Chiltern Oxford Link completed

[alexx]

The car park at Bicester Village station appears to be the same price as Bicester North, but the Bicester Village car park itself is free.

I wonder how this one will pan out...

 

[midlandred]

The car park at Bicester Village station appears to be the same price as Bicester North, but the Bicester Village car park itself is free.

I wonder how this one will pan out...

I asked at Bicester Village (ugh) Station yesterday and was told that the car park charge would be the same as Bicester North, and at Oxford Parkway it will be the same as Water Eaton Park and Ride
They didn't have an answer when I asked about free-parking at the shopping complex!!!!

 

[Kite159]

This is when Bicester Village itself will bring in either charges (refunded when spending more than £X) or keep the free carpark with a time limit.

 

[MK Tom]

I went along to the first day of services yesterday. Some on-train announcers were announcing Bicester Village as Bicester North which probably caused some confusion. The Chiltern bus link has been merged into the 500 Park and Ride route which seemed to be causing some ticket confusion. But I was very impressed with the large amount of Chiltern staff on hand to help.

My gallery from the day is here: https://mkttransportphoto.smugmug.com/2015/October-2015/Oxford-Parkway-opening-day/i-pwdKDgc

 

[HowardGWR]

I went along to the first day of services yesterday. Some on-train announcers were announcing Bicester Village as Bicester North which probably caused some confusion. The Chiltern bus link has been merged into the 500 Park and Ride route which seemed to be causing some ticket confusion. But I was very impressed with the large amount of Chiltern staff on hand to help.

My gallery from the day is here: https://mkttransportphoto.smugmug.com/2015/October-2015/Oxford-Parkway-opening-day/i-pwdKDgc

From your pics (great,by the way, thanks) do I understand that someone in Bicester who lives on the south side and alights at Village, has to traipse over the footbridge and then walk all the way around to the level crossing.

I could see any gates on the down (down?) side.

 

[swt_passenger]

From your pics (great,by the way, thanks) do I understand that someone in Bicester who lives on the south side and alights at Village, has to traipse over the footbridge and then walk all the way around to the level crossing.

There's a direct pedestrian route mentioned in the TWA order description of the works, with a separate gateline. Also a few blue badge spaces etc.

This sign on Cliff Jones' site seems to indicate it will happen: http://cliffjones.zenfolio.com/p688139327/h5e75c6e4#h5e75c819

...and this picture suggests it is a work in progress: http://cliffjones.zenfolio.com/p688139327/h5e75c6e4#h5e75cdf5

 

[absolutelymilk]

So what trains are running this route? Class 168s?

 

[Andyjs247]

There's a direct pedestrian route mentioned in the TWA order description of the works, with a separate gateline. Also a few blue badge spaces etc.

This sign on Cliff Jones' site seems to indicate it will happen: http://cliffjones.zenfolio.com/p688139327/h5e75c6e4#h5e75c819

...and this picture suggests it is a work in progress: http://cliffjones.zenfolio.com/p688139327/h5e75c6e4#h5e75cdf5

There is a pedestrian route to the Oxford-bound platform from the south side of the line, although I didn't notice it yesterday. The secondary car park and turning circle is still a work in progress. There is not a gateline for this access apparently.

 

[MK Tom]

So what trains are running this route? Class 168s?

As you'll see in my gallery linked above, it was 168s plus a single LHCS set.

 

[jimm]

There is a pedestrian route to the Oxford-bound platform from the south side of the line, although I didn't notice it yesterday. The secondary car park and turning circle is still a work in progress. There is not a gateline for this access apparently.

Though describing it as the Oxford-bound platform is not really accurate right now, as the bi-directional signalling is in full use, with trains running on either line between Bicester and the Parkway, as there is no shunt facility at the Oxford end.

As you say, there is still work to do on the southern entrance at Bicester, plus signs with Chinese and Arabic script for Bicester Village shoppers have yet to be fitted, there looks to be a lot of work still in hand at Islip and at Oxford Parkway they are still building the steps down from Oxford Road to the station building.

I had a run from Parkway to London and back today. There was a quick ribbon-cutting before the 07.24 Class 68+Mk3s departure, plus a barbershop quartet. Few minutes late at Marylebone after trundling though north London.

