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Witney, Carterton and Chipping Norton GROUP Thursday, January 25 - Wednesday, January 31, 2018
oxfordshireguardian.co.uk
Help needed to fund new play areas in Witney
Helping families be together at toughest times
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People power drives growth of a community bus service By Eva Astreinidou A VALUED community bus service that runs on ‘people power’ is set to launch a new route. The West Oxfordshire Community Transport scheme started out with just one bus and one driver only a year ago. But due to its success a fourth bus will launch, the 210 service, on February 20. The new route will travel between Witney and Chipping Norton, restoring a much missed link connecting the Wychwoods. Stagecoach previously operated bus services in the area until Oxfordshire County Council stopped subsiding them and the service is now run by a team of volunteers. County councillor Laura Price said: “We’re all thrilled – just over a year ago Witney residents were facing losing a much-valued service. “We know that other parts of the county are struggling with disappearing bus routes and we want to do everything we can to highlight how important it is to sustain public transport that works for people, not profit.” Currently the service is used by more than 750 people every week. Since the scheme began, West Oxfordshire District Council has actively engaged with the community transport association to tell government about the unique role non-profit
bus services play in people’s lives. Cllr Price added: “Think how much chatting, shopping and socialising would be missed out on if those journeys weren’t being made. “No one should be left cut off and isolated in our communities – I love the idea that our services are ‘powered by people’.” In November last year, there were fears the scheme would be stalled after the Department for Transport announced it would change the way permits for community transport schemes would be issued, changing to a more costly alternative. Margaret Burden, chair of the scheme, said the group was able to keep going after the Traffic Commissioner deemed the scheme could still operate as a not-for-profit charitable society. She added: “Our current services – 213/214/215 Witney Town Service – have weekly passenger numbers of well over 750 and rising. “Since we started operating the service on January 30 2017 our buses have provided 31,463 passenger journeys. We are really proud of that achievement.” It was initially funded by the county council and grants from WODC and Witney Town Council as well as private donations and on going costs are covered largely by fares and an annual grant from the town council.
Safer cyclists
Thomas Wilby of St Peters School, Cassington with, from left, Dion Hickin, president of Witney Rotary, Carole MacRae and Cllr Norman MacRae
EIGHT lucky primary school pupils are the proud owners of new bikes after winning a competition. They were selected from scores of entries from youngsters at 23 primary schools across west Oxfordshire who designed posters highlighting road safety for cyclists. Cllr Norman MacRae, chairman of the district council, organised the competition. He said: “The standard of entries was really high and it is encouraging to see so many young people becoming aware of the importance of road safety. “It was also a fantastic surprise for the winners and I loved seeing how delighted they were to be given a new bike.” As well as receiving a new bike, each of the eight children also had a helmet and bike lights. Pictured is one of the winners, Thomas Wilby of St Peter’s School in Cassington. The other winners are Bethany Sparrowhawk (Aston & Cote School), Jacob Peate (Gateway, Carterton), Evie Maunder (Holy Trinity, Chipping Norton), Ella Merry (Leafield), George Belcher (Middle Barton), Millie Walker (North Leigh) and Eloise Harkness (Wychwood).
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