Category: travel

THE final section of the Phoenix Trail, in Thame, is now open for cycling and walking.
This, the last section to be surfaced for walking and cycling use, runs along what is known as Hatchett?s Lane and now makes it possible to cycle off-road all the way from Princes Risborough, through Thame all the way to Thame’s Leisure Centre and Lord Williams’s Upper school.
The Phoenix Trail was designed and built by SUSTRANS, the sustainable transport charity, with funding mainly from the National Lottery and local councils. It follows the route of the old railway line from Princes Risborough, through Thame to Oxford, the last passenger train passing through Thame in 1986.

THE Thame by-pass (A418) remains closed between the Aylesbury round-about and the Oxford Road round-about, following a collision between two cars just before 10am this morning.
One male sustained a head injury, a second a leg injury and one female is suffering from shock.
The road is expected to be re-opened at around 1.45pm.

The two vehicles involved were a VW Turino van and a red Vauxhall Astra.

A diversion through the town along Aylesbury Road and Oxford Road has been in operation and consequently there are tailbacks.

OXFORDSHIRE Highways will be carry out maintenance of the surface water drainage system in Park Street. In order to gain access to the system, drivers are requested not to park in Park Street between 8.30am and 3.00pm on Wednesday, May 7.
Any vehicle parked on or near the surface water gullies will seriously hamper operations, and will therefore restrict the efficiency of the system, if not cleansed. Thank you in anticipation of your co-operation.

YOU may have seen new trains, in a two-tone silver-grey livery, running through Haddenham station recently. They belong to a new train company ? The Wrexham and Shropshire ? which is carrying out practice/training runs in preparation for a new service between Marylebone and Wrexham which is due to begin on Monday, April 28.
The trains will not be stopping at Haddenham and Thame Parkway but passengers will be able to access the service at Banbury (with five trains going north on weekdays starting at 8am, four trains on Saturdays, starting at 9.28am and three trains on Sundays starting at 10.25am) and travel to Birmingham International, Wolverhampton, Telford, Shrewsbury and Wrexham.

The last train leaves Shrewsbury at 6.53pm on weekdays, 6.08pm on Saturdays and 5.56pm on Sundays. Journey time from Banbury is around two hours.

A lorry driver had a lucky escape on Sunday evening (04/08) when his lorry caught fire on the M40.
The fire service were called to the blazing articulated lorry, by then parked on the northbound hard shoulder between junctions 8a and 9, just before 10pm.

The driver alerted the fire service and four crews from Wheatley, Thame, Bicester and the Slade in Oxford attended.

It is thought the cause of the fire was accidental.

CHILTERN Rail’s Shakespeare Explorer is a flexible, great value ticket that allows you to get out and about on the network, especially in Shakespeare Country.
It gives you:

? One outward and return journey from London Marylebone to Leamington Spa, Warwick, Warwick Parkway and all intermediate stations to Stratford-upon-Avon.

? Unlimited travel to and from all stations between Leamington Spa and Stratford-upon-Avon (inclusive) for the period of validity.

? Break of journey at stations between London Marylebone and Leamington Spa when travelling to or from the Rover area – stop off at Bicester Village or other attractions along our route.

See: Chiltern Rail’s website

YOUNGSTERS from Oxfordshire are to benefit from cycle training following a

DESPITE a high-profile road safety drive in the media, and a campaign of enforcement across the Thames Valley area, a large number of motorists are still ignoring road safety messages.
During February the Thames Valley Safer Roads Partnership Enforcement team, in conjunction with Thames Valley Police, conducted 106 roadside checks, focusing on seatbelt usage, mobile phones and excess speed. As a result 1,520 seatbelt offences, 211 mobile phones offences and 215 excess speed offences were detected and sanctioned, either through education programmes or prosecution.

Chris Appleby, Road Safety Sergeant, said ?The results are most disappointing; they show that there are a large number of motorists who have failed to realise the dangers to themselves and the public around them.
?Thames Valley Police and the Thames Valley Safer Roads Partnership have a full calendar of similar enforcement operations planned throughout the year with a view to bringing these irresponsible motorists to justice.?

TEXT ticketing was a first for the UK rail industry and now Chiltern Railways have been awarded ?the Innovative Transport Project of the Year? at the recent London Transport Awards held at Hilton Park Lane in London.
Peter Owen, Marketing Director of Chiltern Railways said: ?I am delighted that we have won this award for mobile ticketing as it is a real innovation for the rail industry and we?re excited to be continuously developing technology to make travelling by train simpler and more convenient for our passengers.?

Martin Hathaway, Director for YourRail, said: ?We are delighted that Chiltern?s forward thinking has been recognised by this award. So far over 18,000 customers have signed up to use Chiltern?s innovative electronic ticketing service supplied by YourRail. This year, Chiltern?s customers will have an expanded range of attractive electronic tickets to choose from, in addition to the excellent levels of service that they have come to expect.?

As well as winning an award for tickets by text, the Fastis system developed in partnership by Chiltern ? which allows passengers to buy a full range of Oyster products ? won Information Excellence of 2008 at the HSBC Awards.

To find out more about?tcks by txt?, visit LINK

TELL Chiltern Railways about your night out and win a free day out! Chiltern Railways’ London Night Out tickets offer up to a 33% discount on cheap day returns to London, giving you more money in your pocket to enjoy the nightlife in the capital.

Now Chiltern Railways is offering passengers the chance to win two, free, off peak day passes for the whole network, simply by telling us about what you get up to on your London Night Out. Did you go to a show? Enjoy some fine dining? Or did you spot any celebrities in the West End?

Simply log onto Chiltern Railways’ website: LINK

and tell them all about it. The Chiltern Railways passenger who has the most exciting or unusual night out in London will win the prize.