Commuter race to Oxford city centre

10:09am Wednesday 3rd October 2012 in News Photograph of the Author By Rhianne Pope

AROUND 40 competitors raced to Oxford city centre in a commuter challenge this morning.

The cyclists, drivers, rollerbladers and others raced from Eynsham market place to Queen Street.

The event was organised by Bikesafe West Oxfordshire, which is campaigning for a community path along the B4044 Eynsham Road.

Co-organiser Ian Leggett said: “It has been fantastic, we’ve had about 40 people this morning on different modes of transport.

“Congestion is so bad, that we thought anything but a 4x4 would beat the bus into town.”

The winner was Steve Unwin from Islip on an electric bike, in a time of 16 minutes.

In all, 22 bicycles, two motorbikes and two rollerbladers made it into the city centre before the first car arrived.

All the competitors were handed medals from Oxford West and Abingdon MP Nicola Blackwood.

She said: “You can’t help but be impressed by what this group are trying to achieve and the way they are going about it.”

Delays were reported on buses in the area as the contest took place.

Organisers of the event said it had been a time trial, rather than a race. All competitors went at the speed limits and obeyed by the Highway Code, they said.

Comments(25)

WitneyGreen says...
10:20am Wed 3 Oct 12

Dear Ian Leggett, members of Bikesafe and residents of Eynsham, while I appreciate your strong desire to have a safer cyclepath along the B4044 from Eynsham to Dean Court, this morning's publicity stunt was poorly timed and selfishly organised, with no prior warning given to travellers about the possibility of severe delays. The congenstion the 'race' caused in Eynsham village centre, with the Toll Bridge queue backing up along Acre End Street, doubled the bus journey time for people like me commuting by bus to work or college from Witney or Carterton. Buses at that time are packed - it's certainly sustainable travel - and it is highly unfair of you to hold an event for your own gain at the expense of hundreds and hundreds of bus commuters. And shame on Nicola Blackwood for jumping on the publicity bandwagon as well.

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REJG says...
12:20pm Wed 3 Oct 12

Personally my insurance does not cover me for 'Racing' or such events ....I do hope that the credentials were checked and approved by the organisers of this "Commuter race" to Oxford city !

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Richard (Eynsham) says...
1:16pm Wed 3 Oct 12

Excellent initiative and lets hope the County Council take note of the strength of feeling for building this Community Path - well done to all the folk who bothered to turn out in the pouring rain this morning to lend their support. Its a 'win win' for the whole community. OK, if you don't support cyclists & walkers fine - you'll get them off this narrow road so that your bus/car journey is far less stressful. I just wish some people who comment might think of the ultimate significant long term benefits against being 10 minutes late on the bus today...

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WitneyGreen says...
1:42pm Wed 3 Oct 12

Richard (Eynsham) wrote:
Excellent initiative and lets hope the County Council take note of the strength of feeling for building this Community Path - well done to all the folk who bothered to turn out in the pouring rain this morning to lend their support. Its a 'win win' for the whole community. OK, if you don't support cyclists & walkers fine - you'll get them off this narrow road so that your bus/car journey is far less stressful. I just wish some people who comment might think of the ultimate significant long term benefits against being 10 minutes late on the bus today...
Thirty five minutes late, actually Richard. Thirty five minutes I will have to make up out of my lunchbreak or lose pay. Thirty five minutes that, had I known about the event beforehand, I could have planned for in advance by catching an earlier bus.

Actually I DO support walkers and cyclists wholeheartedly - when I'm not commuting to work on a bus I AM a cyclist or a walker - but the whole publicity stunt today was poorly planned, poorly advertised and selfishly run. The attitude of your response shows just how narrow-minded you are that you seem to think that bus users are inferior to those using pedal power to get to work. Well, we're not, and we deserve to have our say: next time you pull a stunt like this, have the decency to let people know.

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BMW Z4 says...
1:54pm Wed 3 Oct 12

Dear Witney Green, You must be in a different world to reality. Please read your NEW bus timetable. We took very great care not to delay traffic, especially bus passengers. The 07:49 bus arrived in Oxford on time (Bikesafe reps were on it) as did the 08:23, because I was “sweep” for the event and the bus driver very competently overtook me just before Farmoor and I leapfrogged it again at 08:50 on the Botley Rd. Perhaps you did not realise it was raining today in Cameron Country and there were therefore more cars on the road? Nicola Blackwood does a very good job representing & supporting her constituents. It is YOUR county Council who are depriving you in transport choices (they have a dedicated bus team). But the fact is it takes twice as long to bus from Eynsham to Oxford as it does to cycle. Indeed an electric mobility scooter would be faster! Simon – one of the BIKE SAFE support team.

