Didcot Parkway - station, facilities, services, improvements, events and incidents (merged posts)

[whole diary]

[stuving]

Fastest journey....

Indeed it is. If you start on the 13:07, the earliest arrival via Didcot is later than via Reading because of the trains that skip Didcot on both services. But when it works, via Didcot is quicker.

Via reading isn't a valid routeing for the direct ticket. That's sort-of indicated - you have to know that (for the NRE^▸ (National Rail Enquiries) JP at least) not showing a price in the results page means you'd need separate tickets split at Reading. And for those two tickets, that makes it well over twice as much!

Having looked again, I think that's incorrect behaviour in the NRE planner. If I select "Show only fastest trains", it is reasobale to suppress the normal routeing with change at Didcot in favour of another, even if it costs more. But by default that's not set - so surely then it really ought not to suppress the one-ticekt journey and only show one only 10 minutes quicker and a lot more expensive.

[chuffed]

Thanks for all your help, folks !

[brooklea]

Fastest journey....

Indeed it is. If you start on the 13:07, the earliest arrival via Didcot is later than via Reading because of the trains that skip Didcot on both services. But when it works, via Didcot is quicker.

But as I said earlier, in this particular case leaving Stonehouse at 1307 the arrival time at Bicester Village should be exactly the same (1527) regardless of whether you take the via Reading route suggested, and the price penalty for so doing (more than double ), or change at Swindon, Didcot and Oxford.

As you observe stuving, this appears to be incorrect behaviour in the NRE^▸ (National Rail Enquiries) planner.

[didcotdean]

Oxford Mail: Didcot's new multi-storey car park 'almost complete'

The £20m facility, located in the former Foxhall Road car park, is part funded by the Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership, and will see the number of car parking spaces at the station increase by over 65 per cent to 1,800. In September a footbridge connecting the five-storey car park to the station was lowered into place and the multi-storey opened a fortnight ago. Not all levels are open yet but GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) spokesman James Davis said the project was in its final stages and would be completed 'in days rather than weeks'.

Mr Davis said: "We will open levels 4 and five; the lifts, and Network Rail is to open their footbridge after the completion of snagging – shortly. ...
Mr Davis added: "At present we have now opened up to level 3, providing 1,340 spaces; so over 400 more than there ever has been before.

During the works parking in streets within half a mile of the station has noticeably increased, even where there is a posted restriction. Doubt the extra space and a decent footbridge  alone will attract them back.

[ChrisB]

A few parking tickets might....where restrictions apply

[ray951]

On street and council car park restrictions are not currently enforced in Didcot.
The police aren't interested and there are no traffic wardens or anyone else to enforce them, this is the policy of South Oxfordshire Disctrict Council.
Didcot Town Council are currently attempting to convice SODC to employ wardens to enforce the restrictions for the very reasons stated above.

[ChrisB]

Didcot TC^▸ (Train Crew, or Travelling Chef, depending on context) may hto stump up the money then for SODC to employ them

[didcotdean]

Parking enforcement in South Oxfordshire is still the responsibility of Thames Valley Police, which has a lot else to do. Since 1 January 2017 there have only been 203 parking ticket issued in the whole of Didcot. Whilst out this morning I spotted about 6 cars on double yellows in the town centre alone. I bet all the cars I saw in Haydon Road and Lydalls Road near to the station will be there this afternoon during the one hour restriction period as well. The police only come out for reports of blatantly dangerous parking, eg obscuring junctions.

I understand the town council are looking at paying for a PCSO to mop some of this up in the short term, but there are areas where there never used to be a parking problem and therefore currently have no restrictions, where one has developed in recent years. Often it is not people travelling a long way to the station, but living a mile or two away elsewhere in Didcot. SODC (and VWHC) have indicated changes of policy to take over civil enforcement, but that will take at least a year to happen, probably more.

I can foresee some residents eventually taking matters into their own hands if nothing official is done. At the least it will be a big local issue come the next Council elections in 2019.

[didcotdean]

The temporary scaffolding bridge will be dismantled on Sunday (16 December), with the new permanent bridge having been brought into use. The station itself will only be served by replacement buses as there will also be maintenance on the OLE^▸ (Overhead Line Equipment, more often "OHLE").

[ray951]

A large building for storing bikes is currently being built at Didcot Parkway.
It is located in the former disabled parking spaces in front of the station.



This will be huge improvement as the previous bike racks were always full by about 8:30.

I look forward to using it once/if I get back in the office and start commuting again.

[grahame]

A large bike building for storing bikes is currently being built at Didcot Parkway.
It is located in the former disabled parking spaces in front of the station.

This will be huge improvement as the previous bike racks where always full by about 8:30.

I look forward to using it once/if I get back in the office.

Excellent ... early days, limited evidence, current "firebreak" lockdown excepted, but I think I'm seeing a far higher proportion of rail passengers using pedal power to and from their stations. 

As a newcomer to this linked mode of transport, I find myself concerned at the availability of storage, and its protection from the elements and from the unwanted attention of other who would damage or steal it. I might also welcome things like helmet lockers, a restroom, and a cafe.  To some extent, I have taken the cycle on the train with me because the shelter/security offered at the far end is better than the shelter/security at my local station, even though my final destination is very close to the station and the cycle not really needed at that end.

[Oxonhutch]

It is good to see sustainable transport being accommodated in such a positive fashion and will no doubt encourage further bike use in that first/last mile.

It is not without its consequences for those of us who travel several miles to use the station's facilities. The disabled parking bays have merely migrated into what was once the 20 minute open parking bays such that - with the usual parked-up taxis occupying them - there is little or no place to park, and I don't fancy paying GBP5 to park on the private land pictured across the street just to get my season ticket amended.

[bobm]

Interesting article on the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) today about making bicycles harder to steal or less attractive if taken.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-54695188

[johnneyw]

The new facility at Didcot looks good but my concern is that, being so well sheltered, it offers a relatively secluded environment for bike thieves unless there is some additional security provision to counter this.

[didcotdean]

It is good to see sustainable transport being accommodated in such a positive fashion and will no doubt encourage further bike use in that first/last mile.

It is not without its consequences for those of us who travel several miles to use the station's facilities. The disabled parking bays have merely migrated into what was once the 20 minute open parking bays such that - with the usual parked-up taxis occupying them - there is little or no place to park, and I don't fancy paying GBP5 to park on the private land pictured across the street just to get my season ticket amended.

The land opposite the station currently being used as a car park is owned by South Oxfordshire District Council, and where they have recently announced the intention to cite their new HQ^▸ (HeadQuarters) building, jointly with the Vale of the White DC^▸ (Direct Current). Each have taken the view that continuing working from home is the new normal so they can manage with smaller office accommodation and it is certainly hard to beat this location in the area from a public transport connections point of view.

That the two surface car parks would disappear by development sooner or later was one of he considerations in the size of the multi-storey.

I agree though that the loss of much of the drop off / meet car parking is unfortunate and unwinds the increase  made as part of the forecourt redevelopment. It will probably be displaced into the neighbouring streets.