The Botley Flyer bus service will increase its frequency following complaints about road closures.
Locals want better pedestrian access near the bridge work, referring to the path as “the tunnel of doom.” A bus, The Botley Flyer, will run more often now.
The Botley Flyer starts at West Oxford Community Centre and goes to Botley, then Woodstock Road. It also stops in Summertown and Jericho before finally reaching the Westgate Centre.
Network Rail increased the bus’s frequency this week to help people get from West Oxford to the city center. The bus now runs seven days a week, with three trips each day, Monday to Saturday, and one trip on Sunday.
Weekdays, the bus leaves West Oxford at 10 AM, noon, and 3 PM, stopping at Summertown, Jericho, and Beaumont Street before the final stop at the Westgate Centre. Return trips start at 11 AM, 1 PM, and 4 PM, with the driver arranging drop-offs with passengers.
Julian Le Vay gathered stories from locals, highlighting how the road closure has negatively impacted their lives and businesses. He stated that the Botley Flyer was not very useful, having initially run just one round trip on weekdays and then only three days a week.
Now, the bus runs more often because of complaints, which Le Vay acknowledges is a small improvement; however, he indicated it’s unlikely the bus schedule fits appointment times and many people still need taxis. Furthermore, he noted that there aren’t easy buses to hospitals from West Oxford.
Finally, Le Vay thinks the tunnel floor should be smoother to make it easier to use and suggests help for disabled people in the tunnel. Meanwhile, workers are preparing to connect a Thames Water pipe, which will link to the existing network soon.