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Cillawaugh says...
2:22pm Wed 3 Oct 12

The S1 bus that I caught from Eynsham this morning took 52 minutes to make the journey in to central Oxford, arriving just one minute later than its scheduled time. So I'm really sorry that WitneyGreen feels it was the Bikesafe event (NOT a race, by the way, but a time trial!) that made him / her late for work. I suspect that it was the rain and the long queue of private motor cars waiting at the toll bridge that did that.

So just imagine how it would be if all of those motorists could walk, jog or cycle the short distance between Eynsham and central Oxford! Not only faster journeys, but a fitter, healthier and happier workforce! And imagine how much cleaner the air would be, how much cash would be saved on fuel and how much more enjoyable it would be travelling in to Oxford through that fabulous countryside by bike, mobility scooter or baby buggy!

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jonny1976 says...
3:13pm Wed 3 Oct 12

Sounds like Witneygreen got up late and is using this as an excuse.

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MadMan-JaYmZ says...
3:14pm Wed 3 Oct 12

WitneyGreen, Please tell me exactly how this event delayed your bus ?

Did the cyclists get infront of the bus and slow it down ? i don't understand how it affected your journey, oh and if you actually did your work today instead of commenting on here, maybe you wouldn't need to make up this 35 minutes !

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Bartsimpson_uk says...
4:08pm Wed 3 Oct 12

What is the point of this??? Try this again at 11.00am or 2.00am and you will get different results! Try it at the same time in the middle of winter when it is pouring with rain or snowing and see, not only who gets to work first but who is 'ready' to start work first, not the wet soppy cyclist thats for sure.

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REJG says...
4:29pm Wed 3 Oct 12

most motor insurance policies do not cover 'Time Trials' or 'Racing' ..but of course , this wasn't a race or time trial as we wouldn't condone racing on the public roads !

Now what was that headline title ......
"Commuter race to Oxford city centre"

The prosecution rests it's case M'lord

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Floflo says...
4:29pm Wed 3 Oct 12

Bartsimpson_uk wrote:
What is the point of this??? Try this again at 11.00am or 2.00am and you will get different results! Try it at the same time in the middle of winter when it is pouring with rain or snowing and see, not only who gets to work first but who is 'ready' to start work first, not the wet soppy cyclist thats for sure.
You are right Bart. The daily commute is not only about how long it takes.

Personally I find it very rewarding to put a bit of effort into getting about. It's more than rewarded by increased fitness, smugness and an awful lot of money saved.

After the fresh air I get from my commute I'm also energised and ready to do productive work when I sit at my desk.

I understand it's not for everyone though. I hope you enjoy your daily passive trip to the office.

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Davegarden says...
4:32pm Wed 3 Oct 12

Bartsimpson_uk wrote:
What is the point of this??? Try this again at 11.00am or 2.00am and you will get different results! Try it at the same time in the middle of winter when it is pouring with rain or snowing and see, not only who gets to work first but who is 'ready' to start work first, not the wet soppy cyclist thats for sure.
The point of this was to raise awareness for a community path along the B4044 Eynsham Road. PS as it took me 23 Minutes to cycle into the center this morning, that would have given me 30 minutes to have a shower and a cup of coffee before my fellow bus rider turned up, I cycle into Oxford 4 days a week and take the Bus 1 day a week. It's defiantly quicker to cycle no matter the weather.

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Cillawaugh says...
4:52pm Wed 3 Oct 12

REJG says...
most motor insurance policies do not cover 'Time Trials' or 'Racing' ..but of course , this wasn't a race or time trial as we wouldn't condone racing on the public roads !

Now what was that headline title ......
"Commuter race to Oxford city centre"

The prosecution rests it's case M'lord

Hmm, well, if the prosecution bases its case on a newspaper headline, then the prosecution is a ****.

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Cillawaugh says...
5:02pm Wed 3 Oct 12

No no no! "A ****" isn't an expletive! It's a quote from Oliver Twist!

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Batty1 says...
5:02pm Wed 3 Oct 12

I normally commute to work (5 miles) by motorbike but find it quicker through Oxford by bicycle!

This morning I took part in the challenge but on running, cross country along the river, it was a most enjoyable way to come to work, showered/ shaved etc at my desk no later than normal and with a nice buzz despite the shower encountered on route.

Oxford is very congested and anything to cut own the number of cars going into the city has to be a good thing? Part of why I bike in one form or another all year round.

Making the B4044 safer for everyone to use must be a good thing ?

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woofwooof says...
5:17pm Wed 3 Oct 12

An excellent initiative to all those that took part in today's 'time trial'. It certainly proved the point and will hopefully bring about the need for a dedicated cycle and walking path to make everyone's commuting a safer and more pleasant experience whatever their choice of transport. Well done Bikesafe.

