PROPOSALS for a £13m expansion of Culham Station, near Abingdon, could help provide more regular services and longer trains, rail campaigners hope.

Under plans being considered by South Oxfordshire District Council, the station would get longer platforms, new passenger facilities, as well as extra car and cycle parking spaces.

First Great Western has said it is also involved.

It is hoped the expansion could tie in with planned road improvements, such as a new link road between Abingdon and Didcot, as well as improvements to the A34 at the Milton Interchange.

Transport bosses also hope it could improve links with the nearby science park, where thousands of jobs are to be created.

It expected this would further promote the growth of the Science Vale, a key area in the economic plan for Oxfordshire.

The proposal is one of several projects backed by The Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), a link-up of businesses, councils and universities.

The LEP is to lobby Government in September to secure cash for the scheme, while seeking to obtain private investment.

South Oxfordshire District Council leader John Cotton said: “This scheme is very high on our list of priorities.

“We have got the Culham Science Centre, which is set to create significant employment over the next 20 years and carries out world-leading research.

“We hope fusion research and design can provide a long-term future for us in hi-tech employment. To make that work, we need these improvements.”

The council’s longer term ambition, he added, was to push for Network Rail’s long-term proposal for four railway tracks between Reading and Oxford, providing more services at Culham.

The scheme was welcomed by the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority, based at Culham.

Transport coordinator Anne Tingley said: “Train travel is the second most popular mode of transport for staff at Culham Science Centre and we welcome any improvements to the station which will encourage more staff and visitors to travel by train.

“This should ensure services are maintained, or increased.”

Campaigners also suggest the station’s expansion could see it become a new location for London-bound commuters.

Hugh Jaeger, a transport campaigner, said: “At present, some trains coming from Didcot stop at Appleford but not at Culham.

“If there is this kind of huge investment at Culham, there is scope for them to offer more regular train services that perhaps stop at both.”

First Great Western’s James Davis added: “We are supportive of the proposal and will look at service improvements at Culham when new track electric tracks allows the chance to do so.”