Minister Highlights “Insurmountable” Challenges for Bicester Vehicle Crossing

A government minister has stated that creating a new vehicle crossing for vehicles at London Road in Bicester faces “insurmountable” obstacles. These remarks were delivered during a parliamentary debate concerning the matter, which was initiated by Calum Miller, the Liberal Democrat Member of Parliament representing the constituency. Mr. Miller asserted that the planned closure of the level crossing, necessitated by the East West Railway (EWR) project, would “cut the town in two.” Lilian Greenwood, a minister within the Department for Transport, indicated that while “no final decision” has been reached, the options of a road bridge or tunnel have been dismissed. She stated, “East West Railway Company has reviewed all possible options for the crossing, having consulted on these in 2021.” She added, “These options included a road bridge over the crossing and a road tunnel underneath it.” Furthermore, she quoted, “As the East West Railway Company has previously set out… providing an overbridge or underpass presented insurmountable design, constructability and affordability challenges and these options were not progressed.” The EWR project is designed to ultimately connect Oxford and Cambridge, passing through Bicester, Milton Keynes, and Bedford, with the segment from Oxford to Milton Keynes scheduled to commence operations next year. Within the scope of this undertaking, developers have put forward a proposal for the London Road level crossing to be shut down and substituted with either a footbridge or an underpass. However, Mr. Miller argued that this proposition was inadequate and that residents ought to be “compensated” for the removal of the level crossing. He stated, “In this case car users are being asked to make materially longer journeys, without any alleviation.” He further remarked, “The situation here, I would say, is akin to a Compulsory Purchase Order.” Mr. Miller continued, “The railway has in this case determined that it will compulsorily close the road at the level crossing, but instead of fully compensating the community for the loss of the road, the current proposal is to give them a limited underpass.” He concluded, “EWR and the government need to do better”. Mrs. Greenwood maintained that the government was attentive, stating, “No final decision has been taken on which option to take forward for the level crossing and future access for the local community.” She added, “And feedback from the public will of course play a part in influencing the outcome.” A public consultation regarding the EWR project remains open until 24 January. You can follow BBC Oxfordshire on Facebook, X, or Instagram. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.