and around 30% of commuter journeys between the two settlements are made by bus (2001 census data). These services are supplemented by services every 20 minutes from Bicester, which leave the A34 at Gosford and serve nearby stops.

A1.3 Peak time journeys on services from Kidlington to central Oxford take around 30 minutes, which is competitive when compared to the car. As a result of the good bus priority, off-peak services are only 10 minutes quicker; journey times are lower due to fewer passengers and shorter dwell times in off-peak periods.

A1.4 Train services run non-stop every half hour throughout the day between Banbury and Oxford, taking approximately 20 minutes. These are supplemented by five or six local trains per day, calling at Tackley, Heyford, and Kings Sutton and taking approximately 30 minutes. Journey times to central Oxford compare well with the car, particularly from Banbury, but the lower frequency from the villages makes their rail service a less attractive option.

Challenges/Problems

A1.5 Congestion is a problem at a number of locations. These include the approaches to Kidlington Roundabout (particularly southbound and westbound during the morning peak and northbound in the evening peak). This is caused by tailbacks of southbound traffic exiting the roundabout, rather than the roundabout itself. Traffic exits the roundabout slowly as a result

______Page 1 of 28 Appendix A Detailed discussion of inter-urban corridors Oxfordshire Local Transport Plan 2011-2030 County Council Draft – April 2011 ______of queues or because drivers anticipate a queue at the Water Eaton Park and Ride junction (the junction is not visible over the brow of the A34 and rail bridge).

The approach to the Water Eaton Park and Ride junction also experiences congestion because traffic on the A4165 is stopped to enable buses to cross the junction, and to enable northbound traffic to access the park and ride.

Cutteslowe roundabout (on the northern part of the Oxford Ring Road) is congested at peak-times (southbound in the morning, northbound in the evening) and traffic queues build up on the A4165 approach to the roundabout. However, the length of queues at Cutteslowe roundabout is limited because southbound traffic is held up on its approach to Cutteslowe roundabout by delays at the Water Eaton junction.

During the evening peak there are frequent northbound queues on the A4165, particularly at the junction with the A4260 (Kidlington Roundabout). Occasionally there can be short intervals of queuing just north of Cutteslowe roundabout, which can leave traffic struggling to exit the roundabout, further reducing west-north and west-east traffic flows on this section of the ring road. This is partly due to lack of bus lay-bys and the presence of a pedestrian crossing on the northbound section of the A4165 close to Cutteslowe Roundabout.

A1.6 Bus priority south on the A4165 into Oxford is good for much of the route between Kidlington and Oxford, with a continuous southbound bus lane commencing 350 metres before the Kidlington Roundabout to Cutteslowe. Minor delays can be caused by the sheer volume of buses, where buses picking up passengers block the bus lanes for non-stopping services, since most of the stops do not have lay-bys.

A1.7 In addition, destinations in south and east Oxford are not accessible without a change of bus and a five minute walk across the city centre. The exception to this the Park & Ride service to the JR and Churchill hospitals which runs about every 15 minutes during the day from Grovelands via Garden City, Kidlington, Water Eaton and Summertown.

A1.8 National Cycle Network Route 51 runs between Kidlington and Oxford, a distance of about 4.5 miles (7km). Current problems with cycling in this corridor include the following:

______Page 2 of 28 Appendix A Detailed discussion of inter-urban corridors Oxfordshire Local Transport Plan 2011-2030 County Council Draft – April 2011 ______ difficulties crossing at the Water Eaton Park & Ride site;  narrow shared use paths;  intermittent provision for cyclists;  poor surfaces on some shared paths;  wide side roads to negotiate, such as at Five Mile Drive;  conflicts with buses, particularly in bus lanes; and  difficulties negotiating the Wolvercote and Cutteslowe roundabouts, whether on road or pavement.

Live Work Total Car Bus Train Cycle Work Trips Oxford Kidlington 716 527 120 0 38 Kidlington Oxford 2842 1584 972 6 187 Total: Oxford – Kidlington 3558 2111 1092 6 225 Oxford Banbury 170 137 3 15 0 Banbury Oxford 729 571 30 92 15 Total: Oxford – Banbury 899 708 33 107 15

Table 1: Numbers of Work Trips between Kidlington, Banbury and Oxford, taken from 2001 census.

Strategy

A1.9 In 2008 Chiltern Railways proposed a new station at Water Eaton with direct services to Oxford, Bicester and London Marylebone. In terms of door-to-door journey time between Kidlington and Oxford it is still expected that the bus journey will be quicker than the rail journey. However, it is likely to be attractive to those making longer distance journeys and to residents of Kidlington currently starting rail journeys at Oxford station.

A1.10 Water Eaton station has potential to attract rail passengers bound for London from north Oxford, Carterton, Kidlington, Yarnton, Eynsham and Witney, for whom Oxford Station (or Hanborough) are currently the best rail options. Extra commuter traffic to Water Eaton generated by the station has the potential to cause increased peak-time congestion on the A4165, as well as on the A40 up to the Cutteslowe roundabout. To help mitigate the risk of increased congestion from car journeys to the new station, bus services and cycle routes will need to provide good access to the site, particularly from settlements to the west of Oxford along the A40.

A1.11 Whilst a good north-south bus connection is already provided along the A4165, new or improved services may be needed to ______Page 3 of 28 Appendix A Detailed discussion of inter-urban corridors Oxfordshire Local Transport Plan 2011-2030 County Council Draft – April 2011 ______link Witney and Water Eaton, as an alternative to driving. The issue of eastbound A40 traffic will be considered as part of proposals for improving transport in Oxford’s Eastern Arc, as mentioned in the Oxford Area Strategy.

Cycle routes between the Water Eaton site and Oxford and Kidlington would also benefit from improvement, so that cycling to the station from north Oxford and Kidlington is a realistic and attractive option. We will make this a priority in the development of Water Eaton Parkway.

Oxford-Bicester

Description

A1.12 Corridor 2 runs north-east from the northern edge of Oxford, towards Bicester and the M40. The A34 is the key inter-urban route on this corridor.

