A middle-aged black man walks to his job at a hospital with his briefcase

Here in Oxford, we’re already ahead of the curve when it comes to our commute. As the UK’s most walkable city, a fifth of people travelling to work from within our city do so by foot, while 17% cycle and 15% hop on a bus or train. Which means fewer cars on the road, less air pollution, better overall health and a more vibrant community. Our levels of sustainable travel to work outpace most English cities outside London, second only to Cambridge. Nevertheless, across the rest of Oxfordshire 78% of commuters travel to work by car, often feeling that any alternatives are unavailable or unachievable.

And yet, there’s a lot that employers can do to help their staff in making their way to work without a car or sharing the drive. For those travelling into Oxford – perhaps two thirds of all employees, according to one survey – a bit of workplace support can make a big difference in making it possible to move away from solo driving.

Many Oxford employers have already taken significant steps in this direction. For instance, if Oxford University Hospitals Trust staff give up their parking permit for six months, they can get free parking at three Park & Ride sites and free bus travel to work from the Park & Ride. Even if they don’t have a parking permit to give up, they can still get free rides on Park & Ride buses. Staff who lift share also get 30% off parking permits, and the Trust will pay for emergency taxis for a liftsharer if their lift needs to leave unexpectedly.

A middle-aged white woman rides her bicycle to her job at John Radcliffe Hospital

The University of Oxford offers a zero-interest loan to buy season tickets for buses or trains that can be paid back through a salary deduction, while both Oxford Brookes University and University of Oxford offer discounts on bikes from specific local bike shops. The universities also offer a zero-interest loan to buy a bike that can be paid back through your salary; and run bike repair days where staff can get their bikes repaired without paying for labour costs.

Milton Park, between Abingdon and Didcot, offers 18 bikes and 12 e-bikes for hire throughout their site, which staff can use for free. They also worked with Oxfordshire County Council to open a new cycle and footpath running north-south across the length of the park, joining up with routes from Abingdon and Oxford.

James, who took part in the Oxford Car Free Challenge in 2024, used to drive to work but now no longer owns a car and instead commutes by bus. He uses a service subsidised by his employer, which runs through the day, linking the city to the Oxfordshire science park where he works. When he joined the challenge he quickly met colleagues and neighbours travelling the same way: “I found the experience very enjoyable, very social, and made lots of friends on the buses,” says James. His journey became a chance to chat, to have an occasional work meeting, or just relax and watch the world go by. More recently he has been trying the same journey by bike and is now buying a new bicycle through the Cycle to Work scheme; another initiative offered by his employer.

If your commute feels too long for daily cycling, you might look at options to mix and match. On a day when he cycles in, James will take the bus home, leaving his bike at work overnight; the following day he will take the bus in and cycle home in the evening. Thanks to secure cycle parking at work, he is confident about this hybrid approach. “You don’t have to do one thing: you can do a combination,” he explains. “That idea makes it a bit easier and a bit more manageable.” As a scientist, James says he is committed to being part of a green energy transition: “We can decide whether we go on with business as usual… or we can look to a different future. I think it’s certainly the time to do that.”

Talking of change, many of us are now making the most of hybrid, flexible and home working, at least part of the time. As well as the benefit of working in tracksuit bottoms, this also means that your commute may only involve a short walk to the kitchen table; avoiding rush hour, travel costs and hopefully cutting down at least some of those morning emissions.

Top tips for getting started

Ask the boss: Check with your employer to see what incentives they offer to help make a car-free commute more affordable and achievable.
Buddy up: Commuting can be more enjoyable with company. See if anyone at work would be interested in walking, cycling, taking the bus, catching train, or lift sharing with you.
Know your options: Check out our pages under the Travel Info tab for information on all of the different ways you can commute to work. Here you can find out information about things like season tickets for the train, monthly or annual passes for the bus, Park & Ride discounts, how to set up a lift sharing pool at work, cycling cheaply and safely, and quiet walking and cycling routes across the county.
It’s not all or nothing: Remember that you don’t have to throw your car keys down a well the moment you decide to explore other options. Perhaps just try cycling when the weather is nice, or take the bus on days when you don’t have to do the school run.

Commuting

Top tips for getting started

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