Thames Travel has boosted its existing partnership with Harwell Campus by launching a new bus service linking it with Didcot Parkway rail station and Newbury.
The new route is a rare example of a ‘cross-border’ bus service connecting Oxfordshire with Berkshire.
It is funded by Oxfordshire County Council and West Berkshire District Council, via central government Bus Service Improvement Plan funding.
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Ultra-low emission Euro 6 buses will serve the new route and are branded in distinctive green Harwell Campus livery to celebrate the partnership with Thames Travel.
It was launched in Harwell's "Green Week" to celebrate the progress of the partnership in encouraging people to use active modes of travel to commute, improving traffic congestion, air quality and sustainability.
The new service will operate every hour on Mondays to Saturdays and forms part of a combined 15-minute frequency service between Didcot Railway station and the campus.
Single adult fares on the new service will be covered by the government’s current £2 fare cap on single adult journeys.
The new route launches on July 23, and follows a roadshow at Harwell Campus to celebrate the launch of the service which was attended by local MPs and county councillors alongside senior representatives from Harwell Campus, Oxfordshire County Council, West Berkshire District Council and Thames Travel.
The new service builds on the partnership between Harwell Campus and Thames Travel which began in 2015 with the launch of more frequent buses between Didcot railway station and the campus.
In 2019, the partnership was expanded with Thames Travel launching its Science Transit Shuttle ST1 Service, connecting key sites in Oxford to the Campus via a partnership between the bus operator, The University of Oxford and the Science & Technologies Facilities Council (STFC).
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Earlier this year, Harwell Campus introduced enhanced bus travel discounts for employees at the site to further encourage people to use active travel.
Luke Marion, Thames Travel managing director, said: “I’m proud Thames Travel has been selected to operate this important new cross-border route bringing significant economic and environmental benefits to the region."
Stuart Grant, chief executive of Harwell Campus, said: “Together with our partners the Science and Technology Facilities Council, we’re delighted to be able to support Thames Travel with the introduction of a new route from Newbury to Harwell Campus."
Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s cabinet member for highway management, said: “This new service is a direct result of Oxfordshire County Council being granted £12.7m of government funding for our Bus Service Improvement Plan, to support new rural routes and a host of other measures."
Roads minister Richard Holden said: “People up and down the country deserve a modern, reliable, and affordable public transport system. That is why we have provided Oxfordshire County Council with almost £13 million to boost its bus services.
Supporting Go-Ahead with providing the new Thames Travel bus link is great for local residents, who will now be able to get around more easily and make the most of the fantastic work and research opportunities Harwell Campus has to offer.”
The new buses have free on-board Wi-Fi, next stop announcements and USB charging points.
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Harwell Campus is the UK’s leading science and innovation hub, hosting 240 public and private sector organisations employing over 6,000 people.
Thames Travel is part of Go-Ahead’s Oxford Bus Group which also includes Oxford Bus Company.
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Andy is the Trade and Tourism reporter for the Oxford Mail and you can sign up to his newsletters for free here.
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