A1.13 The A34 is a trunk road managed by the HA, providing a direct link between the M40, M4, M3 and south coast. It is designated a ‘National Route’ and carries high volumes of freight traffic between the south coast ports and the Midlands. Journeys to Oxford from the north east also use the A34 north of Oxford, with strong connections to Milton Keynes, Northampton and further afield to Cambridge, none of which can easily be accessed by train.

A1.14 The A34 has an important local role as well as accommodating longer distance journeys, being the predominant road route between Bicester and Oxford. (The dual carriageway road continues beyond M40 Junction 9 to Bicester as the A41). Traffic from the wider Bicester area also joins the corridor at various junctions on the route, in particular at Weston-on-the-Green. The A34 also caters for the majority of journeys between Banbury and Oxford, which travel via the M40 and A34, a much quicker route than the alternative route via the A4260.

A1.15 Although the predominant flow in the corridor is tidal (towards Oxford in the morning, away from it in the evening) the A34 carries many longer distance journeys in both directions all day. There are also significant numbers of off-peak journeys to Bicester Village (a large retail park just south of Bicester town centre), particularly during weekends and Bank Holidays.

______Page 4 of 28 Appendix A Detailed discussion of inter-urban corridors Oxfordshire Local Transport Plan 2011-2030 County Council Draft – April 2011 ______A1.16 There are good bus services from most parts of Bicester into Oxford and this is complemented by a high quality coach service between Oxford and Cambridge, via Bicester and the Woodstock Road (A44).

Challenges/Problems

A1.17 Congestion is a problem in the following locations:

 approaching M40 Junction 9, particularly on the southbound A41 and M40 during the morning peak and on the A34 northbound during evening peak. This is due to capacity constraints at the junction;  on the A34 itself, in both directions, caused by high volumes of traffic. This is a problem for much of the day, particularly during peak hours and can lead to significant delays when there is an incident on the route which can impact on other local roads; and  the A41 approaching Bicester is subject to significant congestion when Bicester Village is busy, as detailed further in the Bicester Area Strategy chapter.

A1.18 The available transport modelling shows that congestion will increase in the future, and the amount of traffic using alternative, less suitable routes into Oxford will increase. In particular, traffic accessing the east of Oxford is predicted to increasingly use local routes such as those through Merton, Islip and Woodeaton to avoid congestion on the A34.

A1.19 Peak-time bus services from Bicester to Oxford are approaching capacity. There is no bus priority between Bicester and Oxford until services reach Banbury Road or Woodstock Road in Oxford. This means buses get caught in congestion on the approach to M40 junction 9 and on the A34 as described above, meaning there is little incentive to use the bus from a journey time perspective.

A1.20 Destinations other than north Oxford and the city centre are not accessible without a change of bus, which requires a five minute walk through the city centre.

A1.21 The rail service between Bicester, Islip and Oxford offers a reliable alternative to road transport, taking just under 30 minutes. However, there are currently just 11 journeys in each direction on a weekday, only one of which caters for ‘peak’ journeys. There is capacity to cater for additional passengers on ______Page 5 of 28 Appendix A Detailed discussion of inter-urban corridors Oxfordshire Local Transport Plan 2011-2030 County Council Draft – April 2011 ______this service but the perceived slow journey and infrequent service limit its attractiveness.

A1.22 National Cycle Route 51 runs between Oxford and Bicester but, at around 17 miles (28km), few people choose to cycle this route. The direct route via the A41 and A34 is shorter (12 miles, 19km) but not attractive, because it is alongside the busy dual carriageways for most of the route. However, cycling has a potentially important role in connecting at either end of Bicester-Oxford public transport trips.

Live Work Total Work Car Bus Train Cycle Trips Oxford Bicester 342 291 30 6 0 Bicester Oxford 2440 1926 394 41 24 Total: Oxford – Bicester 2782 2217 424 47 24 Table 2. Numbers of Work Trips between Bicester and Oxford, taken from 2001 census.

Strategy

A1.23 Rail will provide much of the answer to better connection between Oxford and Bicester in future. Improved Oxford- Bicester services could considerably reduce the peak-time congestion hotspot around junction 9 of the M40/A34. Chiltern Railways has plans to improve the Bicester-Oxford service significantly, proposing a half-hourly service between Bicester and Oxford via a new station at Water Eaton from 2012 as part of their Evergreen 3 project. This is likely to make the train a much more attractive option, with the potential to open up journeys to other areas of Oxford if new express public transport services are operated from Water Eaton (potentially as part of improvements to public transport in Oxford’s Eastern Arc).

A1.24 The East-West Rail Consortium’s proposals to reopen the line for passenger services between Bicester and Bletchley, which closed to passengers in 1967, will lead to a further increase in services between Bicester and Oxford. It will also accommodate longer distance journeys to Milton Keynes and beyond, that cannot currently be made by rail and could transfer from the A34.

A1.25 Planned improvements to walking, cycling and bus travel across Bicester, discussed in detail in the Bicester Area Strategy, will help residents across Bicester to access the new station and enhance the viability of rail travel between Oxford and Bicester. ______Page 6 of 28 Appendix A Detailed discussion of inter-urban corridors Oxfordshire Local Transport Plan 2011-2030 County Council Draft – April 2011 ______Oxford-Wheatley-Thame-Aylesbury

Description

A1.26 This corridor runs east along the A40 past Wheatley to M40 Junction 8 then via the A418 to Thame, Aylesbury and beyond.

A1.27 The A40 corridor accommodates significant movements of both long distance inter-county journeys and shorter journeys. The A40 in Oxfordshire was de-trunked in 2003 but is still a key route from London to Gloucestershire and mid Wales. The A40 east of Oxford is the predominant road route between London and Oxford (along the M40). The strategic nature of the A40 means that the corridor caters for significant movements in both directions throughout the day.

A1.28 The M40 divides just east of Wheatley, with one section continuing northwards towards Birmingham and the other turning into the A40 towards Oxford. The latter runs past Wheatley and Holton to Thornhill Park & Ride (services to London and to Oxford), becoming the northern part of the ring road at the Green Road roundabout at Risinghurst/Barton and continuing towards Witney, west Oxfordshire and beyond.

A1.29 The A418 runs east from junction 8 of the M40, providing the strategic highway route to Aylesbury and beyond. The speed limit is predominantly 60mph within Oxfordshire but with 30mph limits through the villages of Tiddington and Stone. It passes Thame (forming part of the Thame bypass) and Haddenham where it enters Bucks.

