Cllr Brad Baines is calling for an urgent response from Oxfordshire County Council following findings that Donnington Bridge needs to be reinforced or replaced. He’s started a petition to push for speedy action to repair or replace the bridge, restore the 46 bus service, and extend the hours of the 46a minibus service in the meantime.
The imposition of an emergency weight restriction on Donnington Bridge in August 2024 forced the rerouting of the popular 46 bus service via the Iffley Road. Labour Councillors Brad Baines and Charlie Hicks successfully pushed for a 46a replacement minibus service, but this doesn’t run to a full timetable.
A recent inspection of the bridge has now found that it needs to be repaired or replaced before full-sized bus services can run over it again. Fixing it with special support cables would cost £4 million and take around 2 years, while replacing it entirely would cost up to £30 million and take much longer.
In a letter to the County Council, Cllr Brad Baines asked the authority to “do everything necessary” to restore connectivity across the bridge.
Brad says: “The County Council must do everything necessary to link Abingdon Road with Iffley Road again. The Number 46 bus was hard fought for by local residents and Labour Councillors after the withdrawal of the Number 16 in 2022.”
“We urgently need to see a restored service across Donnington Bridge. Residents cannot afford to wait a further two years for the return of the 46 to Abingdon and Donnington Bridge Roads. The County Council needs to urgently work with local operators to put in a full timetable service using minibuses.”
Residents can help push for action by signing the petition at www.change.org/fixdonningtonbridge.