A bus service created to help passengers cope with the closure of the Botley Road in Oxford is being cut back due to roadworks.

In April Network Rail closed the road at the rail bridge as part of a £161m upgrade of Oxford rail station and the closure is now expected to remain in place until October 2024.

The Botley Flyer bus route starts at West Oxford Community Centre, then goes to Botley, then around to Woodstock Road, stopping in Summertown, Jericho and then the Westgate Centre.

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Previously the Flyer was running once an hour between 10am and 2pm but this frequency has now been reduced, due to National Highways work at the Botley interchange, which is due to continue until March.

Oxford Mail: National Highways work at the Botley interchangeA Network Rail spokeswoman said: “Owing to National Highways work at Botley interchange, the timetable for the Botley Flyer has been revised.

"There will now be one journey into the city centre, starting at 10am, and one journey back at 12.45pm.

"This is a reduction from the previous service of one bus an hour between 10am and 2pm.

“We are keeping the service under review to ascertain how this can be improved in the future and welcome any feedback.”

As well as National Highways work at the Botley interchange, gas company SGN is carrying out work near the interchange on the southbound carriageway, starting from Friday night at 8pm. Diversions will be in place.

Julian Le Vay, a spokesman for West Oxford Access, which is campaigning on behalf of residents and businesses during the Botley Road closure, said the cost of the Network Rail project may have increased as it was now taking longer than first planned to complete it.

He added: "There could be pressure from the Department for Transport to cut back on costs, and cutting back on the Botley Flyer service could be part of that."

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About the author 

Andy is the Trade and Tourism reporter for the Oxford Mail and you can sign up to his newsletters for free here. 

He joined the team more than 20 years ago and he covers community news across Oxfordshire.

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