Oxford Online Cycle Map
A brand new cycle map of Oxford has been launched, showing low-traffic routes in the city. The map came out of conversations with school children and older cyclists. It shows routes that are car-free, protected or low-traffic, and walking-only, as well as road crossings. You can use it to work out safe-cycling routes to key places in the city, such as schools.
This interactive map was developed by local cycling enthusiasts including Tom Green, Emily Kerr, Hannah Kirby and Danny Yee. To suggest additions or changes please contact Cyclox: contact@cyclox.org
Open the map direct in Google (best for use on your phone) or navigate below.
Pale purple = car-free routes. These are often shared with pedestrians. Do not cycle fast on these routes.
Dark purple = low-traffic cycle routes
Magenta = routes separate from motor traffic but often running close to it
Online walking map
A sister map, the Oxford Online Walking Map, was launched in summer 2023. It shows on and off-road walking routes through the city, green spaces, plus the locations of benches and of playgrounds. The aim is to add places of local and historical interest to the map over time.
8 Responses
Some of these routes I personally wouldn’t like to depend on if cycling with my 4yr old. Any chance you could do a map from outside of the city centre and making your way in, to City centre outwards? Although they may appear to have safe cycle routes I would only use Donnington Bridge to come out of the city and BBL bridge coming from the city towards BBL. I’m sure for both there would be a way to change that by upgrading the infrastructure.
I am also very confused about the new cycle sections in Headington. From the NOC with cars parked either side it gets very hairy by the zebra crossing. There is not really enough space for a car and a bike at the pinch point, but also no right of way sign so no idea which side to give way to. Prior to that from Hollow all the way up to the cross roads is really good in both directions. Lots of space for all, including pedestrians.
Thanks for the great map. Could I please put in a correction? The Old Abingdon Road should not be dark purple all the way from Southern Bypass Road to where you can join the backstreet route behind the Abingdon Road. Rather, there is *no* safe cycle route at the junction with the Kennington Road. You can join the pavement a little way further to the north-east, but then you have to leave the pavement again before you reach Go Outdoors. I am not sure about the full stretch between the Southern Bypass Road and the Kennington Road junction, as I never go that way, but I have the impression that there is no safe cycle route for any of that.
There is actually a horrid gap in safe cycling into town from Kennington, from the top end of Upper Road until you get to Bertie Place, with inconsistent permitted cycling on the pavement in between, and this is something I was intending to write to the local councillors about. Would be happy if Cyclox were interested.
Thank you very much for producing this map. I would like to propose another correction. Please note that Footpaths are designated for pedestrian use and not by wheeled or motorised vehicles (with the exception of prams and wheelchairs, obviously) and are legally ‘walking-only routes’ – colour pale green in the legend to the map. FP 26 from Mill Lane (sign reads ‘Footpath to Iffley Lock’) leading SW to FP 134 at the River Thames, SE of Iffley Lock, are both pale purple on the map (‘car-free route’), but should in fact be pale green (‘walking-only route’). ALL footpaths on the map should be pale green. PLEASE AMEND THE MAP TO SHOW THE CORRECT COLOUR FOR LEGAL DESIGNATIONS OF ROUTES – FP 26 and FP 134 AS A START.
Oxfordshire County Council and the government have been very clear on this issue: footpaths can be narrower for safety reasons than dual-use paths (pedestrian and cycle use) which must be an absolute minimum of 3m wide and preferably 3.5m. FP 134 does not meet this minimum requirement and FP 26 which accesses it is clearly designated as above. There are liability issues involved for the County if these requirements are not observed.
The County also only ‘tolerates’ cycling on the Thames towpath and will not commit resources to repair damage resulting from cycle use. Maps such as this one are welcome by everyone keen to know how to travel in different ways through the City but it is very important that legal designations and hence underlying safety and liability issues are depicted accurately. Awkward as it might be, it is in everyone’s interests to know the facts about where we want to go and how to get there, so I trust the map will be amended asap. Many thanks for all the effort put into its creation.
Reply from Emily Kerr. Completely agree with you on the below – this is the first time I’ve seen this comment. There have been a couple of other locations we’ve made a mistake and have changed them. I believe I’ve now made your suggested change below, please can you check and confirm you think this makes sense?
Just to let you know, we’ve decided to remove the green routes completely from this map and we’re in the process of creating an Oxford Online WALKING map separately as we want to show people where they can walk free of bicycles – this is also very important.
Do let me know if you might be keen to contribute to the walking map once we’ve got a draft?
Hi, Dear Map-Makers,
Yesterday I left a comment about the map but today it is not visible, so I’m including my comment again here:
Thank you very much for producing this map. I would like to propose another correction. Please note that Footpaths are designated for pedestrian use and not by wheeled or motorised vehicles (with the exception of prams and wheelchairs, obviously) and are legally ‘walking-only routes’ – colour pale green in the legend to the map. FP 26 from Mill Lane (sign reads ‘Footpath to Iffley Lock’) leading SW to FP 134 at the River Thames, SE of Iffley Lock, are both pale purple on the map (‘car-free route’), but should in fact be pale green (‘walking-only route’). ALL footpaths on the map should be pale green – or perhaps a dual colour with pale purple.
PLEASE AMEND THE MAP TO SHOW THE CORRECT COLOUR FOR THE LEGAL DESIGNATIONS OF ROUTES – FP 26 and FP 134 AS A START.
Oxfordshire County Council and the government have been very clear on this issue: footpaths can be narrower for safety reasons than dual-use paths (pedestrian and cycle use) which must be an absolute minimum of 3m wide and preferably 3.5m. FP 134 does not meet this minimum requirement and FP 26 which accesses it is clearly designated as above. There are liability issues involved for the County if these requirements are not observed.
The County also only ‘tolerates’ cycling on the Thames towpath and will not commit resources to repair damage resulting from cycle use. Maps such as this one are welcome by everyone keen to know how to travel in different ways through the City but it is very important that legal designations and hence underlying safety and liability issues are depicted accurately. Awkward as it might be, it is in everyone’s interests to know the facts about where we want to go and how to get there, so I trust the map will be amended asap. Many thanks for all the effort put into its creation.
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1. It is missing the paths inside the forest area in Sandford Brake.
2. The railway crossing at the end of Spring Lane is for both pedestrians and cyclists. But it marked in green.
3. The steps from Linnet Close and Furlong Close to Blackbird Leys Road make it harder to cycle there. Those roads do not have less traffic than Brambling Way and Merlin Road. A lot of the roads around there, and particularly in Greater Leys have very slow traffic so they are fine for cycling, although not as good as the routes through the parks.