Greetings residents of Filkins and Broughton Poggs. I am writing to let you know that I have just spoken to Pulhams Coaches and can confirm that a new Carterton to Swindon service is due to commence in November. As of now there are little details to share, but I can confirm there will be a new service running. As it stands, information available is: "I am writing to let you know that on 27th November a new bus service 64 will be starting between Witney and Swindon via Carterton, Lechlade and Highworth. There will be four buses per day on Mondays to Saturdays (except Public Holidays) from Carterton to Swindon, including journeys arriving before 0900 and departing after 1700.
Further details will be made available once the timetable has been confirmed.
In addition, the Council recognises that bus journey times from Carterton to Oxford are longer than would be desirable and has secured funding for a trial of two fast journeys in each direction on Mondays to Fridays – two in the morning towards Oxford, and two in the evening from Oxford. We hope to start this in February 2024 but to inform the tender process we would be grateful if you could provide us with a view on what times you believe these services should arrive into / depart from Oxford – some examples might be to arrive in Oxford at 0745 and 0845, and leave at 1715 and 1815, or similar."
"I can confirm that from 27 November that Pulhams Coaches will be operating the 64 service having been preferred to Stagecoach in the tendering process. This will consist of 4 return journeys a day from Carterton, 3 of which will start/ finish in Witney. The service will also include a school movement from Burford.
With the Go Ahead takeover of Pulhams Coaches and Oxfordshire County Council restoring various rural bus services this created the momentum to restore the 64. I was invited to talk to Luke Marion from Go Ahead to give an overview of the Pulhams services in the area and no secret was made of the desire to expand in West Oxfordshire. The 64 has long been classed as a strategic link and it became a question of when and not if the service was restored.
The initial preference from the County Council was for the 64 to dovetail with the S2 Oxford to Cheltenham service which would have restored the 2 hourly frequency.
Gloucestershire County Council have their own plans for the S2 however so the 64 would again have to be a standalone service. The hope is that as this service grows that future improvements can be made.
It will be a more direct route than the old service. Filkins will be served but not Broadwell or Langford. I hope that the bus will stop at Kencot Crossroads, Broughton Poggs and Little Faringdon Turn however. Some consideration is being given as to how to provide some sort of service to the other villages so it is not all bad news for them.
The actual timetable has still to be published. The contract with Pulhams has been signed however so I would hope that soon details become known.
" Lee S. Bennett
A new news article has been published covering this service reinstatement.
https://www.witneygazette.co.uk/news/23908719.campaigners-see-swindon-carterton-bus-route-restored/?ref=rss&IYA-mail=5d996e11-a14a-4455-80d6-fda15c72cb94
Thanks to the hard work from the good people of carterton we have a bus again. Lucky we are on there direct route it still shows they are not thinking of villages still. But at the end of the day we have one back i just hope people in the village use it this time. I always saw an empty bus go by all the time.