A1.30 About 75% of journeys to work between Wheatley and Oxford are by car. This proportion rises to more than 80% between Thame and Oxford and more than 90% between Aylesbury and Oxford. Most car journeys enter Oxford via the Green Road roundabout and then use either the eastern bypass (A4142) or the London Road (A420) to access east Oxford, or they stay on the A40 to access the north of the city or continue west on the A40.

A1.31 Park & Ride services are available from Thornhill for motorists requiring access to the city centre and to the Nuffield, Churchill and JR hospitals. Park & Ride services are described further in the Oxford Area Strategy.

______Page 7 of 28 Appendix A Detailed discussion of inter-urban corridors Oxfordshire Local Transport Plan 2011-2030 County Council Draft – April 2011 ______A1.32 There are good bus services between Wheatley and Oxford. A service runs from Oxford Brookes University’s campus in Holton, via Wheatley, offering five trips in the morning peak, hourly services throughout the day and also a late night service; this service runs less frequently during the University holidays. The Oxford-Thame-Aylesbury bus service operates along the A418 and is working towards Premium Route status and frequency. There are also 24-hour coach services between Oxford, London and its main airports that stop at the Thornhill Park & Ride.

A1.33 Around 16% of commuter journeys between Wheatley and Oxford are made by bus. Around 12% of journeys between Thame and Oxford are made by bus, 6% between Aylesbury and Oxford and between London and Oxford the figure is 28% thanks to the frequent coach services.

A1.34 There is a National Cycle Route (57) that passes through Holton, Wheatley, Littleworth, and Horspath and then follows the Cowley Road into Oxford. From Wheatley the route is approximately 7 miles/11km to Oxford city centre but a shorter and more convenient cycling distance to East Oxford. Cycling accounts for around 5% of trips between Wheatley and Oxford.

A1.35 There is no rail line along this corridor. However, Thame residents have good car and bus access to Haddenham & Thame parkway station (with trains north to Bicester, Banbury and the midlands and south to High Wycombe and London Marylebone).

Live Work Total Work Trips Car Bus Cycle Oxford Wheatley 168 138 21 3 Wheatley Oxford 1020 759 172 57 Total: Oxford – Wheatley 1188 897 193 60 Oxford Thame 215 185 18 12 Thame Oxford 394 320 53 3 Total: Oxford – Thame 609 505 71 15 Live Work Total Work Trips Car Bus Cycle Oxford Aylesbury 145 136 9 0 Aylesbury Oxford 207 189 12 0 Total: Oxford – Aylesbury 352 325 21 0 Table 3: Numbers of Work Trips between Oxford, Wheatley, Thame and Aylesbury taken from 2001 census.

______Page 8 of 28 Appendix A Detailed discussion of inter-urban corridors Oxfordshire Local Transport Plan 2011-2030 County Council Draft – April 2011 ______Challenges/Problems

A1.36 Congestion is a problem in the following locations:  the A40 approaching Green Road roundabout, particularly westbound during the morning peak, is busy due to the volume of traffic, but this has greatly improved since the roundabout was reconfigured in 2006;  the A40 eastbound is in the evening peak busy due to the volume of traffic, although this too has improved since the roundabout was reconfigured; and  at the A418/A4129 Thame bypass junction.

A1.37 There is some bus priority on the A40 westbound between Thornhill Park & Ride and the Green Road roundabout, but little exists in the eastbound direction. Buses therefore get caught in congestion heading into Oxford at the Green Road roundabout and along London Road and there is little journey-time incentive to use the bus for journeys from Thornhill into Oxford. Destinations in the south and north of Oxford are only accessible with a change of bus in the city centre.

A1.38 People may be deterred from cycling into Oxford from Wheatley or other settlements on the corridor for the following reasons:  inclines along the route (particularly Headington Hill)  high levels of vehicle traffic along Garsington Road and Cowley Road without off-road cycle routes

Strategy

A1.39 The proposed new station at Water Eaton (with services east to High Wycombe and London) could have some impact on the morning westbound A40 traffic. Together with the proposed improvements to public transport in the Eastern Arc, it could provide an attractive alternative to car travel into east Oxford and beyond as well as encouraging train travel from North Oxford to London. This could help contain westbound peak congestion and also reduce pressure on Thornhill Park and Ride.

A1.40 The bus could provide an attractive alternative to car travel on the Oxford, Thame, Aylesbury corridor. Improvements to public transport services in Oxford’s ‘Eastern Arc’ (described in the Oxford Area Strategy) will help make bus travel in this corridor more attractive by improving connecting bus services onward to other areas of the city (particularly the north east and south east). ______Page 9 of 28 Appendix A Detailed discussion of inter-urban corridors Oxfordshire Local Transport Plan 2011-2030 County Council Draft – April 2011 ______

Oxford-Wallingford-Reading

Description

A1.41 This corridor runs south-east from Oxford to Wallingford and Reading.

A1.42 The A4074 is the most direct route between Reading and much of Oxfordshire and so carries long distance traffic, but it also has an important local role, linking villages in the corridor to Reading, Oxford and Wallingford. Between Oxford and Wallingford the corridor also accommodates traffic between Oxford and Henley, the most direct route being via the A4074 and A4130.

A1.43 A significant proportion of traffic on the route is between Reading, Wallingford and Oxford. Table 7 shows journey to work data between these settlements from the 2001 census. It should be noted that the bus service has improved significantly since 2001.

Live Work Total Work Trips Oxford Reading 300 Reading Oxford 333 Total: Oxford – Reading 633 Oxford Wallingford 143 Wallingford Oxford 353 Total: Oxford – Wallingford 496 Reading Wallingford 161 Wallingford Reading 296 Total: Reading - Wallingford 457 Table 4: Work Trips between Oxford, Wallingford and Reading from 2001 census.

A1.44 Road signs recommend lorry traffic to use the M4 and A34 to travel between Reading and Oxford. This route is significantly longer and, as there are no physical or legal restrictions to prevent them using the A4074, the route does carry a reasonable proportion of lorries.

