£161m Oxford station transformation planned
Oxford station is set for a £161m revamp, which will deliver quicker journeys and increased freight and passenger services.
The upgrades will be completed by 2024 and have been designed to improve passenger experience, better integrate the station into the local road networks, and boost economic growth by supporting the creation of almost 10,000 jobs in the area.
The upgrades will include the creation of a new track, platform, and fully accessible entrance on the west side of the station.
Oxford station is set for a £161m revamp, which will deliver quicker journeys and increased freight and passenger services.
The upgrades will be completed by 2024 and have been designed to improve passenger experience, better integrate the station into the local road networks, and boost economic growth by supporting the creation of almost 10,000 jobs in the area.
The upgrades will include the creation of a new track, platform, and fully accessible entrance on the west side of the station.
Rail minister Wendy Morton said: “While union bosses continue their campaign to inflict maximum disruption to the lives of everyday people with strikes, I am busy getting on with the job at hand, modernising our railways to create one which is fit for the 21st century and meets the needs of the modern-day passenger.
“This £161m will truly transform the region, increasing the number of services for passengers, boosting economic growth by connecting people to new opportunities, and increasing freight services between the South and Midlands.”
Oxford station is one of the busiest stations in the South of England, managing 8.7m passenger journeys a year pre-pandemic.
Funding will also be used to renovate the existing road bridge on Botley Road to create a four-metre-wide cycling and walking path and allow standard height double-decker buses to pass underneath for the first time.
It will also fund three new high-speed crossovers, which will enable trains to turn around in the station, increasing services and reducing journey times.
Oxford station is 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.
Work at the station will begin later this year, with the Botley Road improvements expected to be completed by the end of 2023 followed by the new platform and entrance in 2024.
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