POLICE will now be based at Oxford railway station to get a grip on late-night antisocial behaviour and other crimes on the network.

British Transport Police (BTP) will reopen their office at the station early next year.

The new team will be made up of a sergeant, three constables and two Pcsos, who will police Oxfordshire’s 12 stations, plus Kings Sutton, in Northants, and the rest of the county’s railway network.

Insp Will Jordan said: “Oxford is a safe station but there’s a drive within BTP to increase our coverage to stations outside London.

“The ultimate aim in opening the new base at Oxford station is to reassure passengers and members of staff, as well as tackling late-night antisocial behaviour.

“We’re very excited to be opening the new base, in partnership with First Great Western, especially as BTP historically had a post at Oxford station.

“Passenger numbers are expected to increase at Oxford and the new team will be there to help both maintain and increase safety and security.”

The BTP office, on platform two at the station, off Roger Dudman Way, is being refurbished by First Great Western (FGW),which runs the station.

It was last used by BTP in the early 1990s, but subsequently the county has been covered by officers based in Reading.

FGW’s head of security Paula Durrans said: “We’ve been talking to customers, as well as other train companies which operate in the area, and everyone agrees that there’s a definite need for a higher police presence in and around Oxford station.

“The city is a popular destination, which sees a high number of people travelling to and from it.

“Therefore we’re absolutely delighted that the police office is going to be reopened.”

FGW spokesman Ellie Banks would not reveal how much the firm had spent on refurbishing the police office, but said that it was a “substantial” sum.

The other stations the Oxford-based team will cover are Appleford, Culham, Radley, Islip, Tackley, Heyford, Kings Sutton, Banbury, Hanborough, Combe, Finstock and Charlbury.

Because the officers will operate as mobile teams, riding trains or on mobile patrols in cars, the office at Oxford station will not always be staffed, so it will not be open to the public.

Extra officers can be drafted in from neighbouring areas for high-priority events, like football matches where police expect trouble.

British Transport Police is a national force, funded by mainline train operators, London Underground and tram and metro operators in other cities around the UK.

  • Anyone wanting to report an incident at stations, or on the county’s railway network, should call BTP’s national control centre on 0800 405040, where staff will be able to contact members of the Oxfordshire BTP team.