Oxfordshire bus operator RH Transport to cease business

RH Transport provides 30 school services as well as commercial routes across Oxfordshire

An Oxfordshire coach and bus operator has announced it will cease to operate ahead of an expected move into administration.

RH Transport provides school services on behalf of Oxfordshire County Council alongside some private hire contracts.

A statement on its website confirmed the news and thanked customers for their business.

Oxfordshire County Council is hoping to secure replacement services from other operators from Monday.

RH Transport provides 30 school services in Oxfordshire and a number of commercial routes which will not run on Friday.

Replacement services

Among the affected routes is the 700, linking Water Eaton with the John Radcliffe Hospital.

Oxford Universities Trust said it had been told a replacement service would operate in peak hours on Friday and an alternative provider would be in place by Monday.

The county council said it had agreed that Stagecoach would run some services on Friday and Saturday, including routes to Clanfield, Carterton, Witney, Longworth, Swindon, Wantage, Faringdon and Chipping Norton.

Schools affected have been informed and have passed the message on to parents.

Councillor Rodney Rose, deputy leader and cabinet member for transport, said: "We hope this speedy action will ensure as many services as possible are operating at the start of the new school week.

"I'm grateful to both Stagecoach and the county council's transport team. A lot of hard work has gone in during the course of today to bring this temporary arrangement about."