A DEDICATED bus service from West Oxfordshire to Oxford’s John Radcliffe Hospital finally drops passengers off at the entrance, but will continue to pick them up from half a mile away.

Passengers had previously been forced to walk to the hospital from the S7 service’s nearest stop in Headley Way, Headington.

Bus operator Stagecoach blamed congestion at the hospital site but a revised route, which came into force on Monday, has added up to just two minutes to the journey.

The move has been welcomed by elderly and disabled passengers but hospital staff from the district said they wanted to see the service run earlier so they can use it to commute.

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Passengers will also have to walk to the Headley Way stop to catch the bus home after appointments.

Diane Haley, 67, of Wadards Meadow in Witney, said: “It was a really appalling service because it was stopping half a mile away and people who really struggled weren’t able to get there anyway.

“I’m really pleased they’ve changed it but they should have just done this in the first place.”

Manor Road resident Daphne Denton said she continued getting the S1 into Oxford and then changing buses to take her directly to the hospital rather than using the S7.

The 70-year-old added: “The walk from the bottom of the hill was quite difficult, especially if you’re feeling unwell.”

Stagecoach began running the S7 service between Carterton and Headington in July.

It followed a campaign launched in May last year by councillors and residents, who said it took up to two-and-a-half hours to get from Witney to the JR.

The earliest bus from Witney leaves at 9.22am and the last return service from Oxford is at 3.05pm.

Burwell Drive resident Sue Parkinson, who works as a medical secretary at the hospital, is unable to use the S7 and instead drives there, leaving home at 6.30am to avoid A40 traffic.

The mum-of-one, 56, said: “When this new bus service was first advertised everyone at the hospital was so excited but we soon realised it wasn’t going to help any of the workers.”

West Oxfordshire District Council member for Witney North, Andrew Coles, campaigned for the new service but is worried in its current form it will prove unviable and be dropped.

He said: “It seems the bus company is only being half-hearted and I urge them to make the service work for the benefit of us all.”

Stagecoach spokeswoman Emma Wilberforce said: “Understandably we have had requests for the S7 service to go into the JR Hospital. It is still running on a trial basis and because of increased traffic on the A40 approaching Oxford at present it is struggling to keep to time.

“Due to late running there is not enough time for the bus to go into the hospital on the return journey to Witney and Carterton.

“However, we are keeping it under very close review and we will be putting the service into the hospital in both directions as soon as we possibly can.”


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