SODC EIP - Public Transport Paper
Background 1. Oxfordshire is a predominantly rural county with Oxford as its only city. There are
a number of large towns around the county, including Didcot, Henley-on-Thames,
Thame and Wallingford which lie in South Oxfordshire. Public transport is well
used in the county and this is due to partnership working between Oxfordshire
County Council and the bus operators in the area.
2. Figure 1 below is taken from the third Oxfordshire Local Transport Plan (2011)
and shows the strategic inter-urban public transport system in a diagrammatic
manner. Premium Routes are shown in red, and were initially defined in 2000 as
a network of routes which (with development) could sustain a commercially viable
turn-up-and go bus frequency of 4 buses per hour.
Figure 1 3. Many of these Premium Routes already achieve a commercial frequency of 4
buses per hour, and on other routes, progress has been made in the last 10
years on securing funding to move towards this level of bus service. The delivery
approach has been to secure the agreement of operators to operate a more
frequent service through pump-primed funding; which is a declining amount of
financial support each year, to reflect the build-up of additional patronage. This
has mainly been funded through developer contributions.
4. The hourly (or better) bus services are shown in blue on the map. Many (but not
all) of these services are supported financially by Oxfordshire County Council.
The specification for these supported services is constrained by the amount of
funding available. However, where new residential developments are proposed,
developer funding is sought to support a more frequent (2 buses per hour)
service, as this is a more credible level of service for people to use the bus for
journeys to work in particular, which will hopefully enable these services to
eventually be commercially viable.
5. The Premium Route concept also depends on the provision of high-quality
infrastructure and information, especially at bus stops. Over the last few years,
there has been a rolling programme of improvements to bus stops along the
Premium Route network, including the bus routes from Thame, Wallingford and
Didcot towards Oxford. Real Time Information has now been provided at key
stops along these routes, incrementally building onto the initial trial of
Bicester/Kidlington to Oxford real-time project which went live in 2004.
6. Oxfordshire’s Real Time Information is amongst the best performing systems in
the UK primarily because the partners have focused on achieving quality, in
terms of proportion of buses accurately predicted at stops and bus operators
have invested in the on-bus computers and so have a vested interest in the
performance of the system. The issues faced by the system include whether the
geographic coverage should be extended and whether the functionality of the
system should be developed.
Issues with planning for public transport
7. If public transport was the only driving force for choosing housing and
employment allocation sites then the process and spatial pattern of this would be
vastly different to that seen in the UK today. In an ideal world all new
development would be located around the primary bus network route and rail
stations. Development would build up around these routes and essentially form
beads on a string.
8. This type of planning, although good for attracting people to use public transport,
does not take in to account all of the other spatial planning elements or the
current land uses. As previously identified South Oxfordshire is predominantly
rural and therefore the big city models of development and premium route ‘turnup-and-go’ networks cannot be achieved across the district.
9. South Oxfordshire has Oxford’s Green Belt and two Areas of Outstanding Natural
Beauty for much of its land use. The River Thames and its tributaries wind their
way through the district. These elements restrict exactly where housing and
employment growth can be allocated. Historically the towns in South Oxfordshire
have built up around the river and rail network due to these being the main
transport links to the rest of the country.
10. The public transport infrastructure and proposed service provision upgrade
planned in Science Vale UK and the rest of the district is as a direct response to
the planned growth in the district. Oxfordshire County Council (OCC) in its role as
the Highway Authority (stakeholder) has worked with South Oxfordshire District
Council (SODC), the Planning Authority, to ensure the best practical level of
public transport is achieved across the district.
11. OCC’s funding has been reduced in line with the rest of the country; therefore
supporting bus services is becoming increasingly difficult, leading to the need for
all new developments to provide commercially viable services. OCC recognises
that it is a challenge and may not be possible to achieve a comprehensive
network of “turn up and go” services in this area due its rural setting and the
distances public transport needs to travel to make commercial routes. That said,
with the right level of investment a good bus network can be achieved for the
majority of the area and is discussed later on in the paper.
12. Rail is an important part of the public transport system and interchange between
the two modes is vital to ensuring modal shift away from the private car. Didcot
Parkway station is currently very well used but does not have the best
interchange facilities. Works will start this financial year to redesign the forecourt
to improve facilities for pedestrians and cyclists and improve connectivity
between the railway and buses. This project, costing £6m, is being funded by
developer contributions and funding from OCC and SODC. This project shows
the commitment to improve public transport services across the area and shows
developers that public transport is extremely important to facilitate the planned
growth.
