Efforts to find a solution to the removal of the 11 bus service have now been thrown into doubt after a community transport provider have announced they can't support taking on the service.
In March this year Stagecoach Oxfordshire announced it would be removing its No 11 bus service which currently runs from Witney to Oxford via North Leigh, Freeland, Church Hanborough and Eynsham. Stagecoach had planned to remove the bus from operation at the end of April but after negotiations and a financial contribution from Oxfordshire County Council it was decided to extend the service until May to allow more time to find a solution.
West Oxfordshire Community Transport (WOCT) had originally expressed an interest in taking on the service but have since decided they won't be stating low passenger numbers and a low concessionary bus pass reimbursement scheme means it won't be commercially viable for them to take on the route.
County Councillor Liam Walker, who has over the past been working with key stakeholders to find a solution, said "I really am disappointed that we haven't been able to find a way forward with ensuring a bus service will continue to operate along most parts of this route. It has become clear that the passenger numbers are too low and no transport provider thinks it's viable or cost effective to take on this service."
"I understand this will be a huge disappointment to the people who do use the 11 bus and so many who rely on this bus so often. I've received so many emails and had lots of conversations with residents who rely on this bus for so many different reasons."
"I'm really sorry we haven't been able to find a solution but we have done all we can to try and keep a bus service running."
The Stagecoach No 11 bus will now stop running on Friday 24th May. Freeland will continue to have a community bus running from Freeland to Witney on Thursdays.