East West Rail plans reveal level crossing closure and station enhancements

Infrastructure proposals supporting a new multibillion-pound railway line through Oxfordshire have been made public. As part of the East West Rail project, developers have put forward the suggestion that Bicester’s busy London Road level crossing be permanently closed and replaced by either a footbridge or an underpass. They also recommend that additional facilities be installed at the train stations in Oxford, Oxford Parkway, and Bicester Village. The East West Railway (EWR) is ultimately planned to 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. David Hughes, CEO of EWR, stated that the service would “improve people’s everyday lives”. He added, “Local authorities and businesses have been calling for this railway for three decades and our revised plans aim to maximise the benefits of the project.” EWR indicated that to accommodate the planned four services operating on the route each hour, the Bicester Road crossing would be compelled to close for more than 32 minutes out of every 60. It stated that this would lead to “unacceptable” waiting times for users of the crossing and a “doubling” of traffic queues, in addition to “significant safety concerns”. The company has instead proposed the permanent closure of the crossing, with a footbridge or underpass for pedestrians and cyclists to be installed in its place. Under these plans, road traffic would be diverted via existing roads. Other proposals include upgrades at pre-existing stations and the utilization of partly electrified lines, with trains employing hybrid batteries. A public consultation regarding these proposals will run for 10 weeks. Councillor Liz Leffman, chair of England’s Economic Heartland, the sub-national transport body for the Oxford-Milton Keynes-Cambridge region, commented: “The launch of this consultation represents a significant milestone for a project the region has campaigned for over several decades.” She further stated, “We must ensure the scheme to be delivered is planned, built and operated in a way which leaves the best possible legacy for our communities, businesses, environment and wider transport system.” EWR had previously informed the BBC that journey times between Oxford and Cambridge would be reduced to 90 minutes from the current “two and a half hours by car or coach”. The entire line is anticipated to open to passengers in the early 2030s. Readers can connect with BBC Oxfordshire via Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC does not assume responsibility for the content of external sites. Details concerning our approach to external linking are available.