Archive - June 2003 - News

On Tues 10 June, Oxford Friends of the Earth staged a ‘commuter challenge’ from Elms Parade (Botley) to Carfax (in the city centre) to find out which form of transport is the quickest. The results of the challenge are dramatic – they show that it takes more than twice as long to drive as it does to take the bus or to cycle into the city centre.
The event involved a car driver, bus passengers, cyclists – including an intrepid unicyclist – and pedestrians. Philip Clark, Commercial Manager of the Oxford Bus Company, joined the bus commuters. Their arrival at Carfax was recorded on a chart displaying their commuting times: bikes 5–7 mins; bike with baby seat 11 mins; unicyclist 11 mins; bus 15 mins; car 33 mins; walkers 35 mins.

James Styring, of Oxford Friends of the Earth, said: “Driving is the slowest way into the city, whilst every single journey on foot, by bicycle or by bus helps reduce dangerous emissions and it also helps to make the roads a safer place for everyone.”

This is the first commuter challenge held since the implementation of the Oxford Transport Strategy in June 2000, and today’s results show how the OTS has improved travelling times for buses on one of Oxford’s busiest transit corridors. In previous commuter challenges (1996 and 1997), the bus was 10 minutes slower than today. Bus priority lanes and an improved station junction have successfully reduced bus travelling times on the Botley Road route. Cycle lanes and safety provisions along the route have been greatly improved too, although it remains difficult for cycles to pass safely under the railway bridge by the station.

Tuesday 10 June falls within the nationally-organised Green Transport Week. It also coincides with today’s announcement by the Transport Secretary of special taxes to target certain car users. The tax will include cars being used on school runs which congest British cities so badly during term time.

James Styring added: “We’re very pleased with today’s commuter challenge. It demonstrates that there are excellent alternatives to commuting by car, and that these alternatives are usually faster and cheaper than driving. Cycling is very quick, but just about everyone could use the bus to get into town – or to school – more quickly and easily than by car. Let’s hope that road improvements similar to the ones made in west Oxford can be made to other congested parts of the city, especially on Cowley Road, where £1 million has been earmarked for ‘improvements’.”

Media coverage
The Commuter Challenge was widely covered in the local media including:
TV: Reports on BBC South Today and Central News South. The BBC report was several minutes long, with footage shot by reporters who took part in the challenge by foot, bus and car.
Radio: News reports, including interviews with James, on BBC Radio Oxford and Fox FM.
Newspapers: A front page picture of the unicyclist in the Oxford Mail with a report inside, and an article in the online edition. The Oxford Times also carried an article and the same picture.
More information
For more information contact James Styring on 07792 375423 (mobile) or by e-mail at:

One of the cyclists, Colin Wilson, has some great photos of the event on his own site.
Post-event Press Release (PDF file) available to download. (Issued 10 June 2003.)
Pre-event Press Release (PDF file) available to download. (Issued 6 June 2003.)
Press Briefing (PDF file) available to download. (Issued 30 May 2003.)