Category: travel

DUCT-LAYING by British Telecom will be taking place between February 22 and March 1; traffic restricted to a single lane during that time.

NEW, temporary posters urging drivers to ?respect our community – drive carefully? are going up around the county in a bid to cut speed and encourage safer driving.
Another new poster for roads near schools and other areas where children meet or play, will include an image of children holding hands and include the message,?please drive carefully’.

Designed as part of the county council?s SpeedWatch campaign, the new posters aim to get vital road safety messages across ? previous posters have shown messages such as ?Watch Your Speed? and ?Are you Speeding??

The new posters are now available to town and parish councils throughout Oxfordshire to purchase or borrow for use in their own SpeedWatch schemes.

DUE to track improvement work this Sunday (26th), London Marylebone station will be closed to passengers all day. Train services will therefore be diverted to London Paddington. Alternatively, passengers with a Travelcard or other valid ticket can use connecting London Underground services.

Before travelling Chiltern Railways is advising passengers to check for service alterations at their local staffed stations, by calling the Chiltern Railways enquiry line on 08456 005 165 (07:00hrs to 20:00hrs) or visiting www.chilternrailways.co.uk where full timetable information is provided.

SERVICE SUMMARY
Sunday 26 February
Kidderminster – Birmingham – Stratford-upon-Avon – Leamington Spa – Banbury – London
Aylesbury – High Wycombe ? London

TRAFFIC will be restricted to a single lane on the Thame to Shabbington Road, the A418 for the construction of a cycle route.
Work started on February 13, and is expected to last for 13 weeks.

AS Contractors prepare to start work on the much-waited-for cycle path between Thame and Shabbington, fears by, among others, Thame Cllr David Dodds, have been allayed.
Cllr Dodds recently expressed fears that the route would run along the busy Thame to Oxford Road, at a meeting of the district council’s planning committee.
The Chair of TWAC(Thame Walking and Cycling group), Cathy Gaulter-Carter, has confirmed that the entire route is to be build on the verge that runs alongside the A418, and that where the highway verge is narrower i.e. towards the Shabbington Turn, the hedge will be removed and a new one planted a short distance away from the road. The crossing at Shabbington Turn will consist of a central refuge-type island, 2m wide.
Cathy told ThameNews: “It is fantastic news that this cycle path is to be built at last, providing a safer route to Oxford, and to Bicester avoiding the hill.”

REMINDER- from Tuesday 14 February customers using a Chip & PIN enabled card will need to remember their PIN if they are paying at a ticket office. Customers requiring further information should contact their card issuers.
Due to track improvement work this Sunday, Chiltern Railways is making some changes to its scheduled services. A small number of services and passengers will be affected. Before travelling passengers are advised to check for service alterations at their local staffed stations, by calling the Chiltern Railways enquiry line on 08456 005 165 (07:00hrs to 20:00hrs) or visiting www.chilternrailways.co.uk where full timetable information is provided.

SERVICE SUMMARY
Sunday 19 February
Kidderminster – Birmingham – Stratford-upon-Avon – Leamington Spa – Banbury – London
Aylesbury – High Wycombe ? London

Traffic will be restricted to single lane on the Thame Road and Chilton View at Little Milton, between January 12 and January 31, whilst cable installation takes place.

HADDENHAM Road, between Thame and Haddenham, is currently closed beyond the railway bridge, due to repairs to the bridge itself.
The works are being carried out by Birse Rail Ltd and are expected to continue until March 3, 2006. Diversions are in operation. (Go to the Aylesbury Road round-about instead of the Risborough round-about)

ELDERLY and disabled people will be able to travel free on local buses from next April.
The Government has asked all councils, including South Oxfordshire District Council, to allow people aged 60 years and over and disabled people to travel free on local buses. But SODC have gone further and, instead of just allowing free travel within the district area, those who qualify will be able to use their bus passes to travel free to Oxford, Reading, Abingdon, Aylesbury, High Wycombe and Princes Risborough. The passes will be able to be used from 9am instead of 9.30 am as previously and disabled people who need someone to help them use buses can ask for a pass for their travel companion.

However, the District Council will have to find some additional money to provide this new service and will be reviewing eligibility for its travel tokens by focusing on those most in need. (The Cabinet will be making a decision on travel tokens at its January meeting, using feedback from parish councils and the results of a public survey).

NB
Because of a lack of use by local people, the current contract and funding arrangements for the two, linked Dial-a-Ride and Lewknor Taxibus services, will come to an end on January 28.

BOTH the Buttermarket, and part of Rooks Lane, where it joins the Upper High Street, Thame, will be closed from January 26 for up to 18 months, whilst cabling for Thame’s CCTV system is installed.
The alternative route for traffic affected by the Rooks Lane closure is via Upper Hight Street, Nelson Street and Southern Road. No alternative route for Buttermarket traffic will be available.