Focus of work
Oxon4Buses (O4B), run by Low Carbon Oxford North, is an informal association of users of bus services in Oxfordshire. Its key aim is to increase bus usage throughout the county. Each member represents the views of a group in society, including pensioners, disabled people, rural parishes and Bus Users Oxford, who together are developing a series of policy objectives to enhance the experience of bus users in Oxfordshire.
FIT funded Oxon4Buses in 2025 to run a workshop exploring how present bus services can be improved.
Impact
The one-day workshop was held on 7 February, with 38 participants, including the heads of the two main bus companies in Oxfordshire and the County Council’s Cabinet member for transport.
Participants heard from three speakers and were able to make connections with others. The day produced evidence of the numerous ways in which Oxfordshire bus services could and should be improved, regardless of how they are managed in the future. Importantly, it was agreed that buses should be at the heart of transport planning – no longer in a silo. Rail connections, new housing and business developments, education institutions, and the needs of hospital patients and staff are all examples of interactions between bus services and the wider community that need to be incorporated into policy making.