An hourly seven-day bus service between Witney and Chipping Norton will be introduced as part of a wider package of timetable and operator changes across Oxfordshire.
At a glance
| Main change date | Sunday 30 August 2026 |
| Biggest improvement | The X9 between Witney, Charlbury and Chipping Norton will run hourly, seven days a week |
| Routes moving to Thames Travel | 19, 64, 67, 68 and X9, currently operated by Pulhams |
| Bicester operator change | Thames Travel will replace Red Rose Travel on services 24 and 25 |
| Stop no longer served | Service 68 will no longer use Sarajac Avenue in East Challow |
| Hospital route | The H2 between Carterton, Witney, the John Radcliffe Hospital and Thornhill will receive a revised timetable |
| Later Bicester changes | New 25 and 25A timetables begin on Monday 21 September |
| Check timetables | Thames Travel service changes and Pulhams service changes |
Passengers in West Oxfordshire, the Vale of White Horse and the Bicester area are being advised to check their journeys before a series of bus timetable changes takes effect at the end of August.
Go Thames Valley, the umbrella group that includes Thames Travel and Pulhams, says the changes are intended to improve punctuality and reliability while creating new journey opportunities on selected routes.
The most significant improvement is on the X9, which will provide a consistent hourly link between Witney and Chipping Norton through Finstock, Charlbury and Chadlington every day of the week.
Several services will also transfer from Pulhams to Thames Travel, while Thames Travel will take over two council-supported Bicester routes currently operated by Red Rose Travel.
X9 to run hourly seven days a week
The X9 links Witney with Chipping Norton, serving communities including Hailey, Finstock, Charlbury, Spelsbury and Chadlington.
From 30 August, buses will operate hourly in each direction from Monday to Saturday, with an hourly timetable also introduced on Sundays and public holidays.
The published Sunday and public holiday timetable shows buses leaving Witney Sainsbury’s at 8.15am and then hourly until 4.15pm. Journeys from Chipping Norton West Street begin at 9.20am and continue hourly until 5.20pm.
Earlier and later journeys will operate during the working week, although passengers should check the full timetable for the exact day they intend to travel.
The route will continue to call at Finstock railway station and Charlbury Crossroads, providing connections for residents travelling between the two market towns and the villages along the corridor.
The improvement is being delivered in partnership with Oxfordshire County Council. Thames Travel will take over operation of the route from Pulhams.
Luke Marion, Managing Director of Go Thames Valley, said: “We’ve worked closely with Oxfordshire County Council to improve the X9 service, which will now run hourly, seven days a week, and these changes can only be made thanks to an existing strong partnership.”
Route-by-route guide to the changes
| Service | Route | What is changing? |
|---|---|---|
| H2 | Carterton and Witney to the John Radcliffe Hospital and Thornhill Park & Ride | A revised timetable intended to improve reliability and punctuality. |
| 19 | Witney, Ducklington, Standlake, Aston, Bampton and Carterton | Transfers from Pulhams to Thames Travel with a revised timetable. |
| 64 | Witney, Carterton, Lechlade, Highworth and Swindon | Transfers from Pulhams to Thames Travel with revised journey times. |
| 67 | Wantage, Stanford-in-the-Vale and Faringdon | Transfers from Pulhams to Thames Travel with a revised timetable. |
| 68 | Wantage, Letcombe Regis, Childrey, Uffington and Faringdon | Transfers to Thames Travel and will no longer serve Sarajac Avenue in East Challow. |
| X9 | Witney, Finstock, Charlbury, Chadlington and Chipping Norton | Transfers to Thames Travel and becomes hourly seven days a week. |
| BB1 and BB1A | Florence Park and Rose Hill through Abingdon to Didcot schools | Minor timetable adjustments intended to improve punctuality. |
| 24 | Bicester, Weston-on-the-Green, Kirtlington, Bletchingdon and Oxford | Transfers from Red Rose Travel to Thames Travel, with selected peak journeys extended through Middleton Stoney and Heyford Park. |
| 25 | Bicester, Middleton Stoney, Heyford Park and Upper Heyford | Transfers from Red Rose Travel to Thames Travel. The current timetable continues until 19 September. |
| 25 and 25A | Bicester and the Heyford area | Enhanced timetables with more frequent buses begin on 21 September. Full details are due closer to launch. |
| 802 | Bourton-on-the-Water and the Rissingtons | The afternoon school journey will start at The Cotswold Academy at 3.51pm instead of Pulhams’ depot at 4.02pm. |
| 855 | Bourton-on-the-Water, Northleach, Bibury and Cirencester | A revised timetable will provide faster journeys between Bourton-on-the-Water and Cirencester. |
Five routes move from Pulhams to Thames Travel
Services 19, 64, 67, 68 and X9 will all transfer from Pulhams to Thames Travel as part of the changes.
