X9 Bus: Witney to Charlbury

Mon 11 Nov 2013, 18:52

Yes, it is. A joint approach from Charlbury Town Council, the Cotswold Line Promotion Group and other local parishes is likely to suggest to OCC that the C1 should be combined with a revised version of the daytime X8A service (the Kingham/Wychwoods service). The result would be a useful service that operates all day while retaining the C1 services; can be operated with just one vehicle for around half the subsidy; and has the potential to grow usage beyond current levels. No guarantee that OCC will agree, of course, but it should be an attractive option for them. I'll hopefully upload a copy of the response here in the next couple of days.

The late night Friday/Saturday X9 buses are also likely to be withdrawn, but given the very low usage on these (recently introduced) services and the council's £61m budget hole, I think energies are best spent on keeping the railbus.

Mon 11 Nov 2013, 17:29

I think the entire C1 service is likely to be withdrawn if I read the consultation document correctly. It says - (https://myconsultations.oxfordshire.gov.uk/gf2.ti/f/31330/71109.1/PDF/-/Review_consultation_document_with_revised_Item_Q.pdf)

Particular points of interest
 It is likely that services C1 and T1 will be recommended for withdrawal in May 2014. Patronage is low (an average of around 27 passengers per day on C1 and an estimated 5 on T1) and the cost has increased significantly since RH Buses went into administration in October 2012.
 Around half of evening C1 passengers (42 of 86 recorded over a sample week) use the service for travel within Charlbury, yet in the morning only 3 of 48 recorded passengers are from Charlbury.

Sun 10 Nov 2013, 18:01

Correct!

Sun 10 Nov 2013, 17:55

That'll be the Prime Minister then..!

Sun 10 Nov 2013, 17:42

Madness! First, reduce disposable income and increase fuel costs so that people can't afford to run cars. Second, withdraw public transport so that people can't get to work/go shopping, or do anything else which might (Heaven forfend) boost the economy. I am going to have a word with the MP for Witney (whoever that might be ;-)).

Sat 9 Nov 2013, 17:48

Probably lose the station bus as well. Copy and paste the link in my last post to see the full document

Sat 9 Nov 2013, 17:43

I suggest you all look at the OCC website and the consultation document regarding bus service reviews as its recommending the X9 late buses are withdrawn. See https://myconsultations.oxfordshire.gov.uk/gf2.ti/f/31330/71109.1/PDF/-/Review_consultation_document_with_revised_Item_Q.pdf

Wed 6 Nov 2013, 18:03

Thank you for the timetable. Very helpful.

Wed 6 Nov 2013, 12:58

Or to do it all for free on a bus pass, catch a bus to Oxford and then catch the 21.45 or the 23.45 bus to Charlbury.

Plan ahead on the Traveline website www.travelinesoutheast.org.uk/se/XSLT_TRIP_REQUEST2?language=en&timeOffset=15 or use their app.

Wed 6 Nov 2013, 08:32

Thank you All!

Tue 5 Nov 2013, 21:37

Looks like a bit of bad luck tonight. Late busses from Witney only on Friday and Saturday. You can get your own PDF copy of the timetable at this link (which is on the Stagecoach site.
www.stagecoachbus.com/PdfUploads/Timetable_39569_X9.pdf

Tue 5 Nov 2013, 21:29

Slightly surprised that the timetable has gone in Witney; there was one there a couple of weeks ago. (But you do have to check on the right bus stop - there are a few.) I'll check next time I'm there and raise it with OCC/Stagecoach if it's disappeared.

There'll also be a combined timetable for all Charlbury bus and train times in the next issue of the Chronicle, which you can cut out and keep with you, and available for download from this site.

The X9 isn't being run down - in fact, now that Stagecoach are running it, it's better than it has been for several years. Bus services in rural areas across Britain, however, very rarely run in the evening (or on Sundays) and the X9 is no exception. The last service leaves Witney Market Place at 6pm.

Should you ever miss the bus again, if you're not in too much of a hurry, the cheapest way home is probably to catch the regular bus from Witney to Oxford, then get a train back!

Tue 5 Nov 2013, 20:25

I suggest you read the timetable.

Tue 5 Nov 2013, 20:03

I wonder if anyone can help me. I do not own a car, and this evening my Wife and I took the X9 to Witney at 16:30. I have a concessionary bus pass so it cost me nothing. We just went on an outing, to do some shopping and have an early dinner at Cafe Rouge.
When we returned to the bust stop in Witney High Street, the X9 timetable had been removed. We texted the number on the bus stop and it turned out that there were no more X9s tonight. This was about 18:45.
We had to get a taxi to return to Charlbury and it cost me £15.20. So not a very economical evening out!
Is the X9 service being "run down", or has it always been this way?
Thank you.