More rail passengers on a major Oxfordshire commuter line are leaving the car at home and going to the station by bus.

Continued growth is being reported in the bus link services on the Cotswold Line at Charlbury and Kingham.

A further move to wean travellers from their cars is the opening of cycle tracks to selected stations.

The bus service connecting Chipping Norton and villages to and from Kingham station has carried its 7,000th passenger.

It was set up at the end of June 1999 with county council subsidy.

A similar subsidy is being invested in the Charlbury rail-link service which started in March 2001.

More than 40 people a day took the bus during October, the highest figure so far.

Seven Oxfordshire stations are scheduled to have cycle tracks.

The track to Hanborough has now been completed, and Charlbury is due to have one next year.