Chiltern Railways replaces First Great Western
22 May 2011
The Bicester Town to Oxford train service currently operated by First Great
Western will transfer to Chiltern Railways from today. As a result both Bicester stations – Bicester Town and Bicester North – will come under Chiltern
Railways’ management.
As well as adding focus on the development of train services in north Oxfordshire, the transfer will enable First Great Western to use their train to provide additional capacity on other services in the Thames Valley.
The timetable from 22nd May will be similar to that currently operated by First Great Western with 11 trains each way Monday - Thursday, 12 on Friday, 13 on Saturday and 9 on Sunday. The timetable includes the additional services that are funded by Oxfordshire County Council.
Journey times will be unchanged, with connections available at Oxford, as now, to Didcot Parkway, Reading, London Paddington, and to Cross Country services. All services will be operated with Chiltern Railways’ Class 165 “Turbo” trains. These are similar to First Great Western’s trains, but have the added benefit of cool-air circulation.
The trains will be operated by Chiltern Railways’ staff, and Bicester Town and Islip stations will be managed by Sandra Harper, Head of Customer Experience. Chiltern Railways set great store on passengers’ views, and the Oxford-Bicester Rail Action Group has been invited to join with other rail user groups on the Chiltern Railways Passenger Board.
Tickets will be sold as usual at Oxford station and on-train for passengers starting at Bicester Town and Islip. Fares will be unchanged, and season ticket issued by First Great Western will continue to be valid. However as with all Chiltern trains, there will be no first class accommodation. Bicycles will be carried free of charge on all trains along this line.
Council wins top national rail award
27
September 2010
Oxfordshire County Council has scooped a top prize at the national Community Rail Awards held by the Association of Community Rail Partnerships. The authority and train operator First Great Western took the coveted top prize in the ‘Best Community Rail Event’ for the launch of the Bicester Link in May 2009.
The Bicester Link launch event marked the start of a joint-venture between the County Council and First Great Western to enhance the train service between Bicester, Islip and Oxford with additional daytime, evening and weekend services.
The event ran for three days and included unlimited train travel and on-train entertainment including a band and children's entertainment. This was backed up by marketing activity including radio and newspaper adverts, door-to-door leaflets and the unveiling of route-branding for the line.
Stiff competition
The annual awards celebrate outstanding achievements in promoting community rail development and the entry faced stiff competition from community groups and other partnerships across England and Wales, from East Sussex to Bedfordshire, Norfolk, Manchester and Cheshire.
Councillor Rodney Rose, Cabinet Member for Transport said: "Passenger growth on the Bicester Link trains is testament to the first class marketing campaign carried out by the County Council and First Great Western.
"In the year since its launch we have seen passenger numbers soar by up to 74 per cent and there is now a greater awareness of the railway with the popularity of the trains continuing to increase."
Fantastic achievement
He added: "For the launch event to be recognised as the best community rail event in the country is a fantastic achievement for the community and for everyone who played their part in making the three days so successful and enjoyable."
First Great Western’s Managing Director, Mark Hopwood, said: “I’m very proud of how closely our community rail partners, local authorities and everyone at First Great Western have worked together to help achieve so much across our local branch lines in the past year.”
Bicester Link shortlisted in 2010 Community Rail Awards
5 August 2010
Oxfordshire County Council, along with First Great Western, has been successful in getting their nomination for the ‘Launch of the Bicester Link’ shortlisted in the 2010 Community Rail Awards. The awards ceremony for this highly regarded national competition is being held on Friday 24th September 2010.
The short listed entry is in the Best Marketing Event category. Oxfordshire County Council is also shortlisted in another category for its work to produce bespoke mini-timetable leaflets for stations on the Oxford Canal Line.
Full details of all the short listed entries can be found on the Association of Community Rail Partnerships (ACoRP) website at www.acorp.uk.com. You can also vote for your favourite Community Rail photograph on the ACoRP website.
A brand new car park at Bicester Town
23 July 2010
Almost 1,500 passengers are now using Bicester Town Station every week, but a lack of space
meant that parking had always been limited to just 17 parking spaces along the
station approach road, and a further 50 in Pingle Drive. All that is about
to change.
