Rail link plan runs into problems

6:07pm Tuesday 15th September 2009 in News

A NEW train service between Oxford, Bicester and London Marylebone was given the backing of Oxfordshire County Council Cabinet in principle tonight.

But councillors were warned that “structural problems” could hit one important element of the scheme, the double tracking of the line between Bicester and Islip.

Cabinet members supported Chiltern Railways’ £200m proposal to create a new Oxford to London service by 2013 but warned it would have to demonstrate exceptional reasons for wanting to build a new station at Water Eaton, which would be in the Green Belt.

But the progress of Chiltern’s proposals was marred by news that essential work may not go ahead.

The officers’ report warned councillors: “Structural problems on part of the route between Bicester and Islip would make double-tracking that section more expensive than initially envisaged.

“What would initially be constructed would therefore be only partially double tracked and have a capacity for only four trains (three passenger and one freight) each way per hour.”

The structural problems are unlikely to impact on Chiltern Railways ability to run two fast trains per hour between Marylebone and Oxford as promised.

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But the report warns of serious implications for the long awaited east-west rail link scheme, which would mean only one train an hour instead of two between Oxford and Milton Keynes.

Comments (2)

8:16pm Tue 15 Sep 09

Andrew:Oxford says...

"It would have to demonstrate exceptional reasons for wanting to build a new station at Water Eaton, which would be in the Green Belt."

So it's ok to build a 1000+ car park and bus interchange there, but potentially inappropriate to build a railway station there?

Surely by building a railway station there it'll discourage people from driving all the way into Oxford (or more likely down to Didcot) to park and get the train.

I suspect dirty tricks... Maybe someone at the County Council doesn't want 1000s of people using the station every day to work in the City Council planned adjacent business park?
"It would have to demonstrate exceptional reasons for wanting to build a new station at Water Eaton, which would be in the Green Belt." So it's ok to build a 1000+ car park and bus interchange there, but potentially inappropriate to build a railway station there? Surely by building a railway station there it'll discourage people from driving all the way into Oxford (or more likely down to Didcot) to park and get the train. I suspect dirty tricks... Maybe someone at the County Council doesn't want 1000s of people using the station every day to work in the City Council planned adjacent business park? Andrew:Oxford

10:51am Wed 16 Sep 09

wiltz says...

I agree with Andrews comment, I was going to make the same points until I found that he had already said it all.
The proposed location for the Water Eeaton station is on an area which has been used for industrial (although mostly derelict) purposes for as long as I can remember, why then is there any consideration of greenbelt land?
I agree with Andrews comment, I was going to make the same points until I found that he had already said it all. The proposed location for the Water Eeaton station is on an area which has been used for industrial (although mostly derelict) purposes for as long as I can remember, why then is there any consideration of greenbelt land? wiltz

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