BOTH Railfuture Thames Valley and Bus Users Oxford support Witney Oxford Transport (WOT), which campaigns for an Oxford-Witney rapid transit.

In 2001 civil and transport engineers Mott MacDonald compared options for re-opening the former Witney Railway as a railway, tramway or guided busway. It estimated costs at £107m, £79m or £75m respectively. Oxfordshire County Council chose a busway, but this failed its business case and OCC abandoned the project.

Numerous cities have found that trams far out-perform busways at getting people to forsake cars. Hence for only six per cent extra cost, a tramway might reduce A40 traffic much more. WOT is taking no chances.

It wants the 2001 study updated, again comparing heavy rail, tram and busway for Oxford-Witney.

WOT believes the new transit should not only reach central Oxford, but also connect to Headington’s hospitals and BMW and Unipart. WOT and its partners have discussed with city council leader Bob Price his idea of trams in Oxford.

We emphasised that for a viable alternative to its busiest bus routes, Oxford needs large, high-capacity trams that Birmingham, Croydon, Manchester, Nottingham and Sheffield now have.

We also stressed that if proposals are made for central Oxford and for Oxford-Witney, the two systems should be compatible with each other.

Network Rail is considering reintroducing passenger trains on the branch through Littlemore to Cowley when it enlarges Oxford station. This would complement any rapid transit proposals, so any new study should take it into account.

Hugh Jaeger
Media officer, Railfuture
Thames Valley Branch