THE new redesign released today of Oxford Station is certainly a good development for railway users.
Oxford needs an overhaul to cope with the increase in services and passengers in the future.
The scheme to ‘jump’ over Botley Road and build a new platform on part of the Becket Street car park is a sound one.
It would be used for trains terminating at Oxford from the south.
Replacing the footbridge with the futuristic crossing planned is also an improvement.
And motorists can take comfort that the new footbridge would take into account the potential to widen Botley Road in the future.
Transport improvements should always look to the future because piecemeal building is what has led to some of this country’s infrastructure problems we suffer today.
It is just a pity that Botley Road is not being tackled along with this project because the case for widening is easily provable on the grounds of congestion, safety and vulnerability to heavy rain.
Yet we know the reason. No-one wants to face the huge cost of such a scheme, even before you add to it the huge impact on the railway line above.
So while railway passengers will be happy, poor old motorists are being left with the status quo.
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