COUNTY Hall has pledged to review bus services in Oxfordafter residents complained they were infrequent and unreliable.

Oxfordshire County Council said a review of city centre bus services had been underway since the autumn — including routes through Greater Leys.

It is now investigating the feasibility of providing a Bank Holiday and Sunday service in Greater Leys and introducing a Rose Hill to Cowley link.

Earlier this week, residents, mostly pensioners, asked why so many buses served Blackbird Leys but not Greater Leys.

They said they relied on the bus network for their independence and were fed up with services not turning up or driving past them at the stops.

They also called for a service on Bank Holidays and Sundays and a circular route around the city via places including hospitals and Littlemore.

Contracts for the council’s supported bus services in Oxford end in June.

They will be put out to tender over the coming months with a revised service specification.

County Hall spokesman Sam Warner said: “A significant number of comments and suggestions have been received on the services concerned.

“These will be considered when drawing up the new service specifications which will go out to operators next week.

“As a result of discussions, Stagecoach has offered to operate service No. 12 to Greater Leys as a commercial service — without council subsidy — from February 7.

“After this date the county council will only be responsible for funding some very early morning journeys – before 6.30am and the evening No. 12C buses between 8pm and midnight – daily.”

Cabinet members are due to decide what new contracts to award, if any, based on value for money and availability of funds, on Thursday, March 25.

Last night, Leys residents urged the county council to bear in mind their concerns and requirements.

Bus user Alan Witton, 66, of Blacksmith Meadow, said: “The Bank Holiday and Sunday service will be okay – when it happens.

“The current service doesn’t take people to all the places they want to go, like Tesco and Garsington Road.”

Stagecoach cited roadworks in High Street, due to end in May, as a cause of delays.

Mr Warner said a revised peak-hour bus timetable had been brought in on No. 12 from January 11 to address the problem and there had been a minor alteration to the off-peak route to avoid using High Street in both directions.

eallen@oxfordmail.co.uk