This page has been produced on behalf of David Wilson Homes as part of their sustainable travel commitment, with the aim of creating a ‘modal shift’ from car-borne journeys to using sustainable modes of transport.
Oxfordshire County Council (SCC), David Wilson Homes and MEC are all committed to the principles of sustainable development, and by providing this portal bespoke to your development, we hope to give you more choices about how you travel and assist in reducing the number of car journeys made, benefiting you, the wider community and the local environment.
You should have received a 'Residents Travel Information Pack' as part of your welcome pack following the occupation of your property. We try to ensure this is continually updated as and when changes occur; you can view the most recent version here.
We want you to make the most of this portal, so be sure to bookmark this page for ease of return.
We will be issuing quarterly newsletters with updated information regarding your development; previous newsletters will be accessible below.
Under the planning agreement for your development and on behalf of David Wilson, MEC is required to undertake annual travel surveys to monitor how residents travel. We welcome you to complete this questionnaire. If you would like a paper copy, you can request this by emailing tpc@m-ec.co.uk
COMPLETE THE QUESTIONNAIRE
Didcot Town Centre lies approximately 1.5km east of your location. Didcot is situated 16km south of Oxford and 25km north-west of Reading. Transport links are good, with easy access to the A4130 and the A43. Day-to-day needs are well catered for within Western Park, which hosts a range of shops, a pub, a pharmacy and education facilities for ages 3 to 19. The location of this development means you also have access to the broader range of shopping and leisure facilities found in Didcot Town Centre, including The Orchard Centre.
Journey Planning
Oxfordshire County Council have ambitious plans to give residents more options to travel, encouraging active travel - walking and cycling. You can find out more about this here ►
According to the Health Education Authority, ‘walking briskly for half an hour a day can halve the risk of heart disease’. This is equivalent to walking to and from a destination just over ¾ of a mile from your home instead of taking the car.
Walking is easily accessible in Didcot to a number of facilities. The nearest leisure facility is a Play Park which is located within your development. The nearest retail location, Best-one convenience store, is located adjacent to the Great Western Park Northern Neighbourhood Community Centre. To reach both of these, exit the site via the pedestrian link to the south or via the pedestrian route to the west on to Sir Frank Williams Avenue. If exiting to the south, turn right and continue along Dunnock End until reaching the junction with Partridge Close at which point turn left and head south for approximately 2 minutes. If exiting to the west, turn left and proceed south along Sir Frank Williams Avenue for approximately 3 minutes.
To reach the nearest medical facility, Day Lewis Pharmacy, follow the instructions to reach the Best-one retail store. Then, having crossed over Greenfinch Road, proceed south along Sir Frank Williams Avenue/Greenwood Way for approximately 800m (10 minutes), past Boundary Park (where the cricket pitch is located) to reach the pharmacy. The pharmacy is located close to a number of retail and education facilities.
The nearest educational facility, Stephen Freeman Community Primary School, is accessed differently. Located south east of your location, the school can be most quickly accessed by making use of the footpath which extends east out of the site, following the path to its connection with Robin Way. Continue on Robin Way, and follow the hedge line to the connection with Red Kite Way. At the point where Harrier Drive and Red Kite Way meet, a footpath breaks the hedgerow, following this footpath will reveal the school. Exit the footpath on to Freeman Road, turning right and continuing for 100m where you will be presented with a sign for the school.
To help plan walking routes, Google Maps will support you with planning general everyday walks. You can also use websites such as Ramblers, which provides an in-depth overview of your walking route, allowing you to select the difficulty, distance and surroundings. For those looking for recreational walks, along with Ramblers, you can also utilise AllTrails, which provides an overview of curated trails in the local area.
Resources:
Cycling offers many benefits to your health and the environment and is one of the best ways to get around town with versatility and a reasonable speed.
To help you plan cycling routes in your area you can visit the resources below:
Your nearest bus stop is located adjacent to Red Kite Way, shown using the yellow pins below. The stops are located within a 4-minute walk and have timetable information as well as seated shelter provision.
The bus stops mentioned are served by the 23, 23A, 98 connector and the NX2 connector. Timetables for these services can be found here ►
Bus Offers and Schemes
Oxfordshire County Council offers concessionary fares for older persons and disabled persons. Senior citizens and those with disabilities are entitled to free off-peak bus travel on all buses within Oxfordshire between 9am and midnight Monday to Friday, and anytime on weekends and bank holidays. More information can be found by visiting the link here ►
Oxford bus company provides information on journey planning, amendments to bus services, timetables and maps. You can find out more here ►
The nearest train station to your location is Didcot Parkway. Didcot Parkway Railway Station is located approximately 1.7km to the east of your location and can be accessed via walking or cycling. There is cycle storage at the station for 682 bicycles and a 24-hour car park providing 2895 vehicle parking spaces.
The station is staffed, with customer help points, ATM machines, refreshment facilities and shops, pay phones, free Wi-Fi, waiting rooms and toilets also available.
A table of the local and national services available from Didcot Parkway Station and their frequency can be found here ►
To view timetables for Didcot Parkway click here ►
Useful resources to plan your journey:
Car sharing
Car sharing involves two (or more) people sharing a car to travel between similar locations, instead of taking separate cars. You can calculate how much you spend on motoring and how much you could save car sharing by using the excel spreadsheet from Cutting Your Car Use here. Car sharing can reduce congestion, pollution and parking problems, as well as saving the car sharers both time and money. According to LiftShare, the average saving equates to over £900 per year. liftshare.com is trusted and actively supported by over 700 corporate communities. It takes less than 10 minutes to create an account and start searching for car sharing opportunities near you.
Working From home
Home working has increased significantly over the past few years. According to studies from the Office of National Statistics, in May 2022, 14% of workers are now fully remote, with 24% working on a hybrid basis. Working from home has many benefits, including; increased productivity time due to the lack of commute, being environmentally friendly, a better work/home balance supporting motivation, and cost savings of travel, parking and vehicle wear.
Eco Driving
The principle of Eco Driving is to travel your required distance utilising the least amount of fuel possible, with an increased focus on minimising wear-and-tear to your vehicle. Search eco-driving here for more information and support to get the most out of your driving.
Electric Vehicles
For electric car journeys, use Zap-Map.com and find over 30,000 public UK charging ports and plan your electric car journey. Selected network participants also allow you to pay for your usage via their app.
If you have any questions or would like to discuss sustainable travel, you can contact the development Travel Plan Coordinator on the details below:
tpc@m-ec.co.uk
01530 264753