A1.45 The section of A4074 between Woodcote and Reading has a very poor accident record. Extensive remedial works have taken place over the years on this route but, although these have reduced the numbers of incidents reported, a problem persists. Oxfordshire County Council has introduced a 50mph speed limit

______Page 10 of 28 Appendix A Detailed discussion of inter-urban corridors Oxfordshire Local Transport Plan 2011-2030 County Council Draft – April 2011 ______and will continue to monitor this section of road and develop further measures to improve safety if required.

A1.46 Bus services between Reading, Wallingford and Oxford have improved significantly in recent years. A half-hourly service operates throughout the day on Mondays to Saturdays, with an hourly service in the evenings and on Sundays and late night services at weekends. Services also pass through Nuneham Courtenay, Shillingford, Berinsfield, Benson, Crowmarsh and Cane End and also serve stops on the Dorchester bypass, while alternate services divert through Woodcote.

A1.47 Train is significantly quicker than bus for direct journeys between Oxford and Reading. However, the bus passes through south Oxford and north-west Reading and so, for journeys between locations in these areas, the bus journey time is competitive with the train once the time taken to access the stations is taken into account.

A1.48 The main flows in the corridor are between Oxford and Wallingford and Reading. These settlements are too far apart for cycling to be a practical option for many people, but it can be used for leisure and to access public transport.

Challenges/Problems

A1.49 Congestion is not currently a significant problem in this corridor itself. However, the traffic models available show that the amount of traffic using the route is likely to increase significantly in the future, particularly as further development is proposed for Wallingford. Growth in Didcot will also lead to traffic increasingly avoiding congestion on the A34 by using the A4074 to access employment in East Oxford.

A1.50 However, there are capacity and congestion problems on the Oxford southern bypass at Kennington, Heyford Hill and Rose Hill roundabouts, affecting Oxford-bound traffic from this corridor. Improvements at the first two of these junctions will be implemented and options for increasing capacity at Rose Hill investigated.

A1.51 Safety and severance is an issue in this corridor. Several villages lie on the route, including Nuneham Courtenay, Berinsfield, Shillingford and Benson. Although Benson, Shillingford and Berinsfield lie predominantly on the east side of the road there are requirements for pedestrians to cross, in particular to access ______Page 11 of 28 Appendix A Detailed discussion of inter-urban corridors Oxfordshire Local Transport Plan 2011-2030 County Council Draft – April 2011 ______northbound bus stops. South of Wallingford the road passes through Cane End and there are some sharp bends which have resulted in a 50mph limit being put in place between Woodcote and Reading

A1.52 Peak bus services into Oxford from Wallingford and Reading are operating at capacity and are often full before they reach the Abingdon Road in Oxford. Peak time services are affected by congestion on the approaches to Oxford and Reading since there is little bus priority except a small length of bus lane at the south end of Abingdon Road. There is no incentive to travel by bus in this corridor from a journey time perspective. Destinations in north and east Oxford are not accessible without a change of bus in the city centre.

A1.53 In Oxford, Park & Ride has provided a successful way of achieving a critical mass of passengers for which to provide a commercial bus service. In order to access Oxford from the south the Redbridge Park & Ride site is most convenient. This however still requires users to drive the A4074 and negotiate some of the most congested junctions in the county (around the southern approaches of the Oxford ring road) to access it.

A1.54 There are frequent rail services between Reading and Oxford with four ‘fast’ trains an hour taking just over 20 minutes. This is much quicker than a car journeys between the two city centres. Rail also has potential to removing long distance passenger and freight trips from the road network.

A1.55 Wallingford lacks a rail station but the village of Cholsey, 2 miles (4km) south of Wallingford, has one on the line between Reading and Didcot, served half-hourly. The train between Cholsey and Oxford takes around half an hour, with some peak journeys taking only 20 minutes, which is similar to the bus journey. Improving access to Cholsey station for people living in Wallingford will not create an attractive alternative to bus or car travel to Oxford.

Strategy

A1.56 The fact that most settlements in the corridor actually lie adjacent to the A4074 itself means that many of the villages have an excellent service for their size and there is opportunity to build on the premium route infrastructure already delivered by improving accessibility of stops. This will mean ensuring that waiting facilities are attractive and implementing bus priority ______Page 12 of 28 Appendix A Detailed discussion of inter-urban corridors Oxfordshire Local Transport Plan 2011-2030 County Council Draft – April 2011 ______measures through the southern approaches to Oxford, accompanied by improvements to bus access to other areas of the city, particularly east Oxford. This will help make bus travel an attractive, high-quality travel option.

A1.57 Several bus stops in the corridor have cycle parking facilities which are well used. These enable people to cycle to bus stops from places that may be too far away to walk from. Good cycle parking facilities near bus stops, and suitable cycling and walking routes to stops, are part of our strategy to ensure good access to the bus services serving settlements on this corridor.

Oxford-Abingdon-Didcot-Newbury

Description

A1.58 The A34 is the key road serving this corridor. It is a trunk road managed by the HA, providing a direct link between the M40, M4, M3 and south coast. It is designated a ‘National Route’ within the Trunk Road network and in particular carries high volumes of freight traffic between the south coast ports and the Midlands.

A1.59 As well as this strategic function, the A34 has an important local role, being the predominant road route between Didcot, Abingdon and Oxford. From Didcot the A34 is accessed via the A4130 and Milton Interchange. It is about 8 miles (12km) from Abingdon, and 15 miles (23km) from Didcot to the centre of Oxford (via Abingdon Road).

A1.60 Despite the predominant flow in the corridor being tidal (towards Oxford in the morning peak and vice versa in the afternoon peak) the strategic nature of the A34 means that the corridor does cater for significant movements counter to the predominant flow.

A1.61 Along with the A338/A420, the A34 is the key road link between Oxford and Science Vale UK (please see the Science Vale UK Area Strategy).

______Page 13 of 28 Appendix A Detailed discussion of inter-urban corridors Oxfordshire Local Transport Plan 2011-2030 County Council Draft – April 2011 ______Challenges/Problems

A1.62 Congestion is a problem in the following locations:

 Oxford southern bypass, particularly on the approaches to Hinksey Hill and Kennington roundabouts, where traffic can queue back onto the A34 at peak times (a safety concern);  on the A34 in both directions, caused by high volumes of traffic for much of the day, particularly during peak hours, with significant delays when there is an incident on the route that in turn can impact upon other local roads; and  at Milton Interchange, although recent improvements have relived congestion, considerable future growth is planned for Didcot and likely to cause congestion again in future if traffic volumes increase.

