A NEW Football Special will help Oxford United fans in Abingdon and Didcot to get to the Kassam Stadium.

Thames Travel in partnership with Oxford United is launching the new match-day bus service connecting fans to the stadium in Grenoble Road.

The new OX2 football service will run from Didcot to the Kassam via Great Western Park, Steventon and Abingdon and return after the match.

To launch the service Thames Travel is offering free travel on the OX2 for the opening home game of the season when United host Peterborough United on August 10.

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The OX2 will run for all weekend and bank holiday league matchdays this season. It is the first time a dedicated bus service has been provided to connect Didcot and Abingdon to the Kassam Stadium.

Oxford Mail:

The new route strengthens Thames Travel’s Football Specials service with the OX3 and OX7 confirmed to continue this season.

The OX3 and OX7 services bring fans to and from United home games from Carterton, Brize Norton, Witney, Eynsham, Botley, Kidlington, Banbury Road, Summertown, Marston and Headington.

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Managing director of Thames Travel Phil Southall said: “As partners of Oxford United we are pleased to be able to expand our league match-day Football Special service to help more supporters attend matches and support their local club.

Oxford Mail:

“Since we stepped in to help the club with match-day bus services the relationship has developed and we’re looking forward to the new season. We are offering fans free travel to and from the Kassam Stadium for the opening league game to provide them with an opportunity to try the service.”

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Club Secretary Mick Brown said: “This is great news for supporters in Didcot and Abingdon and surrounding villages.

"We have a lot of supporters in these areas and it is great that they now have a means to attend home league games via public transport.

“We are grateful to Thames Travel for its support - they stepped in three years ago when we were struggling to make match-day bus services financially viable to continue after a previous operator withdrew.

"We need supporters to use the service to make it work and I’d encourage people to get behind it as much as possible.”

An adult return from Great Western Park costs £7 while an adult return from Abingdon costs £6.