TRAIN passengers are being reminded that services will not run between Oxford, Didcot Parkway and Banbury while vital work takes place. 

The services will stop running for nine days from Saturday, July 22, as Network Rail undertake work which will improve line speeds in and out of Oxford when final commissioning is completed next summer. 

As part of Network Rail’s Railway Upgrade Plan, work to realign the track will take place between Hinksey Lakes and Oxford Station.

Buses will replace trains between Didcot and Oxford throughout the nine days.

Passengers will be able to travel from Banbury and Oxford to London Marylebone on Chiltern Railway services, which are running throughout the closure, or to London Paddington using the bus replacement service to Didcot Parkway. This will operate from Becket Street car park and will include direct and stopping services.

Chiltern Railways will be running trains from platforms 1-4 from Oxford to London Marylebone and at peak times services will have extra carriages.

Rob Mashford, senior programme manager for Network Rail, said: “I’d like to thank passengers for their patience while we undertake this work to improve the railway through Oxfordshire as part of our Railway Upgrade Plan.

“We appreciate that there is never a good time to close the railway but we have worked closely with GWR, CrossCountry and Chiltern Railways to ensure minimal impact on passengers throughout this vital work.”

For more information, click here