Stagecoach Gold bus route S3

Last updated

S3
Stagecoach Oxfordshire 15831 on Route S3, Oxford Station (14950509944).jpg
Overview
Operator Stagecoach West
Garage Oxford
Night-timeNS3
Route
Start Chipping Norton or Charlbury
Via Woodstock
Blenheim Palace
Yarnton
End Oxford National Rail logo.svg
Service
FrequencyUp to every 30 minutes
OperatesDaily
Timetable S3 timetable

Stagecoach Gold bus route S3 is a bus route in England that links Chipping Norton, Charlbury, Woodstock, Yarnton and Oxford. The service is run by Stagecoach West.

Contents

History

Stagecoach Oxfordshire bus on route 20 at Oxford station in 2004 Stagecoach Oxforshire, Oxford (16362265566).jpg
Stagecoach Oxfordshire bus on route 20 at Oxford station in 2004
Stagecoach Oxfordshire Alexander Dennis Enviro400 bodied Scania N230UD in Oxford in August 2010 Scania N230UD with an Alexander Dennis Enviro400 body, at Balliol College, Oxford.jpg
Stagecoach Oxfordshire Alexander Dennis Enviro400 bodied Scania N230UD in Oxford in August 2010

Prior to being numbered S3, route S3 used to operate as routes 20/20A, with route 20 operating between Chipping Norton & Oxford and 20A between Charlbury & Oxford. The services were numbered S3 in 2009 when Stagecoach launched the 'S' Series routes across the county. [1]

Route S3 was upgraded to Stagecoach Gold status in September 2012. [2]

In 2017, route S3 was caught up in a bus route war in Woodstock following the extension of an Oxford Bus Company Park & Ride service and the creation of Stagecoach's route 7. [3] Subsequently, route S3's daytime frequency was reduced to two buses per-hour instead of three, and would work alongside route 7 to provide four services per-hour between Woodstock and Oxford. [4]

Route

Route S3 operates between Chipping Norton, Woodstock & Oxford and Charlbury, Woodstock & Oxford. The Chipping Norton branch of the route starts in the South of the town before making its way towards the town centre. From there, the service joins the A44 and leaves the town towards the East. The service continues down the A44 London Road passing through Enstone before arriving in Woodstock.

The Charlbury branch of the route starts on Church Street, Charlbury before heading South and leaving the village via the B4022 before turning off and joining Main Street towards Stonesfield. The route travels through the village on the main road before leaving South-East via Combe Road towards Combe. In Combe, the service runs along the outer road, then heading North to join the A44 and heading towards Woodstock.

From Woodstock, all services continue down the A44, passing Blenheim Palace and then turning in to Yarnton. The service, travels through Yarnton via the main road and then re-joins the A44 heading towards Oxford. At Wolvercote roundabout, the route joins Woodstock Road heading towards the city centre. From the city centre, the service heads to its terminus at Oxford station via George Street and Park End Street.

Some early morning and evening services serve both Chipping Norton and Charlbury. These services go via Chadlington and Spelsbury.

The total off-peak journey time between Chipping Norton and Oxford is approximately 67 minutes and approximately 64 minutes for journeys between Charlbury and Oxford. [5]

Route S3 - Chipping Norton branchRoute S3 - Charlbury branch
Chipping Norton, West StreetCharlbury, The Bell
Enstone, GreenFawler, Farm
Kiddington, Import CottageStonesfield, Village
Old Woodstock, Hill RiseCombe, Akeman Street
Woodstock, Marlborough ArmsOld Woodstock, Hill R
Woodstock, Blenheim Palace GatesWoodstock, Marlborough Arms
Begbroke, Royal SunWoodstock, Blenheim Palace Gates
Yarnton, The PaddocksBegbroke, Royal Sun
Oxford, Woodstock Road South ParadeYarnton, The Paddocks
Oxford, George StreetOxford, Woodstock Road South Parade
Oxford, Station National Rail logo.svg Oxford, George Street
Oxford, Station National Rail logo.svg

Service

Services run throughout the day Monday to Saturday with services up to every 30 minutes with one service per-hour terminating in Chipping Norton and the other terminating in Charlbury. There are late evening services that run between Chipping Norton and Oxford with one night service (NS3) Monday to Saturday at 00:35 to Chipping Norton. There is no late evening service on the Charlbury branch. The NS3 only runs in one direction from Oxford to Chipping Norton.

There is a Sunday service on the Chipping Norton branch of the route with the service running up to every 30 minutes between Woodstock and Oxford and every 60 minutes between Chipping Norton and Oxford. Late evening services run every 60 minutes Monday to Sunday with an earlier finish on Sunday evenings. [6]

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References

  1. Crowe, Malcolm (18 January 2009). "Issue 280 (OBP-493) Sunday 18th January 2009". The Oxford & Chilterns Bus Page. Retrieved 6 September 2017.
  2. Crowe, Malcolm (3 September 2012). "Spottings & Jottings Issue nr 61 - September 3rd 2012". The Oxford & Chilterns Bus Page. Retrieved 6 September 2017.
  3. Rust, Stuart (8 February 2017). "Rival bus companies will meet to discuss 'unsustainable' situation". Oxford Mail. Retrieved 6 September 2017.
  4. "We're changing our services for Woodstock, Chipping Norton and surrounding area". Stagecoach Bus. Stagecoach. Retrieved 6 September 2017.
  5. "S3 Bus Route & Timetable: Chipping Norton - Oxford". Stagecoach Bus. Stagecoach. Retrieved 6 September 2017.
  6. "S3 Timetable" (PDF). Stagecoach Bus. Stagecoach. Retrieved 6 September 2017.