Bicester Residents Object to Level Crossing Closure for East West Rail Project

Local residents have expressed objections to a proposal to close a level crossing, which is part of a significant railway development. East West Rail has put forward a plan to permanently close the crossing in Bicester, Oxfordshire, citing an anticipated rise in train frequency. The company organized a public exhibition in the town on Thursday to gather feedback on various options, such as a new footbridge and a pedestrian underpass. Nevertheless, attendees informed the BBC that removing vehicle access would “cut the town in half.” Julie Collins, a resident of Arncott, stated she was “fuming” about the proposal. She commented: “They’re going to kill Bicester. I’m disabled so I certainly won’t be coming into town as much as I do.” Elaine Whittaker, from Bicester, remarked: “There isn’t really a ready alternative. The only valid route is through the level crossing.” She added that while the train line is a “fantastic idea,” it appears “no consideration has been given to this incredibly quickly growing community.” The East West Rail project is designed to ultimately connect Oxford and Cambridge, passing through Bicester, Milton Keynes, and Bedford. The segment between Oxford and Milton Keynes is scheduled to commence operations next year. The government reaffirmed its backing for the initiative in the Autumn Budget, stating that the project is expected to “boost the Oxford-Cambridge economy by £6.7bn per year by 2050.” However, Ms. Collins expressed concerns that the closure of the London Road crossing might lead to the failure of businesses in Bicester. Andy Wallace, another visitor at the exhibition from Langford, commented: “It’s going to stop a lot of people from where I live travelling into the centre.” Annmarie Godwin, also from Bicester, reiterated that it would “cut the town in half.” Calum Miller, the Liberal Democrat MP for Bicester and Woodstock, had previously suggested that the planned underpass might be enlarged to accommodate vehicles. Will Gallagher, East West Rail’s strategy director, stated: “With the increase in trains that would be going through that level crossing… it just wouldn’t be safe to keep that crossing open.” He further explained: “It would also be pretty frustrating for drivers because the barriers on that crossing would be down for longer than they’re open every hour.” Gallagher concluded: “We’ve taken the view that the right thing to do is to make upgrades to the roads in the local area so that people can use the existing roads to take a diversion.” The full railway line is anticipated to become operational for passengers in the early 2030s. East West Rail had previously indicated that travel durations between Oxford and Cambridge would decrease to 90 minutes, a significant reduction from the present “two and a half hours by car or coach.” An online public consultation period is open until January 24. For updates, BBC Oxfordshire can be followed on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content of external websites. Information regarding its approach to external linking is available.