Oxfordshire County Council has announced that free park and ride bus travel in Oxford, Oxfordshire, will be extended until 31 May 2026. The scheme was originally meant to finish at the end of March but will now continue for an extra two months to help residents and visitors while major roadworks take place.
Drivers using the Pear Tree, Oxford Parkway, Thornhill, Redbridge, or Seacourt sites can park for £2.50 for up to 16 hours. This fee includes free return bus travel for up to two adults and three children into the city centre. According to the Council, the offer is valid on any Oxford Bus Company, Stagecoach, or Thames Travel bus that stops at these locations.
The free travel is paid for by money raised from a temporary £5 congestion charge that started on 29 October 2025. This charge was put in place to manage traffic because Botley Road is currently closed for a £161 million railway station upgrade. Network Rail does not expect the road to reopen until August 2026.
Bus use in the city has grown by about 8 per cent since the congestion charge was introduced in 2025. At the Redbridge site alone, the number of cars parked in January 2026 was 33 per cent higher than the same time the previous year. Once Botley Road reopens, the council plans to replace the temporary charge with a permanent system that uses cameras to monitor traffic.
