The Haddenham-Thame Greenway is a planned off-road, all-weather route that will connect Haddenham, in Buckinghamshire, and Thame, in Oxfordshire, England. It is intended for walkers, cyclists and those using other wheeled non-road transport, such as wheelchairs, mobility scooters, prams and children's scooters. The greenway's future has been written into local authority plans.
Since the establishment of station in 1987, there have been calls for a safe walking and cycling link between Haddenham and Thame. ÃÂ
In 1999, Haddenham Safe Walking and Cycling group, also known as HaddSWAC, was established by Robyn Thorogood to campaign for this link. The link was referred to as a greenway, adopting the generic nomenclature for an off-road walking, cycling and wheeling route. HaddSWAC was partly inspired by the campaign for, and success of, the nearby Phoenix Trail, a greenway from Thame to Princes Risborough established in 2002.
One of several studies and consultations on route options between Thame and Haddenham was commissioned by Buckinghamshire County Council, assisted by Jacobs Baptie Ltd, in 2008 and 2009. Following this, in 2009, Buckinghamshire County Council referred to local âÂÂoverwhelming support for a route between the two settlements.âÂÂ
ThameâÂÂs dependence on Parkway station has meant that a path to Haddenham has been a regular aspiration of Thame Town Council's annual Neighbourhood Plans.
The importance of the anticipated greenway for the sustainability of Haddenham, a village of c.4,500 people at the time, was explicitly recognised in 2016 by the Secretary of State, with references to the link in his formal decision to support the growth of Haddenham as a strategic growth centre for new housing.
Support has not dwindled, witness the commitment of 94% of 2,000 respondents to a survey in 2019 who said they would use the greenway when built, and a family bike ride to support it in 2024 that was attended by 400 riders.
Currently there is no safe route for those wishing to walk, cycle or wheel between these adjacent settlements; from Thame there is an arterial road, the A418 with more than 10,000 vehicles per day, followed by winding Thame Road; both roads have parts derestricted to 60 mph and with no footway; whilst cross-country, there is a direct footpath that floods intermittently and is not currently suitable or authorised, along its full length, for cycling.
Haddenham and Thame are adjacent settlements, three miles apart, located in the English counties of Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire respectively.
Haddenham depends on Thame as its local market town. Facilities in Thame not available in Haddenham include: monthly charter market, specialist shops, restaurants, leisure centre, swimming pool, bowls, secondary school, skate park, theatre, rugby and football stadia.
Thame depends on Haddenham most significantly as location of its nearest railway station, Haddenham & Thame Parkway, which opened in 1987. By virtue of proximity and the relative populations of Haddenham and Thame (5,700 and 13,300 respectively, in the 2021 Census), a significant proportion of the total 784,436 entries and exits through its doors in the year ending March 2024.
Challenges to development of the greenway have included the intervening floodplain of Cuttle Brook, Scotsgrove Brook and the River Thame, along with the challenge of co-ordinating efforts across the Buckinghamshire-Oxfordshire border.
In 2023, England's Economic Heartland, supported by consultants, AtkinsRéalis, recognised the greenway as a strategic inter-county route.
In 2024, the greenway "corridor" was recognised by Oxfordshire County Council, supported by consultants, PJA, as a âÂÂStrategic/Primaryâ link in its Strategic Active Travel Network.
Between 2022 and 2025, Buckinghamshire Council has led a detailed review of route options, and findings are expected to be published in the near future (as at February 2025).
On 11 February 2025, Buckinghamshire Council adopted its Buckinghamshire Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan, and approved prioritisation of the Haddenham-Thame Greenway.
On the same day, a greenway between Haddenham and Thame was approved by full council of Oxfordshire County Council in its Budget and Medium Term Finance Plan (MTFP) 2025-2028.