Updates on Bus services in Chipping Norton Area

[Southcombe]

As is probably well known by now, the X8 Bus Service linking Chipping Norton, Churchill and Kingham village was withdrawn by Pulhams Coached on 21 July 2017, leaving only an infrequent service operated by Villager Buses, which basically conveys passengers to and from Chippng Norton from the above and other villages. The X9 bus service which runs between Chipping Norton and Witney can be used to catch trains at Charlbury Station, although the nearest bus stops are maybe half a mile from that station, which lost it's direct bus links (C1 & T1) in 2016. The X9, however, is now the only bus from Chipping Norton which regularly serves a nearby place which has a train station.

 

[Southcombe]

As a follow-up to my post, does anyone know when the X8 started? It was originally operated by Stagecoach maybe 20 years ago, and at times served other nearby villages icluding Bledington, The Wychwoods, and Cornwell. Since then it has been operated by RH transport, who had two Optare Buses painted on the old GWR colours (Chocolate & Cream) which promoted the service, and, more recently, by Pulhams of Bourton on the Water. Local Councillor Hillary Hibbert-Biles is said to be looking into the possibility of reintroducing a bus service between Chipping Norton & Kingham Rail Station. Hopefully she will be succesful, since the X8 was used by some people in order to catch commuter trains, although I beleive the number so doing had declined in recent years.