Hospital Bus Shock (Oxfordshire Liberal Democrats)

Oxfordshire Liberal Democrats <info@oxfordshirelibdems.org.uk>

Hospital Bus Shock

June 19, 2007 5:34 PM

Local Liberal Democrat Councillor Jean Fooks was astonished today when the County Council refused even to investigate extending bus services from the John Radcliffe to the Churchill, Nuffield and Warneford Hospitals and Oxford Brookes University.

There used to be a bus from the JR to the Churchill, but it was stopped when the routes were last reviewed. Since then, the Radcliffe Infirmary has closed, and its facilities moved to the Churchill as well as to the JR. People in the north of Oxford, and anyone coming into Oxford from the north, have been having difficulties in getting to the hospitals and University, and the decision today offers them no relief.

Cllr Jean Fooks was asking for the County Council to discuss with the hospitals and Oxford Brookes University how an extension to the existing 14 and 700 routes could be funded. The 14 comes from the centre of Oxford through Summertown to the JR, and the 700 comes from Water Eaton Park and Ride - both would help local residents as well as the many people who need to travel to the Oxford hospitals from the rest of the county.

Jean said, "I am totally shocked at the apparent lack of knowledge shown by many councillors today. They do not seem to know that there is no alternative because people cannot easily park in the area. How are they supposed to get to the hospitals? I thought that the County Council policy was to support public transport - but here we appear to be told otherwise."

Cllr Altaf-Khan added, "This extended service could serve the elderly and vulnerable people of Headley House in Headley Way, who have recently lost their bus service."