THE developments for Oxford’s bus system announced today will certainly revolutionise the city’s public transport for the better.

The elements have all been touted or promised in the past but it is good to see it all in first gear and about to move off.

Cleaner buses to try to clear the air is good. Fewer buses is also an excellent idea.

But the real improvements which all passengers will welcome is finally a joint ticketing and timetabling scheme between the two main firms, Oxford Bus Company and Stagecoach.

However, there must be frustration that it has taken this long to get these two key components in place.

To grow public transport you must make it as easy as possible to use, otherwise you will never shift enough people out of their cars.

Of course competition is good, but to have passengers enduring a long wait only to see two rival buses arrive at once is barmy – as is having to watch one bus go past because you have the ‘wrong’ ticket.

Full speed ahead please.

They deserve it

  • OUR service personnel are rightly hailed for what they do for our country, yet fade anonymously into the background when they enter ‘civvy street’.

    The forces are a great educational opportunity for many young men and women yet, as with leaving any regulated environment, former mililtary personnel can struggle to adjust to life in the ‘outside’ world.

    That’s why we’re backing Civvylisation, an event next Wednesday which aims to help ex-military personnel explore what job and business opportunities there are.

    We rely on them in service, so it’s right to help when they leave.