Two new stations would benefit city (From Oxford Mail)

Two new stations would benefit city

6:37pm Wednesday 17th March 2010 in

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Colin Smith (Oxford Mail letters, March 8) is right: even if Water Eaton Parkway station opens in 2013, Kidlington still deserves a new railway station on the Cherwell Valley line.

The county council wanted it built down Lyne Road.

However, this might impose too many Buses and commuter cars on local residents.

Brunel built Kidlington’s original station off Banbury Road – just north of the village. A new station at, or close, to that site would be ideal for Oxford Airport, Oxford Motor Park, Station Field Industrial Estate and various business parks.

Buses could link both Kidlington station and Water Eaton Parkway with Yarnton, Begbroke, Woodstock and the rest of Kidlington. Congestion, journey times and climate change could all be reduced.

The railway would need resignalling to let local trains call at Kidlington without delaying CrossCountry expresses. Network Rail plans to resignal Oxford in 2014. It should be persuaded to add a new Kidlington station to its plans.

However, Mr Smith is incorrect to say more local stations and trains would make tramways unnecessary.

More trains to Oxford station would need more buses through the city centre. High Street businesses and colleges want fewer buses.

If Mr Smith thinks trams would need overhead wires in central Oxford he may have missed, or misunderstood, my letter, published on January 28.

Alstom’s APS ground level electricity supply runs trams without overhead wires. It works in Bordeaux and is being introduced in Angers, Reims, Barcelona and Dubai. It’s neat, unobtrusive and ideal for Oxford.

Hugh Jaeger, Chairman, Bus Users UK Oxford Group