buses

Headington Headlines #228

TonyOX3

Here’s my weekly round-up of local news for 17 – 23 August.

A report in @TheOxfordMail says – unsurprisingly – that the two Oxford bus companies support the Access to Headington scheme.

“Badgers set to get their own home” @BartonPark_. Do you see what @TheOxfordMail did there? Read story.

A small start-up company based in Headington, SwitchIT UK, has launched a crowdfunding appeal to raise funds for a classroom and equipment. They are on twitter as @SwitchITuk.

The Ampleforth Arms in Risinghurst, currently closed but hoping to re-open has established itself as an Asset of Community Value. It has a twitter account @TheAmpRevival.

The plans to refurbish and extend Quarry Village Hall have been approved. All that’s needed now is the money – £70,000 is the estimated cost. Perhaps they need a Justgiving page!

The threatened strike by hospital porters at the JR may be averted if union members agree to the new proposals emerging from “productive” discussions on Friday. However it has also been reported that the GMB Union has joined Unison and announced it will ballot for industrial action.

My favourite Headington-related tweet of the week:

Calling all jam makers! Our plum tree is bearing fruit – please feel free to bring a pot and take some away! pic.twitter.com/wAJpCr4tWp

— Butchers Arms (@ButchersArmsOxf) August 17, 2015

Only one active topic on the Headington & Marston e-democracy forum this week:

  • Mobility scooters
I cover news from the OX3 postcode in Headington and out as far as Barton, Sandhills and Risinghurst (see map). To feed into next week’s summary you can comment on this article, or tweet either with the hashtag #ox3 or @mentioning @TonyOX3.

Headington Headlines #226

TonyOX3

Here’s my weekly round-up of local news for 3 – 9 August.

St Andrew’s Church tower is having some restoration work done. It will cost about £100,000 all of which has been raised locally.

The new arrangement for the Farmers’ Market being weekly on Saturdays has got off to a good start, according to the Market Manager quoted in @OxfordTimes.

Consultation on the Access to Headington transport plan closed last Friday. I’ve posted a list of links to several responses, including Headington Action, Friends of Old Headington, Oxford Civic Society and local Councillors. Three themes recur in most if not all the comments:

  • Poor public consultation;
  • Not enough information to make rational decisions;
  • Concerns about environmental impact (trees and green verges) and parking arrangements.

Starting today (Monday) for three weeks, Queen Street is closed to buses. So if you normally get your 8 or 9 from Castle Street you’ll need to go to a temporary stop in St Aldate’s instead.

The planning application (Ref: 15/01924/FUL) for the extension to the Manor Surgery has been on the City Council’s website for a few weeks. So far there’s only been one letter of objection which is about extending car parking spaces. However, the application doesn’t cover this aspect, saying “The car park improvements will be submitted under a separate application“.

Active posts on the Headington & Marston e-democracy forum this week:

  • £12.m transport improvements for Headington: exhibitions and consultation
  • Mobility scooters
I cover news from the OX3 postcode in Headington and out as far as Barton, Sandhills and Risinghurst (see map). To feed into next week’s summary you can comment on this article, or tweet either with the hashtag #ox3 or @mentioning @TonyOX3.

Headington Headlines #215

TonyOX3

Here’s my weekly round-up of local news for 18 – 24 May.

The @oxfordguardian reported on the @BartonPark_ developers’ presentation on Phase 1. The report includes a video.

If you missed the Barton Park presentations (the last was on Tuesday) you can see the developer’s display boards here.

Surveyors were seen on Tuesday taking measurements for a possible extension of the car park at @ManorSurgery in Osler Road. The surgery is planning a significant expansion – see HH207 and this Oxford Mail article.

@HeadingtonPlan is running a poll asking if you think the first 30 minutes of parking at the two Headington car parks should be free. Vote here.

The Ampleforth Arms in Risinghurst is on the market for £700k as an “unopposed community pub”.

A crash at the Headington roundabout on Wednesday morning caused traffic delays in all direstions and as far out as Elsfield.

@Oxford_Brookes released an update on their long-term Estates Strategy which includes moving the Faculty of Business from Wheatley to Headington.

Despite the recently-announced cuts in subsidies from Oxfordshire CC, Stagecoach has said there will be no changes to the timetables of routes 14 and 14a serving Marston/Old Marston. The company also says that with the completion of the Loondon Road roadworks, the 800 & 900 hospital services will revert to a 20 minute frequency — they’ve been every 30 minutes while the works have been happening.

My favourite Headington-related tweet of the week:

Just looked out the back and…… #RAINBOW! #fullrainbow pic.twitter.com/7R0Zsyj6lZ

— Spike♋ (@Mr_S_p_i_k_e) May 18, 2015

Active posts on the Headington & Marston e-democracy forum this week:

  • Revised Proposals for the Development of Holy Trinity, Headington Quarry
  • Mr. Darke’s ELECTED REPRESENTATIVE THREAD.
  • School places
  • Lye Valley
  • Botnar Trees
I cover news from the OX3 postcode in Headington and out as far as Barton, Sandhills and Risinghurst (see map). To feed into next week’s summary you can comment on this article, or tweet either with the hashtag #ox3 or @mentioning @TonyOX3.