A radical reconstruction of Oxford station and extra tracks to allow more trains to run on the Oxford-Didcot corridor are proposed by Network Rail in a blueprint for the development of rail services over the next decade.

The rail infrastructure firm yesterday published its draft Great Western Route Utilisation Strategy, which sets out how it plans to cope with a forecast 31 per cent rise in demand for passenger and freight services in the Thames Valley and West of England by 2019.

Among the key recommendations is action to expand capacity at Oxford station — already the region’s fifth busiest, with 4.7 million passengers a year passing through.

As well as a previously proposed extra dead-end platform for London Paddington trains at the south end of the station, the study suggests creating two extra through platforms, as well as facilities for trains using Chiltern Railways’ proposed Oxford-London Marylebone service, via Bicester, and the projected East-West Link to Milton Keynes and Bedford.

It also recommends creating a four-track railway through Oxford, from Radley in the south to Wolvercot junction in the north.

This could be carried out in conjunction with a project to renew signals in the Oxford area from 2015.

The document says these changes “could achieve greater capacity for passenger trains, whilst opening up more long distance freight paths, by addressing the pinch-point that the current Oxford layout represents”.

From Wolvercot, it is proposed that double track should also be reinstated along the Cotswold Line through Hanborough to Charlbury, to join up with a section of the line that will be redoubled next year.

Another proposal to enhance capacity is the construction of extra loop lines between Didcot North junction and Appleford, to allow freight trains to keep out of the way of passenger services.

For full details of the strategy, see the Network Rail website.