A long line of bus shelters now stretches along Stratton Way. Abingdon-on-Thames Town Council has installed two new bus shelters to provide additional seating and shelter between the three already in place. The original three were installed twenty years ago when Stratton Way became two-way as part of ABITS (the Abingdon Integrated Transport Strategy), and the main bus waiting point moved to Stratton Way. The new shelters have been added to cater for the high number of passengers using the Oxford bound stops each day.

Since January 2024, the Oxford Bus Company has introduced a fleet of 104 electric buses. These buses are partially funded through the Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas (ZEBRA) scheme, a grant won by Oxfordshire County Council.

In Abingdon, the new electric buses can mostly be seen on the shorter 35 route between Oxford and Abingdon via Radley. Compared to older diesel models, electric buses are quieter, lack exhaust fumes, and have reduced carbon emissions.

The StreetDeck Electroliner double-decker buses are made in Northern Ireland. They are powered by batteries that give a range of up to 200 miles, with a charge time of 2.5 hours.

Two buses arrived on Abingdon High Street this afternoon, the 33 and 44. The 33 and 44 bus routes were changed this month. The Abingdon to Oxford section of the 33 bus route is now operated by the 44 bus. The 44 bus goes from Abingdon to Oxford via Cumnor. The 33 now goes from Abingdon to Henley-on-Thames.

They are both advertising the Amy Winehouse film “Back to Black,” now on at the Abbey Cinema.

Being in the front seat on the top deck of the X3 bus has all the excitement of a fairground ride, but you don’t get an announcer shouting, ‘Scream if you want to go faster’. Instead, every stop is announced by a calming voice, ‘Vineyard… Our Ladys Abingdon … Oxford Road shops …’

There were two Lib Dem posters up the Oxford Road. That is fewer than in previous local elections, and the amount of literature through the door is also reduced.

At the Boundary House, the X3 passed another X3 coming the other way. The drivers waved. My first car was a VW Beetle, and we used to wave to other Beetle owners.

At Peachcroft Roundabout, a new flood alleviation pool is visible. Apparently, flooding in North Abingdon after the recent rains is being blamed on the new housing. The latest Abingdon Herald has a headline about calls to stop further house building until the flood risk is sorted.

Returning to Abingdon, I missed the X3, but the X2 arrived soon afterwards to pick up passengers at St Aldates to Abingdon.

Another X3 had just arrived from Abingdon, coming the other way. Then came the X1, the Wantage, Abingdon, Oxford bus.