ANOTHER hurdle for the £130m rail link between Oxford and London Marylebone has been cleared.

The deadline for appealing the decision to reject a judicial review bid against the project has passed.

It means work on the Chiltern Railways project can now go ahead, with work set to start this summer.

Sean Feeney, from Summertown, Oxford, had tried to halt the scheme over its environmental impact. It was thought it could have put the scheme back two years. Mr Feeney brought the case against the Government on the impact of nitrogen oxides on the Oxford Meadows Special Area of Conservation.

But Mr Justice Ouseley said Natural England – a Government executive agency – could enforce pollution measures.

Chiltern Railways spokesman Emma Gascoigne said: “Through this project, Chiltern Railways will open the first new rail link between two major British cities for 100 years, with the line expected to deliver significant economic benefits for those living and working along the route.

“Towns and villages to the north of Oxford will gain especially from improved rail access and a new parkway station for the region.”

Chiltern Railways plans to open the line and operate services from Water Eaton Parkway from the summer of 2015, with the full line to Oxford is expected to open in spring 2016.