Transportation
Rail Strike Advice
We are aware that there are currently proposed railway strikes on the 21st of June, which may affect people getting to Milton Keynes for the conference. The strikes include Avanti West Coast and West Midlands Trains, which are the two companies that come into Central MK station and Bletchley, the two closest stations to the Open University.
Whilst it is currently expected some train services will be running, below are some alternative methods of travel to Milton Keynes.
Coach/Bus
A large number National Express Coaches stop at Milton Keynes Coachway, which is an approximately 10-minute taxi ride from the Open University. Coaches regularly travel to/from MK and Manchester/Leeds/Newcastle/London/Nottingham/Leicester and Birmingham. (https://routemap.nationalexpress.com/search/from/milton_keynes_coachway_m1_junction_14)
Travel to-and-from Oxford and Cambridge is very easy on the X5 bus, which stops at both the Coachway and MK central train station.
Fly
We are aware flying is not the most environmentally friendly way to travel around the UK. However, for those coming from Scotland or further afield, there are regular flights into London Luton, which is only a 30-40 minute taxi ride from the Open University. And there is a direct buss to MK coachway
Drive
The Open University has ample free parking on site. Cars can be left on site overnight if needed (let us know if you wish to leave your car overnight, and we can let campus security know). There is also plenty of parking available at Kents Hill Park. The OU is only a 10-minute drive from Junction 13 and 14 off the M1.
If there are multiple people travelling from one institution, we would suggest driving (renting a car if needed) is the easiest and cheapest way to travel to the OU for those within about a 2-3 hour radius.
Taxis
Because of the geography of Milton Keynes is quite spread out there a number of reasonably-priced taxi services to choose from:
Skyline (01908 222 111), Speedline (01908 262260), Star Line (01908 770770)
