Oxford could have a new Rail link with London, writes Peter Barrington.

Long-term plans could see trains running on a new route through Wheatley and Thame to Princes Risborough and then to London Marylebone.

A parkway station would be built near the Wheatley junction of the M40, where motorists could switch to rail for the journey to the capital.

The scheme, which would cost about 250m, has been put forward by Chiltern Railways. It would involve relaying 18 miles of track torn up after the old Oxford-Princes Risborough line closed under the Beeching axe in 1963. At least three trains an hour would run between Oxford, Princes Risborough and Marylebone, giving passengers an alternative to the Oxford-Paddington service.

Chiltern last week won an extension to its franchise for services from Marylebone to Haddenham and Thame Parkway, Bicester North, Banbury and Birmingham, and from Marylebone to Aylesbury, until 2020.

The proposed Oxford to Princes Risborough and Marylebone service is among the company's future expansion plans. Chiltern Railways could also be an operator of the proposed east-west route linking east coast ports with Swindon and Bristol, taking in Milton Keynes, Bicester and Oxford.

It has already announced that it wants to run passenger trains over part of the east-west line, from Aylesbury to Milton Keynes.

Chris Hayward, project officer for the East-West Rail Consortium, said Chiltern Railways and GB Railways, which operates mainly in East Anglia, could share passenger services on the east-west route.

The first trains could run from Oxford to Milton Keynes in the winter of 2001/2, as an extension to the Oxford-Bicester Town service. Chiltern Railways spokesman Rachael Chambers said plans for the Oxford-Princes Risborough-Marylebone link were at an early stage.

She said: "The proposed new line is one of a number of major projects identified by Chiltern Railways in their 20-year franchise proposals.

"Extensive work is required to develop the proposals. It would involve wide-scale consultation with parties including local residents and potential passengers." Martin Walter, Thames Trains spokesman, said: "It's just an idea. It could take about ten or 15 years. It is very difficult to judge what the impact would be for our existing services. It could be a positive effect, considering the large numbers of customers in this area.

"People are increasingly travelling in the Thames Valley. It's an important area and Thames Trains, along with others, are trying to accommodate them.

"We don't see a problem with it at all, if it means increasing services to the public."