Both companies sit within Go Thames Valley, but passengers will begin seeing Thames Travel vehicles, timetable information and service updates on the affected routes.
The transfer does not mean the routes are being withdrawn. Each will continue with a revised timetable, although departure times may differ from the current Pulhams schedule.
The published new timetable for the 19 provides journeys between Witney and Carterton throughout the day from Monday to Saturday. It does not include a Sunday or public holiday service.
The revised 64 between Witney and Swindon also operates from Monday to Saturday, with no Sunday or public holiday journeys shown in the published timetable.
Passengers who use regular season tickets or route-specific products should check with Thames Travel before 30 August if they are uncertain whether any action is required. The announcement does not set out separate fare changes as part of the timetable review.
Service 68 will stop using Sarajac Avenue
The clearest stop-level change affects service 68 in East Challow.
Buses will no longer serve Sarajac Avenue. Instead, all journeys will operate along Ickleton Road between Wantage and Letcombe Regis.
Go Thames Valley says the revised route will be simpler and will allow higher-capacity vehicles to be used.
Passengers who currently board on Sarajac Avenue should check the new route and nearest available stops before the change begins, as they may need to allow additional walking time.
H2 timetable revised for hospital journeys
The H2 connects Carterton and Witney with Eynsham, north Oxford, Summertown, Oxford Brookes University, the John Radcliffe Hospital and Thornhill Park & Ride.
It is used by hospital workers, patients, university staff and other passengers travelling across Oxford rather than into the city centre.
A revised timetable will be introduced to improve reliability and punctuality. The operator has not described the change as a frequency increase, so passengers should check their usual departure rather than assuming it remains at the same time.
The latest H2 information can be found through the Thames Travel H2 page.
New direct Oxford journeys from Heyford Park
Thames Travel will replace Red Rose Travel on service 24 between Bicester and Oxford, with support from Oxfordshire County Council.
The revised timetable will include selected morning and afternoon peak journeys serving Middleton Stoney and Heyford Park.
This will create new direct links to Oxford for passengers in those communities, removing the need to change buses in Bicester on the journeys concerned.
The service will continue through Weston-on-the-Green, Kirtlington and Bletchingdon before reaching Oxford.
The takeover forms part of the network change beginning on Sunday 30 August. For regular Monday-to-Saturday passengers, the first normal weekday journeys after the August bank holiday will operate on Tuesday 1 September.
Service 25 changes in two stages
Thames Travel will also take over service 25 between Bicester, Middleton Stoney, Heyford Park and Upper Heyford.
The existing hourly Monday-to-Saturday timetable will continue up to and including Saturday 19 September.
From Monday 21 September, revised 25 and 25A timetables will introduce more frequent buses and new direct journey opportunities.
Full route and timetable details have not yet been announced, so passengers planning journeys after 21 September will need to check again closer to the date.
The existing Sunday service will continue to be operated by Stagecoach.