As part of a scheme to extend its own car park which adjoins the station, Bicester
Village is making 220 FREE spaces available to rail passengers, on Mondays to
Fridays. Access to the new car park is from London Road and Station
Approach. Extensive CCTV coverage is provided and there will be regular
security patrols. The car park will open in time for the first train of
the day and will close shortly after the last train arrives from Oxford in the
evening.
First Great Western Station Manager, Geoff Capes said: “This is great news for
our customers at Bicester. Customer numbers on the line between Bicester
Town and Oxford have increased by 73% in the last year thanks to our partnership
with Oxfordshire County Council so this additional
parking will be very welcome. Free parking and great value low fares should mean many more
commuters abandoning the congested A34 and travelling by train.”
Miranda Markham, Group Community Relations Manager at Bicester Village, said: “We are delighted to
provide this new car park for rail users. Rail travel to Bicester Village
has been extremely popular, averaging growth of 65% every year. We hope that by
offering free parking both commuters and shoppers will take advantage of this
convenient and low cost travel option at Bicester Town Station”
Bicester rail improvements boost passenger numbers
24 June 2010
The number of people travelling by train between Bicester and Oxford has exceeded all expectations since an enhanced service was fully introduced last year, according to the latest figures from First Great Western.
Bicester Town station was the start or end of 105,329 journeys in 2009-10, up an impressive 73.7 per cent from the 60,638 journeys recorded in 2008-09.
Despite the recession, business is booming on the Bicester Link trains as more and more people realise they are a reliable and cheap way to get to work or go shopping.
The number of journeys has more than doubled in just two years and is now at the highest level since the railway was privatised in 1997, making Bicester Town Station the 10th busiest of the 22 railway stations in the county.
Last year also saw the highest number of journeys at Islip station for more than a decade. Custom was up by 40 per cent, to 23,885 journeys from 17,062 in the previous year.
Recent on-train passenger surveys show the popularity of the trains continues to increase - particularly for visitors to Bicester Village designer shopping outlet centre just a few minutes' walk from the station - but also throughout the day and into the evening.
Oxfordshire County Council's Cabinet Member for Transport Rodney Rose said: "This success owes a great deal to the research and careful planning that we carried out with First Great Western along with a first class marketing campaign last summer.
"There is still space for more passengers on the trains and with Bicester expanding, the railway is now ideally placed to carry more people when services and stations are improved further in the future. The Bicester Link is going from strength to strength."
Chairman of the Oxford-Bicester Rail Action Group, Dr Ian East added: “Just a few years ago the line was threatened with closure, but the improvements made to the stations by the county council and FGW, and the release of money from planning gain to finance extra trains, have resulted in a dramatic rise in usage. This shows how a commitment and investment by train operator and local authority can realise the value in a local rail corridor."
Mark Hopwood, Managing Director of First Great Western said: "Passenger growth on the Bicester to Oxford rail line is testament to the confidence our customers now have in the service and the close working relationship that has developed between First Great Western and Oxfordshire County Council.
"Our partnership approach has delivered enhancements to the route, including a joint marketing campaign to promote the line and the much needed introduction of additional daytime, evening and weekend services over the last eighteen months.
"There's even more investment this year as we are spending £8m on the refresh
of our Turbo train fleet, the first five of which are already in service, to
improve the overall journey experience for our customers. New Help Points are
also being installed at Islip and Bicester Town this year, again with support
from Oxfordshire County Council.”
First Great Western put on their Sunday Best
24 May 2009
Celebrations were held yesterday at Bicester Town train station to mark the launch of an improved train service between Bicester Town and Oxford, and the introduction of a new all year round Sunday service, the first in ten years.
Guests and passengers, including the Mayor and Mayoress of Bicester, Councillor
James Porter and Mrs Lesley Porter, enjoyed entertainment, refreshments and a
celebratory cake at the event, while showing their support of the service
enhancement, branded the Bicester Link.
Working with Oxfordshire County Council, First Great Western has increased the
level of train service which will make travelling easier and more convenient for
commuters and shoppers alike.
Prior to the launch, the service, which runs via Islip, only operated from
Monday to Saturday, with a Sunday service operated in the run up to Christmas
only.
With funding of £675,000 from Oxfordshire County Council over the next five
years, the first service improvements were made in the December 2008 timetable,
which included additional weekday evening services and doubling of service
levels on Saturdays. The next round of improvements now see three additional
round trips each weekday, as well as the new Sunday service, which will make
nine trips each way, enabling passengers to catch a train every 90 minutes.
