Oxford Greenways: connecting communities by active travel

A network of walking, wheeling and cycling routes linking Oxford with nearby towns and villages.

18 walking and cycling routes

Oxford Greenways is our long-term plan to create a network of walking, wheeling and cycling routes linking Oxford with nearby towns and villages.

The project is being led by a partnership between us, Oxford City Council and the University of Oxford.

The network will help make travel easier between communities, jobs, educational institutions, services, and leisure destinations.

The routes will:

make walking, wheeling and cycling safer and easier
connect people to jobs, education and services
improve access to public transport
support healthier and more sustainable travel choices
link the city with the countryside, waterways and green spaces around Oxford
improve access to visitor and leisure destinations
support future growth across the area

Watch how it will work

Find out more about the project, hear from people helping to shape it and see how the network could improve active travel across Oxfordshire.

Video transcript

Young boy riding bike:
I'm called Arthur and I am 11. I just like the entire aspect of riding because you're basically just free. Except I'm only free in the village at the moment because we're surrounded by big, car-full roads.

Cllr Anna Railton (Cabinet Member for Planning and Zero Carbon Oxford, Oxford City Council):
The Oxford Greenways Project is about building a series of walking and cycling routes from the wider county into Oxford.

Cllr Gareth Epps (Cabinet Member for Transport, Oxfordshire County Council):
We have a lot of growth being proposed for Oxfordshire and the area around.

Text on screen:
new homes, new jobs, billions in investment

Cllr Gareth Epps:
So we've got to find different ways of getting people in and out.

Prof Mark E Smith (Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Planning and Resources, University of Oxford):
I see the development and the investment in the place as a partnership. If Oxford wants to remain one of the really world-class places to do research, the actual city itself needs to grow and this is why the University of Oxford is keenly supporting this development.

Cllr Gareth Epps:
When people think of Oxford, they think of lots and lots of cyclists. But quite often those routes that people use tend to stop at the city limits.

Cllr Anna Railton:
There are some existing routes. It's pretty hit and miss. Nothing really joins up properly, so this is about filling in some fairly big gaps.

Highlight of a section of the wider network plan, with the "Otmoor Greenway" connecting Headington Roundabout, Beckley, Stanton St John and RSPB Otmoor.

Resident one:
This is a major route into the city for people from this area of town. Because people don't feel safe or able to cycle, a lot of them are turning to cars.

Resident two:
When my children were really small, they went to nursery in Stanton and then I would go into town via the Bayswater Road, and I was taking my life into my hands every single time with my baby.

Resident three:
This is an accident spot. It's fast and there's no lights and cars overtake you on the bend.

Resident four:
If more people are on bicycles, there are fewer people in cars, so there'd be less traffic.

Resident five:
I think it would be a benefit for the drivers as much as for the cyclists.

Prof Mark E Smith:
If it's easier to do things, then people will take those choices up.

Highlight of a section of the wider network plan, with the "Abingdon Greenway" connecting Iffley, Kennington, Radley and Abingdon.

Cllr Anna Railton:
This route used to be basically a rutted mud path. The amount of people cycling from Abingdon into Oxford on this route pre-pandemic was probably low tens because you truly had to be a hardy to do so. And now it is used by hundreds and hundreds of people very day.

Prof Mark E Smith:
Thinking about what Oxford could become, building on the reputation of one of the high-quality places across the world for research and education, what I'd like to see is a place that is also held up as to be one of the most sustainable and liveable places in the world.

Cllr Gareth Epps:
We have the plans, we have the goodwill, we have the partners to deliver this. All we really need is the funding that enables us to press 'go' on this project as this city evolves and starts to face the future.

Resident one:
Our kids are young at the moment, and when they grow up it'd be really nice to think that they could go and explore Oxford by themselves and travel there by bicycle.

Explore the network

The Oxford Greenways network includes 18 proposed routes. Most extend around 5 to 8 miles from the edge of Oxford. Some routes already exist and are well used. Parts of these routes will need improvements to make them safer and more attractive.

Other routes do not yet exist. These will need new connections and the right permissions before they can be built. You can view the full network in our concept masterplan (pdf format, 162 KB).

Route plans

View the proposed route plans and high-level improvements for each Greenway:

What the routes could look like

The network will include different types of routes depending on users' locations and needs of users.

Traffic-free routes

Dedicated routes for walking, wheeling, cycling and, where appropriate, horse-riding. They may use public rights of way or permitted routes across private land.

Routes alongside roads

These are paths and tracks that run next to busy roads. They will be separated from traffic where possible to improve safety and comfort.

On-road routes

These are streets and roads where traffic levels and speeds are low enough for people to walk, wheel and cycle safely alongside other road users.

Accessibility and design

We want the routes to be as accessible as possible. Features such as route width, surface type, lighting and separation between users will vary by location.

Design decisions will follow Active Travel England guidance (Rural Design Guide, 2026) and will be shaped by local residents, user groups and other stakeholders.

Public consultation

In February and March 2025, we asked residents, parish councils and organisations for their views. More than 500 responses were received.

We reviewed the feedback and used it to:

refine route alignments
review opportunities and constraints
consider nearby developments
bring all routes together into a single network plan

The result is the current concept masterplan, which includes 18 Greenways.

Project reports

You can find more information about the routes and supporting evidence in our phase 2 report (pdf format, 6 MB). If you would like copies of earlier studies or previous versions of the network, contact us.

What happens next

We now have an agreed plan for a network of 18 Greenway routes.

More design work and engagement will be needed before improvements can be delivered. However, the overall concept for each route has now been agreed.

This means we can start developing routes as opportunities arise while ensuring they fit into the wider network.

Funding

As a long-term infrastructure programme, funding is expected to come from a range of sources, including:

government grants
council investment
public and private partnerships
developer contributions

Our priorities

We are currently focused on:

developing designs and cost plans for each route
working with residents, parish councils and user groups
identifying and securing funding opportunities
working with developers and partners
making sure Oxford Greenways supports future growth plans

Get involved

We welcome ideas and collaboration from:

local communities
parish councils
businesses
landowners
developers
partner organisations

If you would like to get involved, contact us at oxford.greenways@oxfordshire.gov.uk