Category: travel

A FEASIBILITY study into a suitable cross-county cycle route from Haddenham and Thame Parkway station to Thame, has now been carried out and costed.
Unfortunately though, two major hurdles remain to be tackled before such a route can be built. These are funding for the estimated

CHILTERN RAILWAYS is advising passengers that there will be minor timetable changes from Sunday, October 5, due to its leaf fall timetable being introduced.
All trains on the London Marylebone to Birmingham line will have an extra three minutes added to their termination time. This means that trains will arrive at their destination up to three minutes later than
before.

All trains on the Aylesbury and London Marylebone via Amersham line will have three minutes added to their departure time so trains will now leave Aylesbury three minutes earlier than before.

Chiltern Railways say: “We need this extra time because autumn leaf fall means that our trains
can’t go as fast as normal. Leaves are blown onto the rails by passing trains; rain and the pressure of heavy trains going over them then creates a hard surface on the rails, which not only makes it difficult for the wheels to grip the tracks but is very difficult to remove.
It’s so slippery, our drivers compare it to black ice.

“Changing our timetable means drivers have a much better chance of keeping to time so that services can run smoothly and without disruption. In turn, this means that passengers will still be able to plan effectively, as our 95% punctuation rate means you can be sure of arriving on time.”

The amended leaf fall timetable will remain in place until 13th December.

THE M40 has been reopened at junction 10, but there are still extensive tailbacks. Lane one will remain closed while the vehicles are recovered but lanes two and three are now open.
A Landrover Discovery; a tanker carrying ash and an artic lorry transporting metal were involved in the collision. The driver of the Landrover, a man, has been taken to the John Radcliffe Hospital with serious injuries.

Police are asking anyone who may have witnessed the incident to contact Sgt Bill Sykes at Abingdon police station via 0845 8 505 505, or if you don?t want to talk to the police or give your name, call the Crimestoppers charity on 0800 555 111.

THE Ride or Stride for the Oxfordshire Historic Churches Trust will take place on Saturday, September 13.
Please collect a sponsor form from Angela (01844 215287)and get on your bike or walk around churches to
raise funds in this very enjoyable way.
Half of all the money raised will go to St Catherine’s church, Towersey.

A329 [Church Hill] Little Milton – both ways at Haseley Road – A329 Oxfordshire – Temporary traffic lights on Church Hill both ways near the Haseley Road junction in Little Milton, because of roadworks.

THE National Cycling Tour of Britain will pass through parts of South Oxfordshire next Monday, September 8.
In order for mass cyclists to pass through the county safely and to prevent conflict with other road users, roads, including Thame by-pass and roads in Haddenham, will be closed on a rolling basis as a `bubble of protection using Police motorcycle supervision and escort who will close sections of the route for approximately 10 minutes at a time.

Carriageways in both directions will be closed for short periods as the event progresses. The anticipated time period is approximately 11am to 2pm.

Full details can be found at www.tourofbritain.co.uk

IF you would like some company cycling to the station, or want to start cycling and need some support, why not register your journey with Chiltern Car Share and pick the BikeBUDi option?
The BikeBUDi system matches individuals with others cycling the same way so they can ride together.

Having joined the system you simply register your journey and the system automatically lists all potential BikeBUDi matches.

The matches are displayed in both table and map format, allowing you to easily find the most suitable people. Having found a match you send an automated email to any likely matches and arrange to travel together.

The system also calculates the financial and CO2 saving each user is making compared to making that journey by car.

To start your search for a BikeBUDi, register for free at www.chilterncarshare.co.uk and tick the BikeBUDi option.

CHILTERN Railways and CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale) have launched a pint sized guide to good food and real ale at CAMRA?s 31st Great British Beer Festival at Earls Court.
The Rail Ale Trail lists CAMRA recommended pubs within easy reach of stations along the Chiltern route, allowing you to enjoy a quality drink without worrying who?s driving home!

Jon Howard, press officer at CAMRA said: ?Wherever possible we encourage drinkers to act responsibly and use public transport, and this initiative really takes these points into consideration.
?The Ale Trail is a great way to get people out and about, and enjoy many of the region’s historic public houses. We hope that in conjunction with the ‘CAMRA Good Beer Guide’, which also contains directions to public transport links, real ale drinkers will be fully equipped to find the best pint in their area.?

You can pick up your leaflet from all staffed stations.

THE A329 Thame road near junction seven on the M40 was closed earlier today following a collision between a car and a lorry that blocked both carriageways.
The crash happened at the junction between the A40 and A329 at Milton Common, at around 2pm.

A 21-year-old woman was taken to hospital with a broken wrist.

AT last night?s prestigious National Transport Awards, Chiltern Railways won the Chris Moyes Award for Public Transport Operator of the Year.
In picking up the award, Chiltern beat off stiff competition from Eurostar, First ScotRail, First Transpennine, Northern Rail and Southern Railways and cemented it?s position as Britain?s leading train company.

Director of Operations, Richard MacLennan who collected the award for Chiltern Railways said:
?We are delighted to get such a prestigious award and it belongs to everyone at Chiltern Railways. We are a small company but we work hard to deliver a first class service all day, every day.
?We are only as good as our last happy passenger though, and every time we meet a new target, such as gaining a 95% punctuality rate or winning awards like these, they then become our benchmark.?