Over the last couple of years, First Great Western has also introduced some
exceptional value fares on the same route, which have brought down the cost of
travelling by train.
Richard Rowland, First Great Western’s Route Director, London and Thames Valley,
said: “Over the past six months we have made numerous improvements to the route,
which demonstrates our commitment to providing quality customer service and
making public transport more convenient for our passengers.
“Working in partnership with Oxfordshire County Council, by improving the
quality and frequency of this service, we will aim to encourage people to leave
their cars at home, avoid the stress of the congestion on the roads by using
public transport, and play their part in sustaining the local environment.”
Speaking at the event, Huw Jones, Director for Environment & Economy at
Oxfordshire County Council, said: “Oxfordshire County Council was instrumental
in getting the line re-opened in the 1980’s and has been working with First
Great Western and the rail user group to improve the stations and attract more
people onto the trains in recent years.
Local residents and shoppers told us that extra trains during the daytime, in the evenings and at weekends would make them switch from using their cars, proving that better public transport is important to a sustainable lifestyle in Bicester and Oxford.
By launching the improved service with First Great Western
today we are giving everyone the incentive to jump on the train and enjoy a
reliable journey that is not only good for the environment but for their pocket
too.
"The county council has put its money where its mouth is in contributing to
these services and we are delighted to have done so. We've been working together
with our partners for quite some time to deliver this and we are now all looking
forward to the services actually beginning. This is excellent news for both
Bicester and Oxford.”
Miranda Markham, Group Community Relations Manager at local designer shopping
outlet, Bicester Village, said: “Bicester Village has been working together with
First Great Western and Oxfordshire County Council for the last three years to
support the rail improvements.
“There is a strong demand for this type of service. A better local service will
enable Bicester Village to strengthen its Oxford marketing links as well as
providing a good alternative for visitors to switch from car use to public
transport.”
Bicester Link launch event
23 May 2009
Ride the Bicester Link for free to celebrate the improved service!
The improved service on the Bicester Link will be officially launched at a special event to be held at Bicester Town station at 10:30 on Saturday 23 May 2009. Local dignitaries will be present for a short presentation and unveiling of the new Bicester Link logo, followed by complimentary refreshments and live music on the platform!
Passengers using the 0927 train from Oxford can celebrate early as complimentary refreshments, children's entertainer and a face painter will travel on this train to Bicester Town. A saxophone quartet will join them at Bicester and all of them will travel on a number of trains through the day between Bicester Town and Oxford, entertaining adults and children alike - full details of the exact trains will be available on this page soon. We'll also have some special Bicester Link souvenirs to give away on the day.
Throughout Saturday 23 May, Sunday 24 May and Monday 25 May, return travel on Bicester Link trains between, Oxford, Islip and Bicester Town will be completely free by downloading a voucher from First Great Western. Vouchers will be available online from Monday 18th May, and will also be printed in the Bicester Advertiser and Oxford Mail - simply print or cut out the voucher and take it with you to make your journey. If you've not used the Bicester Link for a while or maybe didn't realise how convenient it was, now is a great time to give it a try!
Carnet tickets now available
17 May 2009
Carnet tickets are the perfect way to save time and money if you travel often but not every day
Following passenger requests, First Great Western have now introduced carnet tickets available on the Bicester Link.
A carnet is 10 return tickets for the price of 9. Each ticket can be used to make a return journey on any day during a one month period. Carnets are available in both "Off-peak" and "Anytime" versions, and are available between selected stations including Bicester Town and Oxford, and Islip and Oxford. For more information see our Fares page.
More trains
17 May 2009
First Great Western and Oxfordshire County Council are pleased to announce the launch of the new Bicester Link
First Great Western and Oxfordshire County Council, working in partnership, are pleased to present a major improvement to the train service between Bicester Town, Islip and Oxford.
- More frequent trains Monday to Saturday
- New evening service
- New Sunday service
- Great low fares
From 17 May 2009, there will be more trains throughout the week between Bicester Town and Oxford, including evenings and Sundays. The improvements don't stop with the trains - we've also recently refreshed Bicester Town and Islip stations. Both stations have been painted, new lighting installed and car park improvements made.
There will now be 11 trains in each direction between Bicester Town and Oxford Monday to Thursday, 12 on Friday, 13 on Saturday and 9 on Sunday.