logoVILLAGES TRAVEL NETWORK

Oxfordshire's VTN is
Bladon Combe Hanborough Glympton Stonesfield Woodstock Wootton and Blenheim

News

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In January 2023, the Village Travel Network published its "Active Travel Plan."  You can read it here

In March 2025 Oxfordshire County Council published its Woodstock Area Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP).  A brief explanation of what an LCWIP is can be read here

The Blenheim Community Path

On a rather dull, but thankfully dry morning, on Saturday 1st April 2023, Blenheim opened their much anticipated Community Path between Bladon and Hanborough.

In so many respects it lives up to all expectations.  Typically for the Blenheim Estates team nothng has been done by halves.  They really have created a wonderful new walking and cycling environment.  The landscape is stunning, the wildlife, flora and fauna is teeming with interest and the path is accessible for all.

It also offers a wonderful commute to Hanborough Railway Station.  To quote one regular traveller, "It's an absolute triumph and such a joy to cycle on.  I used it to get the train to work yesterday and arrived elated. "

Left to right:  VTN's Wootton representative Phil Parker in conversation with Blenheim's Roy Cox and Dom Hare

The path was opened by Blenheim CEO Dominic Hare, his Director of Estates Roy Cox and other members of the Blenheim Management team.  Also in attendence were members of the Village Travel Network team and representatives from Oxfordshire County Council's Active Travel team.  We all walked the path with much admiration, enjoyed tea and cakes at Bladon's Community Pub and then walked back.  A wonderful morning.

What does the acronym LCWIP stand for?

It stands for Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan.  A bit of a mouthful, but a simple enough concept.  The idea is to study an area, big or small, urban or rural, to analyse the existing travel patterns and to develop a long term plan that encourages more active travel by bike, on foot or using active travel and public transport, and then to design the capital infrastructure necessary to deliver on that plan.  LCWIPs form the basis on which central government financial allocations for active travel are assessed.

LCWIPs have been up and running now for half a dozen years or more but, so far, they have mainly been developed for towns and cities.  In Oxfordshire the Oxford City LCWIP was drawn up and approved a couple of years ago and has now been followed by similar plans for Witney, Bicester, Abingdon and Didcot.  Now, the County Council is looking to the more rural areas.  The example set by the Village Travel network has prompted their scrutiny of a "Woodstock and Local Area" LCWIP as well as similar studies for Charlbury and Chipping Norton.  These studies are expected to get under way early in 2023. 

The VTN has submitted its Active Travel Plan as a comprehensive audit of cycling and walking issues in the six villages and expects that this will form the foundation for the County Council's ongoing work on its LCWIP.

Marlborough School Kids Bike to School through Blenheim

Marlboroughh school children cycling to school through Blenheim Park following a ground breaking agreement between Stonesfild Parish Councillor Mick Heduan and Blenheim Estates Director Roy Cox - both members of the VTN

At a recent meeting of the Village Travel Network and Blenheim Estates a more collaborative approach was agreed in order to create better connectivity across the seven villages.

  • Blenheim agreed to a joint press release that covers a collaborative approach and positions them as a stakeholder.
  • A cycling initiative was agreed, subject to identifying a suitable route. This could be used as a 'proof of concept activity' and may not be a complete route but raises the profile of the project's long term environmental and eco-friendly credentials. 
  • Blenheim agreed to provide some funding to cover the mapping of potential routes.
  • Possible use of the Blenheim magazine to cover VTN development updates .
  • It was suggested Hanborough Station could be renamed 'Hanborough (for Blenheim Palace & Woodstock) 
  • Blenheim keen to be a key stakeholder participant on the VTN project.
  • The impact of the VTN on a major visitor attraction like Blenheim Palace could define environmental best practice for other major visitor sites in the UK. 
  • Mapping potential connectivity routes was seen as as a priority to uncover existing and potential opportunities. 

And very soon, we hope to expand the Cycle to School initiative to include a "Cycle to Work project for those living in Stonesfield, Combe, Hanborough, Bladon and Woodstock to cycle commute between home and work.  Initially it will run on a trial basis with limited numbers and defined routes and commuting times.  Watch this space for more news.

Other News

January 2022 saw the Government Launch of its new Highway Code aimed at improving safety for Pedestrians, Cyclists, Equestrians and all vulnerable road users.

 

You can find out more about the new Highway Code here https://www.gov.uk/government/news/the-highway-code-8-changes-you-need-to-know-from-29-january-2022