A1.63 Transport models predict that traffic growth is likely to occur on alternative routes to the A34, such as via Kennington and Boars Hill, due to increasing congestion on the A34 itself. Traffic from south Abingdon to east Oxford will increasingly use the A415 and routes through Clifton Hampden whilst traffic from Didcot to Oxford will increasingly use routes through Long Wittenham and Clifton Hampden and into Oxford via A4074 or B4015/B480. This displacement of inter-urban traffic may cause detriment to rural communities.

A1.64 There are frequent bus services on the A34 corridor between Abingdon and Oxford. However, peak-time Oxford-Abingdon services are operating at capacity and are often full before they reach the Abingdon Road in Oxford. Lack of bus priority on most of the route means that the majority of buses are affected by congestion on the A34 and on the southern bypass. Bus journeys on the corridor currently offer little or no time advantage over car journeys.

A1.65 Although there are through buses to the JR Hospital (every 20 minutes) and Rose Hill (every hour), destinations located in the north and east of Oxford are not accessible without a change of bus in the city centre, or a long journey that is routed via the city centre. Data shows that there is high bus use amongst those travelling into Oxford who live close to the main bus corridors in Abingdon, but that bus use is much lower away from the main corridors.

A1.66 Bus services between Didcot and Oxford are much weaker than those between Abingdon and Oxford. However, these ______Page 14 of 28 Appendix A Detailed discussion of inter-urban corridors Oxfordshire Local Transport Plan 2011-2030 County Council Draft – April 2011 ______settlements are well linked by rail services. There are around three train services an hour throughout most of the day with journey times between 12 and 20 minutes.

A1.67 Almost 20% of commuter journeys between Didcot and Oxford are made by train (2001 Census). However, train passenger capacity has dropped in recent years because fewer trains now stop at Didcot. There is some capacity for additional passengers, although services are already busy.

A1.68 Train journeys between Newbury (south of Didcot on the A34) and Oxford take around an hour or more, with a change at Reading. This is a very indirect route and takes considerably longer than the equivalent car journey along the A34.

A1.69 Abingdon’s nearest station is Radley, which during peak hours has half-hourly services to Oxford and Didcot with journey times around 10 minutes to each. It seems that trains from Radley to Oxford do not provide an attractive journey option compared to the bus. Residents of Abingdon do use Radley station to make rail trips to destinations further afield but there are capacity constraints at the station car park.

A1.70 There is a National Cycle Route (5) between Didcot, Abingdon and Oxford. It is off-road for much of the route but, at around 14 miles (22km), cycling between these settlements (particularly between Didcot and Oxford) is not a realistic option for most people although Abingdon to Oxford is feasibly short for some.

A1.71 Problems identified with cycling along this corridor include:

 poor surfacing and lighting between Abingdon and Milton Park;  poor layouts, particularly the on-road section from Peep-O-Day Lane to Milton Park;  inadequate lighting between Didcot and Milton Park (Milton Rd); and  route NCN5 suffers from bad surfacing and lighting throughout, although this is mostly a leisure route.

______Page 15 of 28 Appendix A Detailed discussion of inter-urban corridors Oxfordshire Local Transport Plan 2011-2030 County Council Draft – April 2011 ______

Live Work Total Car Bus Train Cycle Work Trips Oxford Didcot 324 261 21 24 9 Didcot Oxford 1194 861 45 232 14 Total: Oxford – Didcot 1518 1122 66 256 23 Oxford Abingdon 1085 888 149 6 6 Abingdon Oxford 3204 2289 670 18 131 Total: Oxford – 4289 3177 819 24 137 Abingdon Didcot Abingdon 831 726 55 3 18 Abingdon Didcot 415 364 21 0 12 Total: Didcot – 1246 1090 76 3 30 Abingdon

Table 5: Numbers of Work Trips between Oxford, Abingdon and Didcot taken from 2001 census.

Strategy

A1.72 One way of increasing capacity in the corridor would be to increase the capacity of the A34 by adding additional lanes. However, this solution is likely to be unaffordable. Road network changes will therefore be limited to better management of traffic volumes on the A34 and support for journeys by non-car travel.

A1.73 Maintaining and improving provision for bus travel on the main Didcot-Abingdon-Oxford corridor is a priority. Bus services may also have a greater role to play in transporting people from smaller settlements around the corridor who might otherwise drive on the A34. Whilst bus services between key urban centres are the key to viable mass transit (between the heart of Abingdon and Oxford in this instance) potential for Abingdon- Oxford services to better serve people around the A34 corridor may exist. Oxfordshire County Council will investigate potential for bus services better serving settlements around this corridor.

A1.74 Improvements to passenger rail services could reduce the demand for road travel in this corridor. The County Council will support and press for the implementation of the East West Rail scheme and electrification of the Great Western line between Reading and Oxford.

______Page 16 of 28 Appendix A Detailed discussion of inter-urban corridors Oxfordshire Local Transport Plan 2011-2030 County Council Draft – April 2011 ______A1.75 Access and links between north Abingdon and Radley station will be reviewed and, if funding allows, improved to ensure that the potential for Radley-Oxford rail journeys is supported by access from Abingdon to Radley station, particularly on foot and by bike.

A1.76 In Oxford, Park and Ride has provided a successful way of achieving a critical mass of passengers for whom to provide a commercial bus service. At present, Redbridge Park & Ride is the most convenient site for those travelling from the south on the A34, and Redbridge users from the A34. However, to access Redbridge, peak-time users must negotiate the congested junctions around the A34 and southern Oxford ring-road. The ideal would be for a Park and Ride service located nearer the origins of these journeys (further from Oxford on the A34). As well as alleviating congestion, such a Park and Ride might make bus travel from the Park and Ride more attractive for those currently driving into Oxford from the south. Oxfordshire County Council will therefore continue to explore opportunities to deliver a park and ride site specifically to enable access from the south of the city and alleviate congestion on the A34 and southern ring- road.

