Free Park & Ride travel is being highlighted as part of a campaign to encourage more visitors into Oxford during English Tourism Week.
Oxford Bus Company is promoting the city’s attractions during the national tourism campaign, which runs from 13 to 22 March and celebrates an industry worth around £147 billion annually to the UK economy while supporting approximately 2.4 million jobs.
A report by Oxford Economics for VisitBritain earlier this year forecast that the total value of tourism activity in the UK could rise to £161 billion by 2030, creating an additional 175,000 jobs.
Oxford Bus Company said visitor footfall in the city has remained strong so far during 2026, helped by free Park & Ride travel that allows easier access to the city centre.
The free travel offer was introduced at the end of October as part of wider transport changes linked to Oxfordshire County Council’s temporary congestion charge, under which drivers pay £5 when travelling through six designated charge points in Oxford.
Read more: Free Oxford park and ride bus journeys extended until March 2026
Passenger numbers across the Go-Ahead Group’s Oxfordshire bus network — including Oxford Bus Company and Thames Travel — are around eight per cent higher year-on-year.
A third of that increase has come from Park & Ride services, with further growth recorded on routes serving Oxford from Abingdon, Didcot and Wallingford.
Luke Marion, managing director of Oxford Bus Company, said:
“The visitor economy is vital for the overall economic wellbeing of Oxford, and providing sustainable and accessible public transport is key to encouraging people to visit.
“Free travel via the Park & Ride network is making it easier for visitors to access and get around the city than before. By intercepting journeys at the Park & Ride sites, we are reducing traffic on the roads.”
During the Easter school holidays, City Sightseeing Oxford will run a bunny hop trail from 28 March to 12 April, with visitors able to collect stamps and claim an Easter-themed reward.
Oxford’s five Park & Ride sites are located at Redbridge, Seacourt, Thornhill, Pear Tree and Oxford Parkway, with parking costing £2.50 for up to 16 hours.
