UK: Oxford Station to Undergo £161 Million Revamp

UK Rail Minister Wendy Morton has announced that Oxford station will undergo a 161 million GBP (191.4m EUR | 194.79m USD) upgrade that will enable more freight and passenger services.

The majority of this investment has come from the UK Department for Transport (DfT), however 10m GBP (11.88m EUR | 12.09m USD) has been contributed by the Oxford Local Enterprise Partnership (OxLEP).

Artist's impression of new Oxford station western entrance
Artist’s impression of new Oxford station western entrance

This is one of the first projects to be delivered through the UK Government’s Swift, Pragmatic and Efficient Enhancement Delivery (SPEED) scheme, which aims to halve the time it takes to complete rail infrastructure projects and dramatically reduce the cost of project delivery.

It includes the creation of a new track, platform and fully accessible entrance on the west side of the station, which will significantly improve capacity.

This is key, as Oxford station is one of the busiest in the south of England. Pre-pandemic it managed roughly 8.7m passenger journeys each year.

Three new high-speed crossovers will also be created, which will enable trains to turn around in the station, also helping to increase services and reduce journey times.

Wendy Morton, UK Rail Minister, said:

“This £161 million 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.”

This project focuses on improving passenger experience, by also better integrating the station into the local road networks.

For example, some of the money will go towards renovating a 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.

Work at the station will begin later this year. The Botley Road improvements are scheduled to be completed by the end of next year, with the new platform and entrance set to open in 2024.

Get your news featured on Railway-News

Please fill in the contact form opposite. A member of the team will be in touch shortly.







    We'd love to send you the latest news and information from the world of Railway-News. Please tick the box if you agree to receive them.

    For your peace of mind here is a link to our Privacy Policy.

    By submitting this form, you consent to allow Railway-News to store and process this information.

    Subscribe
    Follow Railway-News on LinkedIn
    Follow Railway-News on Twitter