The reopening of Botley Road on Sunday 20 September will bring more than the return of normal traffic flows, with Go Thames Valley announcing a substantial overhaul of bus services across Oxford and the wider county.
The changes will see new cross-city routes introduced, existing services extended and frequencies increased on several key corridors. They follow the reopening of Botley Road and the award of new and existing contracts by Oxfordshire County Council.
Among the most significant changes will be a new service 4, which will replace some of the links currently provided by Stagecoach’s service 14 in East Oxford and combine with the existing Oxford Bus Company’s 4A.
The new 4 will run every 30 minutes, seven days a week, connecting Risinghurst, Headington, the John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford city centre and Elms Rise.
More buses from Seacourt Park & Ride
The Oxford Bus Company’s 400 service will also return to Seacourt Park & Ride, operating up to every 10 minutes.
The full route will have a new timetable, while services 4B and 600 will be retained. The 4B will be renumbered as service 200 and extended into Oxford following the reopening of Botley Road.
Several services will also return to the city centre. The 44 and 63/63S will once again call at Speedwell Street, the Westgate and Frideswide Square.
A new cross-city service 6 will combine the existing 6 and 35 routes, linking Abingdon, Radley, Kennington, Oxford city centre and Wolvercote.
The service will operate up to every 20 minutes from Monday to Saturday, with half-hourly services during evenings and on Sundays.
Improvements across Oxfordshire
The changes extend beyond the immediate Botley Road area.
With support from Oxfordshire County Council, Sunday services on the 5A will double in frequency, while the 11 will gain a new late-evening journey on Fridays and Saturdays between Oxford city centre and Watlington.
In Wood Farm, the 15 will operate a wider loop, adding stops along Masons Road and Titup Hall Drive to improve local connections.
The X15 will increase to every 30 minutes between Oxford, Abingdon, Marcham and Southmoor. Buses will continue hourly to Standlake, Ducklington and Witney, replacing the X1 between Oxford and Marcham.
Thames Travel’s X35 will also be extended beyond Grove to East Hanney and Abingdon, operating up to every 30 minutes on weekdays.
Meanwhile, new timetables will be introduced on the X2, X32 and X36 services serving Milton Park, with the aim of improving punctuality.
Further changes will affect services into West Berkshire. With support from West Berkshire Council, the X34 will operate as service 34 on Sundays, extending from Great Western Park to Newbury via Chilton and the Ilsleys up to every two hours.
Luke Marion, Managing Director of Go Thames Valley, said the operator was looking forward to being able to revamp services in the Botley Road area following the reopening.
He said the company had worked with Oxfordshire County Council following a successful tender process to expand the network and deliver improvements for Botley residents and the wider community.
Councillor Gareth Epps, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport, said the reopening would make bus travel “much more attractive” for more people.
He also thanked residents and businesses for their patience during the disruption and urged people to make use of the new and improved links.
The changes represent a significant reshaping of Oxford’s bus network as the city moves into the next phase following the long-running closure of Botley Road.
Passengers are advised to check the revised timetables before travelling, as routes, service numbers and frequencies will change from Sunday 20 September 2026.
Full details of the changes are available from Oxford Bus Company’s service changes page.