Was fairly quiet in terms of passenger numbers on the 07.24 but as well as being launch day it is half-term in Oxfordshire, so that has probably taken out a few potential regular commuters. The car park was noticeably busier when I got back at lunchtime.

The Prime Minister turned up to unveil a plaque at Parkway, pictured with Chiltern md Rob Brighouse and Sir Peter Hendy, the chairman of Network Rail https://twitter.com/TheOxfordMail?ref_src=twsrc^google|twcamp^serp|twgr^author

So what trains are running this route? Class 168s?

As well as 168s and the odd loco-hauled set, there was a pair of 172s in the mix as well this morning.

 

[muddythefish]

So London gets another commuter route, increasing the capital's grip on the national economy and doing nothing to address the real problem in Oxfordshire - poor public transport provision in and around Oxford.

 

[67018]

So London gets another commuter route, increasing the capital's grip on the national economy and doing nothing to address the real problem in Oxfordshire - poor public transport provision in and around Oxford.

There's always one...

 

[route:oxford]

So London gets another commuter route, increasing the capital's grip on the national economy and doing nothing to address the real problem in Oxfordshire - poor public transport provision in and around Oxford.

Utter nonsense.

The heritage service between Bicester and Oxford was an incredibly slow hourly affair on heavily degraded tracks.

When completed, through to Oxford, this will offer a fast and frequent service between Bicester and Oxford, and in due course Bicester to Oxford Science & Business Park/BMW as well as MK & Bletchley.

 

[muddythefish]

The roads into Oxford from Thame, Witney, Swindon and many others commuting towns places are choked with traffic. The buses are not a viable alternative and the railways lines have been closed. Oxford has a severe problem that is not going to be solved by more road building. The new railway has been built primarily to serve the London commuter market - the improved link from Oxford to Bicester is by the way.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

There's always one...

Are you it ?

 

[The Planner]

The new railway has been built primarily to serve the London commuter market - the improved link from Oxford to Bicester is by the way.

So E-W is a by product then?

 

[MarkRedon]

The new railway has been built primarily to serve the London commuter market - the improved link from Oxford to Bicester is by the way.

The new railway has been built by a mixture of public and private capital in part to provide a service between Marylebone and Oxford – which provides a very interesting alternative to the existing route via Reading. It is also the first phase in a process that should lead to new railway links between Oxford (and points west) and Milton Keynes, Bedford, later Cambridge (and I hope also Stansted airport). It is therefore part of a truly exciting first stage in the reversal of the worst effects of the dreadful retrenchment that perhaps had to occur in the 60s, 70s and early 80s.

Heavy rail cannot make a huge difference to the commuter traffic of relatively small cities like Oxford – for that, other public transport alternatives are more likely to be beneficial.

But heavy rail can and already does make a huge difference to all our lives. Please can we lose this awful negativity? The world just changed, only a little, but for once for the better.

 

[muddythefish]

So E-W is a by product then?

Will it happen ? As far as Bedford maybe, but Cambridge must be in serious doubt.

 

[route:oxford]

Will it happen ? As far as Bedford maybe, but Cambridge must be in serious doubt.

Cambridge isn't in Oxfordshire - it doesn't really matter too much...

 

[Cherry_Picker]

I'd imagine there will be a reasonable demand for the service between High Wycombe, Thame and Oxford too when the line is fully open, right?

 

[jimm]

So London gets another commuter route, increasing the capital's grip on the national economy and doing nothing to address the real problem in Oxfordshire - poor public transport provision in and around Oxford.

You seem to have forgotten the flow of Chinese shoppers to Bicester Village...

On a more serious note, as route: oxford says it most certainly will assist Oxford's congestion problems once it is open through to Oxford station by providing a swift high-frequency link from Bicester into the city which will get many people out of their cars who simply would not countenance using the snail's pace service previously offered by the Oxford-Bicester Town branch line. So not exactly by the by, nor is East West Rail going to be by the by. Even just giving Oxford/Aylesbury and Milton Keynes fast rail connections which will wipe the floor with the less than fantastic road options is going to be a huge benefit, never mind Cambridge.

