Ministers have confirmed a further £78.6m for Network Rail to support the redevelopment of Oxford rail station and rail lines in the area.
The announcement follows £69m from the Government last May to support the development of the design and enabling work and the granting of a Transport Works Act Order. The Oxford Local Enterprise Partnership is also contributing £10.5m towards the project.
The project’s overall cost is thought to be in the region of £161m.
Cllr Susan Brown, leader of Oxford City Council, said: ‘We will continue to work towards a passenger service on the Cowley Branch Line to connect the south and east of the city, and the further improvements to Oxford Station including the main ticket hall and bus interchange.’
The council said the cash will enable Network Rail to significantly transform Oxford station, the railway in Oxfordshire and nearby road network, boosting the number of passengers the station can serve, accommodating new services including freight and improving the accessibility of the station.
The Department for Transport said it was ‘one of the first projects delivered through the Government’s new scheme SPEED (Swift, Pragmatic and Efficient Enhancement Delivery) which aims to halve the time it takes to complete a rail infrastructure project and slash the cost of project delivery’.
The key changes include:
- A new track and platform alongside the existing platform 4, creating an island platform on the west side of the station.
- A new western station entrance next to Botley Road that will link up to the new platform via a subway, stairs and lift. The new entrance will make the station more accessible to people living to the west of the station, reducing walking time.
- Improvements to the nearby road network and replacement of Botley Road bridge including the lowering of the road to enable standard double-decker buses to pass underneath for the first time. The new bridge design will also include a four-metre-wide cycle/footpath on each side.
- Reduced journey times with three new crossovers, which allow trains to switch tracks at Oxford North Junction.