13. Rail services across Oxfordshire have the potential to be greatly improved thanks
to a couple of opportunities/proposals on the horizon. FirstGroup has announced
it will not take up the option of the three year extension to the First Great Western
(FGW) franchise at the end of the initial seven year term in March 2013. DfT now
has a different franchising policy centred on a longer franchise term which gives
greater incentive to invest in improving stations, trains and services where there
is some certainty on realising the value of any investment. The next franchise will
be for a term of 15 years. This presents a unique opportunity to achieve further
improvements to our local rail network, for example, new and extended stations car parking; cycle and pedestrian facilities; revenue protection; improved
accessibility for disabled people; bus/rail integration; new and enhanced train
services and through/smartcard ticketing, up to around 2028. Improved service
frequency to Culham station and a new Wantage & Grove station will be on the
agenda for discussions.
14 The East-West rail project aims to reintroduce passenger (and freight) services
along part of the former Oxford-Cambridge inter-regional rail route. A consortium
of local authorities has lobbied consistently for the re-opening of some, or all, of
this route, as an attractive alternative to a congested road network and to support
economic regeneration and population growth. Various studies have been
commissioned to prepare a compelling business case. The current plan
envisages a service of two trains per hour from Didcot to Milton Keynes/Bedford,
thus linking the Science Vale UK area directly with the Bicester and Milton
Keynes/South Midlands growth areas.
Area Specifics
Science Vale UK (SVUK)
15 SODC and the Vale of White Horse District Council’s have worked closely with
OCC in preparing their Local Development Frameworks. In line with the South
East Plan, both have identified the area known as Science Vale UK (which
straddles the two Districts) for the majority of housing and employment growth.
Locating housing in towns that already have good facilities and are close to the
major employment centres of Harwell Science and Innovation Campus (SIC),
Milton Park and Culham Science Centre will reduce the need to out commute and
offers increased opportunities to travel by public transport.
15 OCC has produced a transport strategy for the SVUK area that has been
informed by modelling work carried out using the Central Oxfordshire Transport
Model. This identifies that the cumulative impact of all the planned development
puts pressure on the transport network system. The feasibility of introducing large
scale public transport only routes, or park and rides has been assessed,
however, this would not be cost effective or deliverable. Therefore the modelling
work identified that increased service provision coupled with additional road
infrastructure was the best way to mitigate the impact of the growth in the area
and ensure the transport network still functions post 2026.
16 By introducing new road infrastructure the current roads which take bus services
will gain extra capacity allowing buses to move around the network more freely.
This in turn means less delay to the buses and greater journey time reliability,
which will attract more people to the services. The new roads could also be used
by the buses as a fast route between the employment centres and Didcot railway
and town centre.
Level of service provision that it achievable in the SVUK area.
17 The current level of bus service provision in the SVUK area is set out in the
paragraphs below. The Oxford-Wantage and Oxford-Abingdon-Didcot corridors
are designated Premium Routes and policies already exist to secure
improvements to these services. The specific geography of this area means that
the Premium Route designation has to be interpreted in a creative manner so as
to serve different route variants, whilst still offering a turn up and go frequency
between major points.
18 The Didcot-Abingdon-Oxford Premium Route is currently provided by three
different services, two of which link Didcot and Abingdon via Milton Park (X2 and
32) and there is also an express service (X32) between Didcot and Oxford along
the A34, the X32, reflecting the fractured geography of this corridor.
19 The principal route for enhancement is considered to be the Didcot to Abingdon
via Milton Park and Steventon variant (X2), which currently operates at an
unsatisfactory 45 minute frequency, and the initial aim is for buses to operate
twice per hour along this section, through pump-primed funding. This will result in
three buses per hour operating between Didcot and Abingdon, the third bus being
routed via Sutton Courtenay. As further development unfolds in the Didcot area,
then funding will become available for a fourth bus per hour between Didcot,
Milton Park and Abingdon.
20 The Wantage-Oxford Premium route (X30) currently operates 3 times per hour,
twice via Cumnor and the Botley Road, and once per hour via Abingdon (31). The
Grove Airfield development offers an opportunity to enhance this Premium Route
service to its target of 4 buses per hour, two direct and two via Abingdon, with
additional peak hour buses direct into Oxford.
21 The east-west bus corridor between Wantage, Grove and Didcot is currently
characterised by slow, infrequent services which divert from the direct route to
serve various communities. Ultimately, it’s proposed to provide much more direct
services on three alignments, with a target frequency of 2 buses per hour: This is
considered to be the minimum credible frequency for journeys to work, or for
other purposes.