Heavy rail cannot make a huge difference to the commuter traffic of relatively small cities like Oxford – for that, other public transport alternatives are more likely to be beneficial.

But heavy rail can and already does make a huge difference to all our lives. Please can we lose this awful negativity? The world just changed, only a little, but for once for the better.

On the one hand you complain about negativity, then on the other claim that heavy rail cannot make a huge difference to commuter traffic in the likes of Oxford.

Sorry to disagree, but the heavy loadings on peak trains in and out of Oxford at the likes of Banbury and Didcot and at stations up the Cotswold Line, principally at the eastern end of the line as far as Moreton-in-Marsh, give the lie to that claim. Heavy rail is making a difference in Oxford and has done for many years.

If all those people were not able to use trains and were on the roads instead the congestion in and around Oxford would be far worse - buses are simply not a viable alternative as they get stuck in the traffic and trams may sound fine and dandy but I see no sign of funding for such things. The buses may be very busy between Witney and Oxford but that is simply because there is no alternative public transport.

Until now people from Bicester have stuck to road travel for the reasons I mention above. From next year they will have a genuine rail alternative into the heart of Oxford and I would expect commuting habits to be transformed as a result, with beneficial effects on the A34 and roads leading from it into Oxford. They may not be far-reaching and utterly transformative effects but in a context where many more houses are planned for the likes of Bicester, Witney, Carterton and Didcot, bringing the prospect of yet more commuters on Oxfordshire's roads, every little will help.

 

[MarkRedon]

They may not be far-reaching and utterly transformative effects but in a context where many more houses are planned for the likes of Bicester, Witney, Carterton and Didcot, bringing the prospect of yet more commuters on Oxfordshire's roads, every little will help.

"Jimm", thank you for your very proper correction. I should also like to add that I normally agree with your excellent posts. That said, if and when heavy rail into Oxford reaches the 10% or so contribution made by heavy rail commuting into Manchester or Leeds "I shall the more rejoice". My main point is that Oxford should already be rejoicing that so much investment in heavy rail is occurring and is planned. I am not sure that I shall live to see the rail network reach back into Witney or Carterton – but at least the momentum is in the right direction. Meanwhile, I am angered by the negativity of those who cannot see that today's new rail services are – overall – very, very good news. Even for Islip !

 

[muddythefish]

Cambridge isn't in Oxfordshire - it doesn't really matter too much...

The question was posed about East-West rail, if you go back and look.

 

[jimm]

"Jimm", thank you for your very proper correction. I should also like to add that I normally agree with your excellent posts. That said, if and when heavy rail into Oxford reaches the 10% or so contribution made by heavy rail commuting into Manchester or Leeds "I shall the more rejoice". My main point is that Oxford should already be rejoicing that so much investment in heavy rail is occurring and is planned. I am not sure that I shall live to see the rail network reach back into Witney or Carterton – but at least the momentum is in the right direction. Meanwhile, I am angered by the negativity of those who cannot see that today's new rail services are – overall – very, very good news. Even for Islip !

While I would love to think that rail could achieve that kind of market share around Oxford, so long as places the size of Abingdon, Witney, Carterton, Wantage and Thame lack direct access to rail that is unlikely to happen. Passenger trains along the Cowley branch would certainly help by delivering people close to their places of work in the parts of the city the line passes through.

People do drive from Witney and Woodstock to Hanborough and from Abingdon to Radley to catch trains and avoid the Oxford congestion but the need for a two-stage journey for short distances is always going to be a deterrent for many once they are behind the wheel of the car, however bad the congestion is.

On those corridors around Oxford where rail is an option, demand is high and growing. Rail has long been the default mode of transport between Charlbury and Oxford, where a town of 3,000 people generates 288,000 rail journeys a year - and may well pass the 300,000 mark once the next set of station figures are released. Even if you allow for people driving into Charlbury, many off to London, there is still a huge flow in and out of Oxford, which is also a factor in the surge in custom at Hanborough, with traffic more than doubling in the past seven years, past 200,000 journeys. It is too early to see what effect another 110 parking spaces will have at Kingham but they are already being well used.