School and Cotswolds services also affected
Minor timing changes are being made to the BB1 and BB1A services used by pupils travelling from Florence Park, Rose Hill and Abingdon to St Birinus School and Didcot Girls’ School.
The operator says the adjustments are intended to improve punctuality. The afternoon timetable may still change on days when Didcot schools finish early.
On Pulhams service 802, the afternoon journey currently starting from the company’s depot at 4.02pm will instead begin at The Cotswold Academy at 3.51pm.
The change is intended to improve connections for students travelling to Great Rissington, Upper Rissington and Little Rissington.
Service 855 will retain its route between Bourton-on-the-Water, Northleach, Bibury and Cirencester, but revised timings are intended to shorten the end-to-end journey.
Why the changes are being made
Go Thames Valley says the changes follow passenger feedback and a review of reliability across the network.
Luke Marion said: “As a trusted operator, it’s important to listen to passenger feedback and implement tweaks to the timetable to enhance our offering.”
Several of the affected routes serve rural communities where buses are important for reaching employment, schools, medical appointments and larger towns.
The X9 improvement is particularly significant because it creates a simple, regular timetable on Sundays as well as weekdays and Saturdays.
Other changes are more focused on adjusting journey times to reflect traffic conditions and reduce delays rather than adding buses.
What passengers should do before 30 August
Passenger checklist
| Check your usual departure | Even where the route is unchanged, individual journey times may move. |
| Service 68 users | Check the nearest alternative stop if you currently board on Sarajac Avenue. |
| Bicester passengers | Look for Thames Travel information on services 24 and 25 from the end of the bank holiday weekend. |
| Service 25 users | Check again before 21 September, when the new 25 and 25A timetables begin. |
| School passengers | Confirm the first-day and afternoon times before the new term. |
| Update saved journeys | Refresh app favourites and journey-planner searches after the operator changes. |
| Allow extra time | Give yourself a little more time during the first week while drivers and passengers adjust. |
Some revised timetables were still being added when the service changes were announced. Passengers should use the live operator pages rather than relying on an older printed timetable.
Thames Travel information is available at oxfordbus.co.uk/service-changes-30th-august-2026.
Pulhams information for the 802 and 855 is available at pulhams.co.uk/service-changes-from-30th-august-2026.
FAQs
When do the Oxfordshire bus timetable changes start?
Most changes take effect from Sunday 30 August 2026. For routes that do not operate on Sundays or public holidays, passengers may first encounter the new timetable on Tuesday 1 September.
What is changing on the X9?
The X9 between Witney, Charlbury and Chipping Norton will run hourly, seven days a week. Thames Travel will take over the route from Pulhams.
Will the X9 run on Sundays?
Yes. The new timetable includes hourly Sunday and public holiday journeys.
Which routes are transferring from Pulhams to Thames Travel?
Services 19, 64, 67, 68 and X9 will move to Thames Travel operation.
Is service 68 still serving Sarajac Avenue?
No. From 30 August, buses will use Ickleton Road between Wantage and Letcombe Regis and will no longer serve Sarajac Avenue in East Challow.
What is changing on the H2?
The H2 between Carterton, Witney, the John Radcliffe Hospital and Thornhill Park & Ride will receive a revised timetable intended to improve reliability and punctuality.
Who will operate services 24 and 25 in Bicester?
Thames Travel will take over from Red Rose Travel, with support from Oxfordshire County Council.
Will service 24 still run to Oxford?
Yes. It will continue between Bicester and Oxford through Weston-on-the-Green, Kirtlington and Bletchingdon. Selected peak journeys will also serve Middleton Stoney and Heyford Park.
When do the new 25 and 25A services begin?
The existing service 25 timetable continues until Saturday 19 September. The enhanced 25 and 25A timetables begin on Monday 21 September.
Who will run service 25 on Sundays?
The current Sunday service will continue to be operated by Stagecoach.
Where can passengers see the new timetables?
Updated information is available through the Thames Travel service changes page and the Pulhams service changes page.