•
Wantage-Grove-Milton Park-Didcot
•
Harwell SIC– Didcot
•
Grove-Wantage – Harwell SIC
22 There would also be additional routes linking the new residential areas, such as
Valley Park, Great Western Park, NE Didcot etc, with key destinations such as
Milton Park, Harwell SIC and Didcot Parkway station.
23 Figure 2 below shows the proposed network that we are trying to achieve.
Figure 2 Note: different colours are for legibility only; all lines represent ½ hourly services with the exception of route 38 (which serves the local villages on an hourly or less frequency) Didcot area residential development sites
24 As part of the planning process OCC have produced a set of principles for the
each of the main development sites, amongst other things, to assist in ensuring
the sites are optimally designed to encourage sustainable transport journeys, the
principles related to this element can be seen below.
25 Didcot North East:
Public transport is a key factor in making this site sustainable as the main
facilities (including the town centre) are further away than the usually accepted
walking distances. A high-quality, frequent bus service will be specified for this
site, operating all-day, seven days per week, as directly as possible from the
development to the Town Centre and to Didcot Parkway station. The target
frequency would be four buses per hour, dropping to two buses per hour on
weekday evenings and Sundays.
Direct services need to be provided to Milton Park and Harwell SIC to meet work
patterns, either by extension of the all-day link to Didcot centre, or by other
means.
The site needs to be designed to permit bus operation to penetrate the site. Easy
walking links to bus stops to be provided at a high standard, including level
boarding and the provision of shelters and real-time information displays. The bus
route through the site will be constructed to appropriate standards for bus
operation, without excessive traffic calming measures, and to a sufficient width to
facilitate reliable operation.
There would also be a residential Travel Plan and good walking and cycling links
to adjacent areas.
26 Didcot Valley Park
Public transport is a key factor in making this site sustainable as it is further to the
main facilities (including the town centre) than the usually accepted walking
distances. Therefore the provision of a good bus service becomes a key factor in
making this site sustainable.
Direct bus services need to be provided to Didcot rail station and the Town
Centre, to Milton Park and to Harwell SIC. The specification would be similar to
that agreed for the Great Western Park development, which is for a target four
buses per hour to Didcot station and Town Centre for much of the day,
diminishing to 2 buses per hour during evenings or on Sundays. Buses would
also connect Valley Park with Milton Park and with Harwell SIC during working
times, at a target frequency of two buses per hour.
Buses would penetrate the site, to provide the shortest possible walking routes
from residences to bus stops. Given the specific geography of this site, it may be
that the peak bus specification could be met by providing two different services,
at 30 minute intervals:
• Didcot centre – rail station – A4130 – Valley Park – Harwell SIC
• Didcot station – Didcot centre – Wantage Road – Valley Park – Milton
Park
There would also be good walking and cycling routes to adjoining areas. A
residential travel plan would be required.
Culham Science Centre
27 Culham Science Centre is located on the 114 and 116 bus routes. It is currently
served by one bus an hour with an increased service (one every 40mins) in the
peak hours and this level of service needs to be maintained in the future. Good
walking and cycling links to Culham train station need to be maintained and
further facilities, such as cycle hubs, need to be introduced at the station and the
site itself.
Didcot Town Centre
28 Didcot Town centre acts as an interchange facility for bus users. The bus-only
link through the middle of Orchard Centre needs to be maintain and improved to
allow better access for pedestrians onto the buses, but also to underpin the
public transport strategy for the area and reduce bus journey times and increase
reliability.
Thame west (site F)
29 It is located on the main Aylesbury to Oxford Premium Bus route and is close to
Haddenham and Thame Parkway rail station and therefore well placed to take
additional growth.
30 The Thame-Oxford route was enhanced from 2 to 3 journeys per hour on
weekdays in late 2010, and further enhanced to 4 buses per hour in the peak
hour into Oxford. This was achieved through some developer funding from
Thame and from Buckinghamshire County Council. The County aims to achieve
four buses per hour frequency between Thame and Oxford as a consequence of
the strategic housing allocation in this Local Development Framework.
31 The Thame-Aylesbury bus service currently operates 3 times per hour, being
operated as an extension of Oxford-Thame Premium Route. It is proposed that at
least 2 buses per hour would still link Thame with Aylesbury, which also connects
with the Chiltern main line at Haddenham & Thame Parkway station. Some future
enhancement of the bus service from Thame to Chinnor and High Wycombe may
also be possible. This would have the additional benefit of permitting through bus
operation between Oxford and High Wycombe, and giving residents of Site F a
direct service to High Wycombe, in addition to direct services to Oxford and
Aylesbury.
