UK: The government has announced £120m of funding towards the launch of passenger services on the currently freight-only branch serving BMW’s Cowley car factory in Oxford.
Two stations at Oxford Cowley and Oxford Littlemore would connect people to central Oxford in under 10 min, with trains running on to London Marylebone. The branch is forecast to attract almost one million return journeys each year.
The line will ‘stitch together our science parks, hospitals and new cultural spaces so that ideas, researchers and local residents can move more easily across our city — and out to London – every day’, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford Professor Irene Tracey said when the funding was announced on October 23.
The Departmnent for Transport told Rail Business UK that the scheme is expected to be delivered by 2029-30, subject to full funding being secured and an investment decision in 2026.
Funding
A £4·7m business and investment case for the project was funded by the city and county councils, the ARC Oxford business park, the Oxford Science Park and the Ellison Institute of Technology. It was submitted to the Department for Transport by Network Rail earlier this year.
In addition to the £120m of government funding, local partners will be asked to contribute £35m to the total construction cost. The city and county councils have already committed funds, and will work with other landowners to secure contributions.
Liberal Democrat MP for Didcot & Wantage Olly Glover said ’we need to learn from and replicate this collaborative approach on other desperately needed rail infrastructure’.
Connecting communities
‘The Cowley Branch Line is the single most important piece of infrastructure for connecting local communities and businesses in south and east Oxford’, said city council leader Councillor Susan Brown. ‘It will give access to more amenities and jobs, help to cut congestion, meet our climate targets, and unlock new homes and jobs.’
County council leader Councillor Liz Leffman said the line would ‘form a critical part of our Oxfordshire Metro concept of fully integrated public transport and active travel links, connecting communities and businesses’.
The Ellison Institute of Technology said its site could ultimately employ up to 7 000 staff, and the line would help to ease congestion and bring wider economic benefits to residents in south Oxford. The station to be constructed at Littlemore as part of its wider campus development will be designed by Foster + Partners.
Chief Operating Officer Lisa Flashner said the line ‘will help us attract world-class talent to EIT by linking up key innovation hubs with central London via direct train services. It will also facilitate a closer alliance between EIT and Oxford University with faster journey times.’
