THE opening of the new railway line from Oxford to Bicester and on to London Marylebone is a huge deal for the county.

It bolsters our reputation as a place to do business, a place to invest and ultimately, a great place to live. Thousands of commuters will benefit from the new services and hopefully it will go some way to relieving the heaving congestion we must often endure on Oxfordshire’s roads.

But celebrations yesterday were somewhat dampened by warnings that – should we want any further transport improvements of this standard – local authorities and businesses may have to dip into their own pockets.

Making councils and businesses, which contribute to their local community through business rates, dip their hands in their pockets takes away cash that should be spent on other things. And ultimately it would see the taxpayer forking out twice, as Network Rail is a publicly-funded body.

Yes, the councils will feel the benefit, as will private companies, but we cannot rely solely on the whims of external bodies being able to fund major transport projects.

It is a sobering reminder of what financial struggles we still face these days. Everyone is grappling for money and passing the cap around, but we must bear in mind where responsibility lies.

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