UK’s first autonomous bus set to launch at Oxfordshire’s Milton Park

Following three years of trials, the UK’s first fully electric and autonomous bus will soon connect Didcot to Milton Park.

The official launch follows a demonstration day on Monday, 23 January at Bee House, the park’s flexible workplace, with local leaders, occupiers, Buses Minister Richard Holden MP and the project’s consortium partners in attendance.

The project, dubbed Mi-Link featured a 16-seat single-decker buses using a CAVstar® Automated Drive System developed by Fusion Processing Ltd which uses sensors including radar, LiDAR and optical cameras with artificial intelligence to control all steering, acceleration and braking without the need for human intervention.

The project was funded by commercial and private sector partnerships along with Innovate UK and delivered in partnership with First Bus, Fusion Processing, Oxfordshire County Council, Zipabout, University of West of England and Milton Park.

According to Oxfordshire City Council in 2021, the majority of travel between Milton Park and Didcot Parkway Station is currently made via private vehicles despite being relatively close. The project hopes to encourage up to 50 per cent of private vehicle journeys to switch to electric-powered vehicles, with a combination of methods on offer including shuttle buses, taxis, e-bikes and the Fusion minibus.

The bus service offers passengers a free and green mode of travel from the Park’s flexible workspace, the Bee House, to its Milton Feast street food market area in a circular operation. A qualified safety driver is on board at all times, able to take control of the vehicle if required. The bus is also fully accessible for wheelchair and pram users.

The Mi-Link journey planner, developed by Zipabout, has been customised for Milton Park to provide real-time updates on the service’s operation times between 7am to 6.30pm Monday to Saturday, running as often as every 15 minutes.

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Veronica Reynolds, Sustainability and Community Manager at Milton Park, said: “We’re thrilled that Milton Park was selected as the host location for the Mi-Link trials, maintaining the UK’s global position at the forefront of innovation.

“The delivery of this autonomous and fully electric public transport service aligns with Milton Park’s ongoing commitment to local sustainable transport initiatives.

“We’re fully supportive of this innovative project seeking to reduce single occupancy car use across Oxfordshire and beyond and are proud of the key role the Park is playing. We look forward to the full results of these trials as we step closer towards the exciting future of sustainable travel in the UK.”

Philip Campbell, Commercial Director at MEPC Milton Park, said: “The Mi-Link trials represent a landmark step in the future of green autonomous travel. Given the array of innovative companies based at the Park from pioneers in battery technology to green energy, it’s fitting that the next generation of passenger transport is taking shape here.

“While the trials are of national significance, they are also an important step in encouraging people across Milton Park, Didcot and South Oxfordshire to travel in a more sustainable way – a key part of the Park’s 2040 Vision.

“We look forward to collaborating further with the other partners to ensure these exciting trials become a blueprint for the future of sustainable public transport and connectivity.”

Janette Bell, Managing Director at First Bus, said: “First Bus serves millions of customers in the UK, and we know that so many of our customers take the bus because they care about our planet and reducing their carbon footprint. We're excited to now be able to offer an even greener and quieter way to travel via this new pioneering service.

“As one of the leading innovation communities for sustainable travel, Milton Park is the ideal location to host the Mi-Link project. We’re really looking forward to receiving feedback on the new service from the Park’s occupiers and wider local community.”

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