Getting about in and around Bicester Garden Town
Bicester Garden Town places a great deal of value on integrated and accessible transport systems, where walking, cycling and public transport are the most attractive ways of getting around. It also forms an important part in developing healthy communities by enabling residents to build exercise into their daily lives, as well as improving the air quality by promoting more environmental friendly forms of transport.
It seeks to capitalise not only on its existing excellent transport links to Oxford, London and Birmingham but also its compactness and flat landscape, making it the ideal place to get around by bike or foot, for work and play.
Walking and Cycling
Bicester’s residents already walk and cycle more than other people living in towns of a comparable size. Bicester Garden Town looks to build on this, encouraging people to ‘actively travel’ as much as possible.
The Healthy Bicester project has sought to encourage active, sustainable travel within communities by connecting neighbourhoods and encouraging residents to visit the green spaces around them. These included the installation of health walks, wayfinding monoliths and fingerposts.
We are also working closely with the highways authority, Oxfordshire County Council, to deliver high quality walking and cycling routes, making it easier to get around the town that way. Bicester’s Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP) identifies a network plan for walking and cycling alongside a prioritised programme of infrastructure improvements for future investment. More information can be found on the connecting oxfordshire active travel webpage.
In addition, the Garden Town programme has enabled the progression of additional studies to help provide greater walking and cycling connectivity to the south of Bicester and to develop a programme of measures which would increase sustainable travel to the surrounding villages and countryside for practical trips as well as just for fun.
Co-working spaces, such as that provided at The Perch in Bicester’s town centre and the Eco-Business Centre in North West Bicester, can reduce commuting distances whilst providing a professional and separate setting for work away from home.
Such facilities foster transitions in working practices and can help residents to achieve greater work-life balance, allowing them to be more present in the local community and more able to make use of active modes to meet everyday transport needs. Co-working spaces have an important role to play in the development of Bicester Garden Town community and are an important focus of the Garden Town programme.
Supporting greener travel
Being able to easily move around Bicester by bike and on foot, whilst having sustainable transport provision for longer journeys, will help to support a transition to a lower carbon transport future in the town.
Rail: Bicester is well connected by rail with direct services to Birmingham, Oxford and London. East-West Rail will extend rail accessibility eastwards with Phase 2 enabling new train services to Milton Keynes, Bedford and Aylesbury by 2024.
Bus:- Stagecoach Buses operates the premium S5 service between Bicester and Oxford Town Centre serving the Bicester Park and Ride on the A41 approach into the town and the X5 service provides for travel to Buckingham, Milton Keynes, Bedford and Cambridge.
Eco Bus: Run by Grayline Coaches, the E1 low emissions bus service runs between Elmsbrook in NW Bicester and the town centre. It will also serves Bicester Village Train Station at peak times. The route is registered as a hail and ride service, permitting it to stop at any safe point along that route.
E-Car Club: Bicester’s Eco-Town includes the provision of two E-Car Club vehicles, the use of which has been extended to all residents across the town. Short-term car hire services such as E-Car Club help to fill the gaps in transport needs and forms a key ingredient in supporting a shift away from private car use and ownership. The development of car club provision within the town is an ongoing Garden Town programme.
Sustainable travel options
We work with partners to help residents choose sustainable travel options to get about. We are keen to integrate walking and cycling within daily routines both to support the sustainable growth of the town and to develop healthy lifestyles. Example initiatives include:
Bike libraries: Children at two Bicester primary schools have been the beneficiaries of our work with the North Oxfordshire School Sports Partnership and Active Oxfordshire, which has provided the pupils with bikes and secure storage.
Dr Bike: Free Dr Bike sessions are run in partnership with Bicester Green. On the last Saturday of the month, Bicester residents can use this free service to get their bikes back on the road encouraging them to re-engage with cycling.
Bike Day: Bicester Bike Day is a celebration of all things bike! Since 2017 this event has been delivered in partnership with A2Dominion, the developers of Bicester’s Eco-Town alongside organisations from across Bicester and beyond.
Cycle Training: We work with Oxfordshire County Council and local cycle training providers to extend the availability of cycle training in the town. This includes the provision of additional holiday Bikeability courses aimed at children in school year groups six and up to equip them with the skills for travelling around the town independently by bike.
Travel Information
Having up to date information on walking, cycling and bus routes helps new and existing residents understand their travel choices. The Bicester sustainable travel map emphasises how journeys within Bicester can be readily undertaken on foot, bike or bus.