32 The following principles are set out for development of Site F.
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•
•
•
•
•
Provision of walking & cycling routes throughout the site to create a
permeable site including provision of pedestrian/cycle crossings where
necessary.
Provision of high quality walking and cycling routes to key locations (off
site) in Thame such as education, town centre and other facilities, to
enable travel by foot and cycle. Including the provision of pedestrian/cycle
crossings where necessary.
Provision of a pedestrian/cycle crossing on Oxford road to access Lord
Williams’s Upper School.
Contributions will be sought to increase the frequency of the Oxford to
Thame bus service to 4 per hour from 3 per hour.
Provision of high quality bus stops in the vicinity of the site to enable travel
by public transport, both to Thame town centre and to other towns such as
Oxford and Aylesbury.
Contributions towards improving access from Thame to Haddenham and
Thame Parkway station by walking, cycling and public transport.
Provision of residential travel plan.
Wallingford Slade End Farm (Site B)
33 Wallingford has a good public transport bus network with services to Oxford,
Didcot and Reading. It has an Air Quality Management Area declared in the town
centre meaning a reduction in vehicles in the town centre is required to reduce
the pollution levels. Attractive and convenient public transport services will aid in
reducing car trips into the town centre.
34 The Wallingford-Oxford express route was enhanced from one to two buses per
hour in 2004. This improvement was funded by a development at Howbery Park
in Crowmarsh Gifford, with some top-up support from the County Council. This
enhanced level of service has proved extremely successful and the operator has
extended this service through to Reading on a half-hourly frequency along with
introducing an additional evening, night and Sunday services, on a commercial
basis. There have been a number of successful planning applications for
additional housing in the Wallingford area in recent years, and all have been
required to contribute towards the further enhancement of the Wallingford-Oxford
service from 2 to 3 buses per hour.
35 The development site proposed for Wallingford will be required to fund an
enhanced Oxford service. The location also permits integration of the local bus
network, by facilitating the incorporation of the Didcot-Wallingford service 130 into
the future pattern of service along the Wallingford-Oxford express bus corridor.
The strengthening of the Didcot-Wallingford bus link is important because it
provides a connection between new and old residents of Wallingford with
employment opportunities in the Science Vale UK area.
36 The following principles are set out for development of Site B.
•
•
•
•
•
•
This site is further than the usually accepted walking distances to facilities
(this has been deem acceptable at policy level) therefore public transport
becomes a key factor in making this site sustainable.
A commercially viable through-route (+ service) for public transport must
be introduced at this site. A bus only access off the Wantage Rd to the
north of the site will be allowed (developer to prove how will make bus
only). This bus access will also act as the emergency access to the site.
Vehicular access to this site will not be permitted via Queen’s Avenue as it
is a substandard width. Access for pedestrians and cyclists will be
permitted via Queen’s Ave and indeed encouraged.
Good walking and cycle links to the east and onto Wallingford town centre
need to be implemented to encourage modal split.
Public rights of way across the site need to be maintained and upgraded
where appropriate.
Provision of residential travel plan
Conclusions
37 Planning for public transport varies for each town, but the high level principles do
not. People must have easy access to the public transport network and be within
a reasonable walking distance (~400m). The transport network must take people
to a range of services, including health and leisure as well as education and
employment. It must be a quality option through provision of journey time
reliability and frequency of service. High quality interchanges are needed to
encourage greater use of public transport and other modes including walking and
cycling. By using planning principles that look at all elements of transport impact
the most appropriate mitigation from each of the sites can be achieved. By also
looking at the cumulative impact of all development across an area (especially
SVUK) it allows large scale mitigation measures to be apportioned equally to all
new development (both housing and employment) with each paying their share to
enable the growth.
38 Public transport cannot be looked at in isolation; travel plans play a key role in
identifying the different options available to residents/employees and informing
people of the options offered to them.
39 In summary, this paper sets out what level of public transport service provision is
achievable across the South Oxfordshire District. It highlights the problems of
planning in a rural district with a number of land use constraints. Of all of the
options explored by SODC in the CS process the approach taken is the best for
achieving modal choice and commercially viable public transport services.
29th July 2011
Paul Fermer, Area Strategies Manager
Cathy Browning, Senior Transport Planner
David Taylor, Public Transport Development