A1.77 As well as long distance south-north passenger journeys on the Cross Country network, the rail network offers significant opportunities to reduce the number of freight trips on the A34. Network Rail is currently upgrading the route between the south coast and West Midlands to accommodate larger freight containers and when complete this, along with proposed rail capacity improvements at Reading and Oxford, will significantly increase the amount of freight that can be carried by rail.

A1.78 Improvements at Reading station should help to make journeys between Newbury and Oxford timelier and allow more frequent services, thanks to increased capacity.

A1.79 In addition to a review of cycle routes from across Abingdon to Radley station, it is acknowledged that good cycling routes from Abingdon to Oxford are of importance. These routes will be reviewed and, where funding allows, important improvements supporting cycling between Abingdon and Oxford will be made.

______Page 17 of 28 Appendix A Detailed discussion of inter-urban corridors Oxfordshire Local Transport Plan 2011-2030 County Council Draft – April 2011 ______Oxford-Faringdon-Swindon and Oxford-Grove-Wantage

Description

A1.80 Corridor 7 runs south-west from Oxford towards Swindon at one edge and Wantage/Grove at the other. It contains two key inter-urban roads, the A420 and the A338.

A1.81 The A420 is the Primary Route between Swindon and Oxford and links the West Country with Eastern England. It carries a significant amount of long distance traffic.

A1.82 The A338 runs from West Grafton (where it joins the A346), north- east through the centre of Wantage and joins the A420 at Appleton.

A1.83 This corridor provides the most direct route for traffic between Oxford and Wantage/Grove and other areas of the developing Science Vale UK (see Area Strategy). However, a significant proportion of traffic on the corridor is due to journeys between the settlements of Swindon, Faringdon and Oxford.

A1.84 Other large settlements in this corridor include Watchfield, Shrivenham, Southmoor and Cumnor. Most settlements in this corridor are bypassed, so community severance is not a particular issue.

Challenges/Problems

A1.85 The A420 carries large volumes of traffic including lorries and is subject to congestion, particularly during peak times. The alternative Oxford-Swindon route for these vehicles is via the A34 and M4, which is around twice the distance yet takes about the same amount of time.

A1.86 The transport models available show that the amount of traffic using the route is likely to increase significantly in the future, particularly as further development is proposed for Faringdon and Swindon. As Grove and Wantage grow, more movements are forecast between these towns, Oxford and the north. Increased traffic will put pressure on the A420 junction with the A338, the junction of the A338 with the A415 at Frilford and on the A420 between this junction and the A34.

A1.87 Traffic moving southwest often faces congestion on the approach to Swindon. Oxfordshire County Council will work with ______Page 18 of 28 Appendix A Detailed discussion of inter-urban corridors Oxfordshire Local Transport Plan 2011-2030 County Council Draft – April 2011 ______Swindon Borough Council to ensure that this is contained, particularly in the context of planned growth in north-east Swindon.

A1.88 Bus services between Swindon, Faringdon and Oxford have improved significantly over recent years. A half-hourly service operates throughout the day on Mondays to Saturdays, with an hourly service in the evenings and on Sundays. These services do not generally offer a faster alternative to car travel in this corridor, although the service does benefit from bus priority along Botley Road on the way into Oxford. Due to the majority of settlements in the corridor being bypassed, the bus service is required to divert off the A420 to serve the centres of population, which adds to the time the bus journey takes.

A1.89 Destinations in south, north and east Oxford are not accessible without a change of bus in the city centre.

A1.90 Although not all local trips in this corridor are between the major settlements of Swindon, Faringdon and Oxford, most trips originate in these settlements, some of which could be made by bus. Bus services will also play a role in transporting people from smaller settlements in the corridor that may otherwise use the A420, but it is recognised that bus services operate most efficiently when providing a mass transit function which is more deliverable between urban centres.

A1.91 Rail travel offers a faster journey between Swindon and Oxford than the bus. There are approximately two trains an hour that allow a 45 minute journey time but it is necessary to change trains at Didcot. This is reasonably competitive with car journey times between the centres, though a direct service as has operated in the past would significantly improve this, as is evident from the much faster (25 minute) rail journey between Oxford and Reading, which is similar distance.

Live Work Total Work Trips Oxford Swindon 146 Swindon Oxford 286 Total: Oxford – Swindon 432 Oxford Faringdon 39 Faringdon Oxford 232 Total: Oxford – Faringdon 271 Table 6: Numbers of Work Trips between Oxford, Faringdon and Swindon taken from 2001 Census. Bus services have improved significantly since 2001.

______Page 19 of 28 Appendix A Detailed discussion of inter-urban corridors Oxfordshire Local Transport Plan 2011-2030 County Council Draft – April 2011 ______Strategy

A1.92 The Science Vale UK Area Strategy describes many proposals that will help relieve pressure on this corridor, particularly the A338. These include a new station at Grove (trains west to Swindon, East to Didcot, London and Oxford) and improved bus services. If congestion becomes a problem on this corridor then measures to improve the capacity of the A420/A338 and A338/A415 junctions will need to be considered.

A1.93 The main flows in the corridor involve distances too great for most people to cycle. However, there is potential for more movements between the smaller settlements on this corridor to be made by cycling, as proposed within the Science Vale UK Area Strategy.

Oxford-Eynsham-Witney-Carterton

Description

A1.94 This corridor runs due-west from north Oxford, following the A40. It accommodates significant movements of both long distance, inter-county journeys and local commuter journeys. The A40 in Oxfordshire was de-trunked in 2003 but is still a key route to and from Gloucestershire, south and mid Wales, London, and the M40 corridor.

A1.95 Although the predominant flow in the corridor is tidal (eastbound in the morning, westbound in the evening) the strategic nature of the A40 means that the corridor does cater for significant movements counter to the predominant flow.

A1.96 The A40 forms the predominant road route between Carterton, Witney and Oxford. Park and Ride services are available for motorists driving east along the A40 who require access to the city centre, with Pear Tree Park and Ride to the north of Oxford, (situated on the A44). However, it requires drivers from the west on the A40 to turn away from Oxford at Wolvercote roundabout in order to access it, which is counter-intuitive. Oxford’s Park and Ride services are described further in the Oxford Area Strategy chapter.