Once Bicester trains reach the city centre again, there is bound be be a big effect on that corridor. Even with the slow trundle of past years, the key commuter trains between Bicester Town and Oxford were busy, especially once the timetable was beefed up in 2009 thanks to funding from developers that the county council used to support extra trains.

I think the jury is still out at Islip, where the main traffic flow will still be in and out of Oxford but the service frequency will be lower than in recent years and the times of trains in the key commuting periods are not ideal. The previous dozen or so trains a day service saw traffic pretty much double between 2009 and last year when services were suspended.

I see Chiltern is trying to hold the line on car parking charges at Bicester, with those at Bicester 'Village' being set at the same level as North, £7 peak, £4.50 off-peak. Prompting the following exchange on Twitter

Lucy ‏@LucysDean 18h18 hours ago
@chilternrailway are there parking charges at the new Bicester Village rail station? Thanks
0 retweets 0 favorites
Reply Retweet Favorite
More
Chiltern Railways ‏@chilternrailway 18h18 hours ago
@LucysDean £7.00 in the peak and £4.50 non peak. They are the same as Bicester North Station. NJ
7:40 AM - 26 Oct 2015 · Details
Hide conversation 0 retweets 0 favorites
Reply Retweet Favorite
More
Lucy ‏@LucysDean 18h18 hours ago
@chilternrailway so id have to pay £7/£4.50 to park there to travel to Oxford? That's extortionate!!!

It's hard to argue with that assessment when an off-peak day return from Bicester all the way to Oxford station is just £2.70. Even an anytime is £5.20. Never mind the far lower parking charges at Oxford Parkway. I suspect Bicester Village's free parking for shoppers may prove popular, at least until they realise what's happening.

 

[67018]

It's hard to argue with that assessment when an off-peak day return from Bicester all the way to Oxford station is just £2.70. Even an anytime is £5.20. Never mind the far lower parking charges at Oxford Parkway. I suspect Bicester Village's free parking for shoppers may prove popular, at least until they realise what's happening.

Conversely you could argue that the rail fare is exceptionally good value - £2.70 is just over half the equivalent bus fare.

£4.50 for a day's parking doesn't seem extortionate to me - some places in Oxford charge more than that for 2 hours - although sadly some people see cheap parking as virtually a human right. Most Bicester residents, of course, have the option of walking to the station if they really object that strongly.

I look forward to the reaction from Bicester Village when they find their car park full of commuters...

 

[jimm]

Conversely you could argue that the rail fare is exceptionally good value - £2.70 is just over half the equivalent bus fare.

£4.50 for a day's parking doesn't seem extortionate to me - some places in Oxford charge more than that for 2 hours - although sadly some people see cheap parking as virtually a human right. Most Bicester residents, of course, have the option of walking to the station if they really object that strongly.

I look forward to the reaction from Bicester Village when they find their car park full of commuters...

The rail fare is indeed fantastic value but people are bound to wonder whether it's worth using the train when they are being asked to pay almost double the train fare to park off-peak - especially when Chiltern is charging far less to park at a station 10 minutes down the line. Or nothing at all five minutes away if Islip is to remain free of charge.

Chiltern is playing a dangerous game here. In the case of Bicester North, parking restrictions on streets around the station meant there weren't really any alternatives to taking the pain and paying to park at the station, which is not the same at the new station, and while Chiltern may have merrily hiked its fees at its busiest stations in line with what Virgin charges at WCML stations, parking at most GWR stations across Oxfordshire is a lot cheaper.

Chiltern really needs to do a much better job of promoting its Three for Free offer, giving free parking before 9am to a car arriving at its stations carrying three or more people, the Twitter exchange I quoted surely being a golden opportunity to have done so.

Parking prices in central Oxford are on another planet due to a deliberate policy of trying to encourage people to use park and ride, so not a realistic comparison with anything. Cattle Market long-stay in Bicester is £2.50 to park all day, so if Bicester Village does crack down and people don't mind a bit of a walk to the station, then that may prove a popular spot to leave a car all day.

