Back Ground Information 

Thank you for the previous reply to my previous Question.

In your reply you summarise the options to travel between Cheltenham and Oxford as being to use the train via Swindon or the Stagecoach direct bus.

You neglect to mention the other option which I suspect is little - noticed - the Cheltenham - Moreton in the Marsh - Oxford bus - rail link, which is formed by Pullman's 801 bus and First Great Western Trains T6 train service making an interchange at Moreton station.

This is in fact more frequent than the Stagecoach direct bus running hourly through the day Seven days per week.

Because the 801 bus service has been hugely improved recently the connections are far better than they were previously.

The bus - railway link is summarised at the following link:-

https://free-3733520.webador.co.uk/bus-rail-link-cheltenham-to-moreton-in-marsh-and-oxford 

Questions:-

Could the Cheltenham - Moreton - Oxford bus - rail link be better promoted?

Could (as the technology becomes available) through fares be offered?

Could additional evening service(s) be provided between Chipping Norton / Moreton in the Marsh and Cheltenham, to allow a later last Oxford / Moreton in the Marsh to Andoversford and Cheltenham service than 15:45 PM from Oxford / 16:55 PM from Moreton in the Marsh station/ latest that is all the exists at present?

 

REPLY FROM COUNCILLOR ROGER WYBORN

 

Promotion can certainly be improved; we are addressing this via the working group
for Marketing and Information. This is attended by both GCC Officers and the major
operators. This specific example will be raised for consideration at the next
meeting.
Regarding through-tickets, it has not been possible to date to launch in the Moreton
area. The County Council does not control the fares for the bus or rail network so
cannot enforce this, although we will continue promoting this through the relevant
channels.
There is currently no funding av+ailable to consider any further expansion to bus
services. However, should this situation change then these helpful suggestions will
be considered.
I would further add that the quickest route to travel between Cheltenham and
Oxford by train is travel via Worcestershire Parkway.