A1.97 There are frequent bus services between Carterton, Witney and Oxford. Around 20% of commuter journeys between these settlements are made by bus. The principal Witney to Oxford ______Page 20 of 28 Appendix A Detailed discussion of inter-urban corridors Oxfordshire Local Transport Plan 2011-2030 County Council Draft – April 2011 ______service (up to every 15 minutes) serves Burford Road in Carterton then proceeds to Witney via Curbridge and the Thorney Leys estate. A less frequent service (up to every 30 minutes) serves Upavon Way and west Carterton before proceeding to Witney via Minster Lovell and employment areas to the north of the town. Most of the day these services combine to provide a bus every 10 minutes between Witney and Oxford.

A1.98 Hanborough is the closest railway station to Witney and Carterton, and it has regular services to Oxford. It is 6 miles (10km) from Witney on the A4095, which is too far for most people to cycle. There is a bus service from Witney to Hanborough but no integration between bus and rail services, but no service from Carterton. The train service from Hanborough into Oxford takes just over 10 minutes, providing a quick reliable alternative to the road journey, yet there are just two services at present that arrive in Oxford during the mornuing peak.

A1.99 National Cycle Route (57) travels in part along the A40 and via Eynsham, between Oxford and Witney but, at around 11 miles (19km), cycling between Oxford and Witney for typical journeys is not viable for most people. Cycling could have a role in accessing bus services as it already has for accessing rail services.

Live Work Total Car Bus Train Cycle Work Trips Oxford Witney 336 300 27 0 6 Witney Oxford 1755 1299 376 22 24 Total: Oxford – Witney 2091 1599 403 22 30 Oxford Carterton 12 12 0 0 0 Carterton Oxford 530 374 135 6 0 Total: Oxford – 542 386 135 6 0 Carterton Witney Carterton 131 121 10 0 0 Carterton Witney 974 806 146 0 3 Total: Witney – 1105 927 156 0 3 Carterton

Table 7: Numbers of Work Trips between Carterton, Witney and Oxford, taken from 2001 Census.

______Page 21 of 28 Appendix A Detailed discussion of inter-urban corridors Oxfordshire Local Transport Plan 2011-2030 County Council Draft – April 2011 ______Challenges/Problems

A1.100 Almost 80% of journeys to work between Carterton, Witney and Oxford are by car, largely because of its convenience to most people. The major cause of congestion on the A40 is the volume of traffic compared to the capacity of the north Oxford junctions. Congestion is currently a problem in the following locations:

 the A40 approaching Wolvercote roundabout, particularly eastbound during the morning peak, is congested due to capacity constraints of the Wolvercote roundabout;  the A40 westbound is congested, particularly in the evening peak, because of the volume of traffic at the Cassington and Eynsham junctions;  the B4044 approaching Swinford Bridge toll delay is caused by the collection of the toll; and  Cutteslowe roundabout is also at capacity but, because of the congestion at Wolvercote, eastbound A40 traffic is held up on its approach to Cutteslowe roundabout, limiting the length of queues building up here (but if additional capacity is provided at Wolvercote roundabout, congestion would worsen at Cutteslowe).

A1.101 High volumes of traffic occur at peak time on local roads (particularly the A4095 and B4044) as vehicles avoid queuing on the A40. This can lead to severance and safety concerns in settlements on these routes, such as Long Hanborough and Bladon on the A4095 and Farmoor on the B4044.

A1.102 Transport models have shown that traffic levels on the A40 and B4044 are unlikely to increase significantly in the peaks since these roads are already operating at capacity. It is expected that West Oxfordshire residents will be deterred from travelling into Oxford or will seek alternative, less suitable, parallel routes into Oxford to avoid the congested A40, such as the A4095. This would potentially cause increased problems for communities on these roads.

A1.103 Aside from the distance between Witney and Oxford, people may be deterred from cycling between these settlements for the following reasons:

 there is not a safe or direct cycle link;  there are high levels of vehicle traffic travelling at high speeds on the roads and the roads are not lit; and ______Page 22 of 28 Appendix A Detailed discussion of inter-urban corridors Oxfordshire Local Transport Plan 2011-2030 County Council Draft – April 2011 ______ bus services in the corridor do not carry bicycles.

A1.104 There is no bus priority between Witney and Oxford until services reach Botley Road or Woodstock Road. This means that buses get caught in congestion at the Swinford Bridge toll and approaching Wolvercote roundabout as described above. Bus therefore doesn’t offer a faster alternative to car travel. Bus priority lanes would only be considered as part of the construction of new capacity (i.e. another lane) along the A40.

A1.105 Destinations in the south and east of Oxford are not accessible without a change of bus in the city centre.

A1.106 Witney and Carterton formerly had rail stations located on the Oxford to Fairford rail line, but a study in 2001showed that reopening the line would be uneconomic.

Strategy

A1.107 Improvements to the A40 / north Oxford junctions are aspirations of Oxfordshire County Council and are described in the Oxford Area Strategy. They are intended to reduce congestion caused by the current junctions nearing their design capacity. The north Oxford improvements formed part of the Access to Oxford package and, whilst this has not gained funding from Government at the present time, Oxfordshire County Council will continue to look for opportunities to implement these improvements.

A1.108 The County Council will continue to look for opportunities to provide capacity improvements along the Witney-Oxford corridor. These can not usefully be provided until the north Oxford junction capacity issues have been resolved. Any improvement would be a major scheme and, as such, all options for delivering the increased capacity would need to be investigated.

A1.109 Network Rail is currently upgrading the capacity of the Cotswold Line, which may enable additional peak-time services to operate from Hanborough.

A1.110 There is potential for increased levels of cycling between A40 corridor settlements that are located closely to each other, such as Carterton and Witney, and Eynsham and Oxford. There are no officially designated cycle routes between Carterton and Witney, or between Eynsham and Botley. However, both pairs of ______Page 23 of 28 Appendix A Detailed discussion of inter-urban corridors Oxfordshire Local Transport Plan 2011-2030 County Council Draft – April 2011 ______settlements are only about 5 miles (8km) apart, which is a reasonable cycling distance for some people. Improving these routes is our aspiration as funding allows, to help reduce the need to drive on the A40 to move between these settlements.

