The Oxford Bus Company have created a rainbow bus in support of Oxford Pride. It says Embracing Diversity across our City

The bus comes to Abingdon as the X3 or X13, and also does some Oxford City routes. Oxford Pride 2018 is between 25th May and 3rd June with the Pride Day parade on Saturday 2nd June.

There is not much to choose between the X2 X3 or X13 buses when going from Abingdon to Oxford. They all end up at Oxford City Centre.

The X13 however then goes all the way to the John Radcliffe Hospital (JR). Twenty minutes after dropping people off at the city centre it drops passengers off at the JR. Given that car parking at the JR is so expensive, and difficult to find, it is worth considering next time there is a non emergency situation.

This Sunday between 5.30am to 2pm there will be some disruption to the X13 bus route as a portable building is lifted in position at the JR. It is being put there to help speed up patient admissions at A&E (Accident and Emergency). The JR portakabin service will be led by GPs and provide treatment for patients who could be ‘more appropriately’ helped outside hospital.

The X13 will be diverted to the top end of the hospital while the portakabin is lifted into position.

Oxfordshire County Council will be withdrawing subsidies on all bus services from 20th July 2016. That will mean that some services will cease – including the 44 and 44a, and the Abingdon Town Bus service routes 42, and 43 round North Abingdon.

However the third part of this Abingdon Town Bus Service, Service 41, appears to be viable. It will be enhanced and extended to provide a half hourly service between Abingdon Town Centre, Tesco / Fairacres Retail Park, Community Hospital and South Abingdon between 08:30 and 15:00 on Mondays to Fridays. It will no longer run on Saturday.

New bus shelters have been installed along the Wootton Road in Abingdon. The positioning of the one outside John Mason school is a bit too close to the hedge, but apart from that they look great.

It makes the old bus shelters along the Oxford Road look like museum pieces.