Bus users in Didcot and surrounding villages are set to benefit from a significant upgrade to the X32 service, with weekday buses now running every 20 minutes between Didcot, Oxford city centre and the John Radcliffe Hospital.
The improved timetable, launched this week by Thames Travel in partnership with Milton Park and Oxfordshire County Council, marks a major step forward in sustainable travel for one of southern Oxfordshire’s fastest-growing employment and residential hubs.
What’s changing
Until now, the X32 ran half-hourly during the day. Under the new timetable, passengers will have a turn-up-and-go service every 20 minutes between 7.40am and 6pm on weekdays, providing additional capacity for commuters, NHS staff and patients, and Milton Park employees.
The upgrade expands Milton Park’s branded bus fleet to 16 vehicles, responding to rising demand at peak times and supporting the site’s sustainability goals.
Partnership funding
The improvements are funded jointly by Milton Park and Oxfordshire County Council. The scheme builds on a partnership first established in 2021, which has already seen:
- 18% increase in bus use among Milton Park employees.
- Introduction of a £20 annual staff bus pass, offering unlimited travel on Thames Travel services within the Didcot Zone (including Didcot Parkway, Orchard Centre, Drayton, Steventon, Sutton Courtenay and Milton).
By keeping fares low and investing in service frequency, the partners aim to reduce car journeys, cut congestion, and improve local air quality.
Voices from the partners
Luke Marion, Managing Director of Thames Travel, said the X32 had become “a real success story”:
“The enhanced frequency connecting Didcot and Milton Park to Oxford city centre and the John Radcliffe will be of enormous benefit to key workers, businesses and staff, plus visitors and the wider public. Prioritising sustainable transport is the key to tackling congestion and improving air quality locally.”
Cllr Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport Management, said:
“These changes will make it even more attractive for people to swap their cars for the bus, whether travelling for work, pleasure, or to visit the hospital.”
Veronica Reynolds, Sustainability and Community Manager at Milton Park, added:
“Having a bus linking Milton Park with Oxford three times an hour will be a huge benefit. For travel between the Park and Oxford, the bus is now proving to be the quickest, cheapest and easiest option.”
Why it matters
The upgrade is expected to ease journeys for:
- NHS staff and patients travelling from Didcot to the John Radcliffe.
- Milton Park’s 250 companies and 9,000 workers, many of whom commute from Oxford.
- Residents in South Oxfordshire villages, who gain more frequent connections into Oxford.
With Didcot earmarked for thousands of new homes under the county’s housing plans, sustainable transport links like the X32 are seen as critical in reducing traffic pressure on the A34 and Oxford’s arterial routes.
At a glance: X32 improvements
- Route: Didcot – Milton Park – Oxford city centre – John Radcliffe Hospital
- Frequency: Every 20 minutes (7.40am–6pm weekdays)
- Previous: Half-hourly service
- Fleet: 16 branded Milton Park buses
- Funding: Milton Park and Oxfordshire County Council
- Impact: More capacity for commuters, NHS staff, and local communities
Full timetable: oxfordbus.co.uk/services/THTR/X32