Do "most Bicester residents have the option of walking to the station"? If they don't mind a very long walk perhaps, because a lot of the houses built in recent years or sites slated for development are a very long way from either station, not least the eco-town site, the closest edge of which is at least a mile from Bicester North and about a mile-and-a-half from Bicester 'Village'. Many people would most likely spend more time on foot than on the train if going to or from Oxford. Very healthy for them I'm sure, but I have the feeling that if people have to walk more than about 15 minutes at either end of a journey, the numbers prepared to do it tend to tail off.

And most of the the bus routes within Bicester start late and finish early due to the county council not having any money to pay for early and late services, so aren't much help to get commuters to a station either.

 

[67018]

The rail fare is indeed fantastic value but people are bound to wonder whether it's worth using the train when they are being asked to pay almost double the train fare to park off-peak - especially when Chiltern is charging far less to park at a station 10 minutes down the line. Or nothing if Islip is to remain free of charge.

Chiltern is playing a dangerous game here. In the case of Bicester North, parking restrictions on streets around the station meant there weren't really any alternatives to taking the pain and paying to park at the station, which is not the same at the new station, and while Chiltern may have merrily hiked its fees at its busiest stations in line with what Virgin charges at WCML stations, parking at most GWR stations across Oxfordshire is a lot cheaper.

Chiltern really needs to do a much better job of promoting its Three for Free offer, giving free parking before 9am to a car arriving at its stations carrying three or more people, the Twitter exchange I quoted surely being a golden opportunity to have done so.

Parking prices in central Oxford are on another planet due to a deliberate policy of trying to encourage people to use park and ride, so not a realistic comparison with anything. Cattle Market long-stay in Bicester is £2.50 to park all day, so if Bicester Village does crack down and people don't mind a bit of a walk to the station, then that may prove a popular spot to leave a car all day.

Do "most Bicester residents have the option of walking to the station"? If they don't mind a very long walk perhaps, because a lot of the houses built in recent years or sites slated for development are a very long way from either station, not least the eco-town site, the closest edge of which is at least a mile from Bicester North and about a mile-and-a-half from Bicester 'Village'. Many people would most likely spend more time on foot than on the train if going to or from Oxford. Very healthy for them I'm sure, but I have the feeling that if people have to walk more than about 15 minutes at either end of a journey, the numbers prepared to do it tend to tail off.

And most of the the bus routes within Bicester start late and finish early due to the county council not having any money to pay for early and late services, so aren't much help to get commuters to a station either.

Maybe Chiltern's calculation is that most commuters, used to paying the charges at Bicester North, will just carry on paying the same. After all, if anyone was price sensitive enough to use the Cattle Market car park they could have done that already.

You are right, though, that they could lost a lot of goodwill if potential new customers feel stung by the parking charges - and even more so if non-rail users find commuters filling up the existing car parks. The new park and ride may also be an option, if that's cheaper.

Pretty much the whole town is within a mile and a half of the new station. - maybe it's just me, but that doesn't strike me as an excessive walk and cycling is an option too. Although locals here do seem to be wedded to their cars, something that will increasingly become a problem as the town grows. The new developments are a different thing, of course, and I think you have hit the nail on the head with your comments about the buses - the real solution is a proper town bus service. The 'eco town' in particular is going to be a bit of a joke otherwise.

 

[Andyjs247]

Just to add, the car parking tickets and prices are meant to be interchangeable between "North" and "Village" stations I think. I suspect they are thinking of car park season ticket holders who may wish to use either or both car parks over the duration of a season - I can't imagine many people would need to use both car parks in the same day.

With a free car park next door there does not appear much reason for early commuters to pay £7 to use the Village station car park. And having named the station "Bicester Village" (ugh) it's going to be hard to explain to commuters that they can't use the Bicester Village outlet free car park.

The station car park charge may however mean that space remains available nearby when the outlet car park is full (although the Village outlet does have a free shuttle bus when their car park is full and shoppers need to park elsewhere).
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

And I was also amused by the following article which appeared in the Sunday Telegraph's Stella magazine describing the new station being built in the Bicester Village outlet car park on 18 October...

While I knew about it, I had been just once, for a press launch, three years ago. Why? Utter laziness. Bicester is halfway between London and Birmingham, a few miles off the M40, and a bit of a faff to get to. Trains from Marylebone or Birmingham New Street stations go as far as Bicester North, which is still a further bus ride away from the bargains.