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paul from Kennington says...
7:42pm Wed 3 Oct 12

I do not understand all of this point scoring and need for speed attitude. For some people the bus is a convenient way to get to work, other like to cycle in (although I have noticed that in the winter a majority of them quit the bike, as the number of cyclists decrease and traffic increases through Kennington) to work, and many others choose to drive, either through necessity, or the choice of having their own space, choosing their radio station/music, having a ciggie and just being comfortable. Each to their own. But on reading the story, the amount of people that would use the path makes it an unaffordable luxury in these times of cutback to essential services. So whilst a headline grabber, not really a story with much substance, just the yearly publicity stunt.

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enugin says...
8:36pm Wed 3 Oct 12

I gather about 50 people started in the Commuter Challenge, and 20 or so were on bicycles. That leaves about 30 for all other forms of transport: car, motor bike, running, roller blading and bus. Can an extra (say) ten or fifteen extra people, among 'hundreds and hundreds' mentioned who take the bus, really double the journey time? If so, imagine the effect of a similar number forsaking the bus and cycling along a dedicated path.

The rush hour is always difficult, and the delay at the toll bridge is hard on commuters, more so on a rainy day with extra traffic. If the Eynsham Road is so congested it must be very good sense to make provision for alternative transport wherever possible.

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BMW Z4 says...
11:32am Thu 4 Oct 12

Hi Whitney Green, Not heard a squeak from you: How was your journey in, today?
I was thinking of you last night (Umm) and wondered if we were talking cross-purposes yesterday? You did not say which late bus you were on. Were you actually on the park & ride bus from Seacourt? I ask this cus 17% of park & ride users get on their bicycles and cycle into Oxford. As a self confessed employed cyclist (rather than student from Carterton), you could cycle from Seacourt and legitimately claim £1000 of tax free bike every year.
I wonder just how many cars rat-run through Eynsham Village (to gain priority at the roundabout), Farmoor and Dean Court, rather than use the A40? The scheduled S2 is often faster, as is the Peartree P&R bus service.

I wonder what a Park & Ride would look like on the far side of Eynsham village? Of course it will not happen (just like the A40 Rapid transport scheme) cus B4044 motorists contribute so much to our beleaguered economy in licence fees (rather than a right to use the road), fuel duty & VAT on top of purchase price & vehicle maintenance, that we could not afford NOT to fleece you.

Personally I prefer to pay my taxes on beer rather than make my own: Too lazy! See you at the Oxford Beer Festival next Thursday, for a late bus home?

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Sonya says...
10:51pm Fri 5 Oct 12

I say make all buses from witney and carterton stay on the A40 and not cut through Eynsham. People are too lazy to walk more than 100 yards to a bus stop. If the S1 didn't stop every 100 yards blocking the road it would be a much less congested rd. I have cycled every day from eynsham to oxford on A40 and only use the bus after xmas party. Once you get use to it you never want to go on a bus.I would never cycle on B4044 far too dangerous.

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woofwooof says...
7:40am Sat 6 Oct 12

Good comment. But there are many that choose to cycle on that dreaded road for all sorts of good reasons. Hence the need for the much wished for dedicated cycle and foot path.

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Cillawaugh says...
10:08am Sat 6 Oct 12

And the A40 isn't an option for residents of Farmoor. Nor is it much use to the children who want access to Oxford's premier environmental centre, Hill End, but can't walk or cycle because there is no path. And no bus stop, either, because the road is too dangerous to allow for one!

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paul from Kennington says...
4:21pm Tue 9 Oct 12

Cillawaugh wrote:
And the A40 isn't an option for residents of Farmoor. Nor is it much use to the children who want access to Oxford's premier environmental centre, Hill End, but can't walk or cycle because there is no path. And no bus stop, either, because the road is too dangerous to allow for one!
What about the 2 bus stops just down the road, Hill End has not got one because it is on a bend.

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John Blackie says...
5:01pm Tue 9 Oct 12

paul from Kennington wrote:
Cillawaugh wrote:
And the A40 isn't an option for residents of Farmoor. Nor is it much use to the children who want access to Oxford's premier environmental centre, Hill End, but can't walk or cycle because there is no path. And no bus stop, either, because the road is too dangerous to allow for one!
What about the 2 bus stops just down the road, Hill End has not got one because it is on a bend.
Paul, but then you have to walk on the road is everyone acknowledges is dangerous in the extreme or on the verge which in my experience is full of leg breaking holes.

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John Blackie says...
5:01pm Tue 9 Oct 12

paul from Kennington wrote:
Cillawaugh wrote:
And the A40 isn't an option for residents of Farmoor. Nor is it much use to the children who want access to Oxford's premier environmental centre, Hill End, but can't walk or cycle because there is no path. And no bus stop, either, because the road is too dangerous to allow for one!
What about the 2 bus stops just down the road, Hill End has not got one because it is on a bend.
Paul, but then you have to walk on the road is everyone acknowledges is dangerous in the extreme or on the verge which in my experience is full of leg breaking holes.

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