A1.111 As described in the section on the A4260/A4165 corridor, a new rail station at Water Eaton could have significant impacts on journey patterns on the A40 corridor. Improved east-west bus services and cycle routes on the A40 corridor could help to reduce congestion on the A40 by providing better non-car access to Water Eaton station from the west.

A1.112 Improvements in services operating through the Eastern Arc of Oxford, discussed in the Oxford Area Strategy, will potentially help provide improved east-west public transport along the A40 corridor, particularly through services along the A40 to the proposed new station and improved park and ride site at Peartree.

Oxford-Woodstock-Chipping Norton

Description

A1.113 This corridor runs north-west from north Oxford, following the A44 and part of the Cotswold railway line.

A1.114 The A44 begins in Aberystwyth and ends in Oxford at the Wolvercote roundabout. The A44 corridor in Oxfordshire accommodates significant movements of both long distance inter-county journeys and more localised commuter journeys. The A44 is an important alternative to the M40 and A40 routes for traffic moving east from Gloucestershire, Worcestershire and mid Wales to Oxford and onwards to London and the south via the A34. It is also the key road route from many Cotswold towns and villages to Oxford and to Worcester. It passes through a number of Cotswold settlements, including Chipping Norton, Enstone and Woodstock in Oxfordshire.

A1.115 The A44 is single carriageway for the majority of its route through Oxfordshire but becomes dual carriageway from the Bladon roundabout just south of Woodstock for most of the remainder of the route to Oxford. The speed limit is 50mph for the majority of the route, but ranges from national speed limit down to 30mph where it passes through villages.

______Page 24 of 28 Appendix A Detailed discussion of inter-urban corridors Oxfordshire Local Transport Plan 2011-2030 County Council Draft – April 2011 ______A1.116 The strategic nature of the A44 means that the A44 corridor within Oxfordshire caters for significant movements in both directions. The predominant flow in the early morning peak is southeast-bound towards Oxford and northwest-bound in the evening.

A1.117 From the north, most journeys enter Oxford via the Peartree Interchange and then the Woodstock Road, or along the Banbury Road via the Loop Farm roundabout and Frieze Way (A4260). Both routes lead to north Oxford and the city centre, and also to the Oxford ring road for access to east Oxford.

A1.118 Despite an hourly bus service, almost 80% of journeys to work between Chipping Norton and Oxford are by car, largely because of its convenience, speed and access to non-central destinations.

A1.119 Park & Ride services are available from Peartree and Water Eaton for motorists requiring access to the city centre and to the Nuffield, Churchill and JR hospitals. Park & Ride services are described further in the Oxford Area Strategy.

A1.120 There is a half-hourly bus service between Oxford and Woodstock, which alternately continues to Charlbury and Chipping Norton. Around 15% of commuter journeys between Chipping Norton and Oxford are made by bus.

A1.121 Chipping Norton has no rail service, but nearby Charlbury and Kingham have railway stations on the Worcester – Oxford – London Paddington (Cotswold) line. There are three services from these stations that operate during the morning peak, and services that operate throughout the day.

Live Work Total Work Car Bus Cycle Trips Oxford Chipping 168 138 21 3 Norton Chipping Oxford 1020 759 172 57 Norton Total: Oxford – Chipping 1188 897 193 60 Norton Oxford Woodstock 215 185 18 12 Woodstock Oxford 394 320 53 3 Total: Oxford – Woodstock 609 505 71 15 Table 8: Numbers of Work Trips between Chipping Norton, Woodstock and Oxford, taken from 2001 Census. ______Page 25 of 28 Appendix A Detailed discussion of inter-urban corridors Oxfordshire Local Transport Plan 2011-2030 County Council Draft – April 2011 ______

A1.122 Railbus services operate from Chipping Norton, and nearby villages to Kingham and Charlbury railway stations and link in with the rail timetables. Using the Railbus and then the train, Oxford can be reached from Chipping Norton in just under one hour, and London in just under two hours. Through rail / bus tickets are available.

A1.123 There is a National Cycle Route (5) between Woodstock and Oxford but there is no formal cycle route between Chipping Norton and Oxford. However, the distances involved prevent cycle journeys between the two being a practical travel option for most people.

Challenges/Problems

A1.124 Congestion is a problem in the following locations:

 the A44 approaching Wolvercote roundabout is severely congested due to the traffic volumes exceeding the capacity of the roundabout and traffic often backs up to Pear Tree and Loop Farm roundabouts in the morning peak;  Loop Farm roundabout can itself also be a source of congestion even when traffic ahead of it is free flowing;  the A44 approaching the Bladon roundabout south of Woodstock is often slow moving due to the volume of traffic; and  the A44 passes through Woodstock, Enstone and Chipping Norton, leading to severance and air quality issues, particularly due to the relatively high number of lorries.

A1.125 There is no bus priority between Chipping Norton and Oxford or Charlbury and Oxford until services reach Pear Tree roundabout. An inbound bus lane is then provided, although there are gaps in provision across the entrance to Pear Tree Park and Ride and on the immediate approach to Wolvercote Roundabout. Buses are delayed in the morning peak by congestion approaching Pear Tree and Loop Farm roundabouts (caused by capacity constraints at Wolvercote). There is no northbound bus priority approaching Wolvercote Roundabout, leading to delays in the evening peak.

A1.126 Destinations in the south and east of Oxford are not accessible without a change of bus in the city centre.

______Page 26 of 28 Appendix A Detailed discussion of inter-urban corridors Oxfordshire Local Transport Plan 2011-2030 County Council Draft – April 2011 ______Strategy

A1.127 Although not all local trips along this corridor are between the major settlements of Chipping Norton, Woodstock and Oxford, most originate from these settlements. Optimising management of the network and alternatives to car travel serving these settlements will be the key to reducing congestion on the A44.

A1.128 Bus stops in this corridor will be upgraded to premium route standard at appropriate locations. Improved public transport provision as part of Oxford’s Eastern Arc could also have an important impact upon the A44, as well as upon the A40 and A34. Proposed improvements to the A44/A40 Wolvercote Roundabout should provide a way to reduce traffic and improve traffic flow.

A1.129 A small park and ride site to serve this corridor may be pursued during the course of this Plan if congestion continues to worsen and a way can be found to give buses a travel time advantage on the route.

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