The faff in question, however, will soon evaporate in eight days’ time when, on 26 October, Chiltern Railways unveils a new station, Bicester Village. Sitting, effectively, in the mall’s car park, it is on a new £100m line that speeds from Marylebone to Bicester in 46 minutes, and then loops back down to Oxford Parkway – so no more need for that bus.

See http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/shopping-and-consumer-news/11929180/How-Bicester-Village-became-the-go-to-place-for-Chinese-tourists.html

 

[Techniquest]

Well I went on Monday, as rhe trip report followers will have seen!

The journey is so much nicer to Bicester than it was before modernising, it has to be said. Much faster and much smoother, a joy to do. My trains were ridiculously empty, the 1217 from Oxford Parkway would have barely filled half a 153, filling up more at Bicester Village but even a 153 wiuld have still had spare seats from Haddenham!

168/3s have begun passenger service, the 1241 back to Oxford Parkway was 168322. 165021 was in use on the line too, but not in passenger service it appeared. Otherwise 168106 and 168107, as well as 168214 made appearances during my visit to the line.

I was less than satisfied that the cafes at Parkway and Village do not have cards facilities, in this day and age it should mandatory. No ATM at Village and the one at Parkway was already broken! :roll:

Until the line is reopened to Oxford itself I don't expect the line to be terribly busy, but when it does it'll come into its own. When Christmas shopping season lands again properly, I can see it being very busy indeed at the Village end of the line!

The links to Parkway from Oxford were very poorly advertised, if I hadn't known by chance to look for route 500 I'd have been totally lost! Let's not get started on the painfully slow bus journey, that was super dull and felt like hours!

I will need to return to the line at some point to score the shack at Islip, but I refuse to do that bus link again any time soon, so it will have to wait until the final section opens into Oxford. It appears to be some months to go until it's ready but something to do when I need a cheap bash!

 

[MK Tom]

Well I went on Monday, as rhe trip report followers will have seen!

The journey is so much nicer to Bicester than it was before modernising, it has to be said. Much faster and much smoother, a joy to do. My trains were ridiculously empty, the 1217 from Oxford Parkway would have barely filled half a 153, filling up more at Bicester Village but even a 153 wiuld have still had spare seats from Haddenham!

168/3s have begun passenger service, the 1241 back to Oxford Parkway was 168322. 165021 was in use on the line too, but not in passenger service it appeared. Otherwise 168106 and 168107, as well as 168214 made appearances during my visit to the line.

I was less than satisfied that the cafes at Parkway and Village do not have cards facilities, in this day and age it should mandatory. No ATM at Village and the one at Parkway was already broken! :roll:

Until the line is reopened to Oxford itself I don't expect the line to be terribly busy, but when it does it'll come into its own. When Christmas shopping season lands again properly, I can see it being very busy indeed at the Village end of the line!

The links to Parkway from Oxford were very poorly advertised, if I hadn't known by chance to look for route 500 I'd have been totally lost! Let's not get started on the painfully slow bus journey, that was super dull and felt like hours!

I will need to return to the line at some point to score the shack at Islip, but I refuse to do that bus link again any time soon, so it will have to wait until the final section opens into Oxford. It appears to be some months to go until it's ready but something to do when I need a cheap bash!

Great little trip report! The bus is seriously slow now that they've just combined it into the 500, which makes sense operationally but also means you're stopping at every little side street in Summertown all the way down.

My brief thoughts on the line and the first day are here: http://mkttransport.co.uk/photography/oxford-parkway-first-day-of-services/

 

[davetheguard]

I take it the special rail replacement bus has now been itself replaced by extending the Oxford Bus Company route 500 from/to Water Eaton Park & Ride (aka Oxford Parkway) to Oxford railway station? This is certainly the impression that Chiltern's website gives; although it doesn't actually say that rail tickets are valid on the 500 bus, and nor does the OBC website.

Are rail tickets valid on the 500? And what happens if you have a rail ticket that doesn't actually mention Oxford e.g. Swindon to High Wycombe, or Reading to Bicester?

Finally, can you break your bus journey in central Oxford or Summertown?