From a West Oxfordshire District Council press release:
Councillors are to examine backing plans to significantly improve Hanborough railway station.
A proposal to put £10,000 towards the installation of a modular station building will be considered by West Oxfordshire District Council’s Cabinet on Wednesday 10 January.
The proposal, subject to final costs, is for a new ticket office, waiting room and toilet. Operator Great Western Railway is also looking to house a small retail outlet in the building.
Cllr Jeff Haine, Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning and Economy, said: “In the last 10 years, passenger numbers at Hanborough have more than trebled and clearly there is a need for the station to be developed to meet that demand.
“The proposed investment in this infrastructure will improve passengers’ experience as well as easing congestion on our roads.”
The modular building was previously used at Abbey Wood station on the North Kent line but it became redundant with the opening of a new Crossrail station.
It has now been acquired by Great Western Railway for use at Hanborough in a project which will cost an estimated £250,000.
The work is being seen as the first phase in the development of Hanborough with future developments set to include additional car and cycle parking, signalling and track improvements.
Annual passenger numbers using Hanborough have spiralled from 76,580 in 2006-07 to 238,580 in 2016-17 with numbers expected to increase in future despite a recent fall due to the opening of the new Oxford Parkway station.
New Intercity Express Trains were introduced on the North Cotswold Line this month with further services coming later this year.
The Abbey Wood station appears to be pictured here:
http://www.newsshopper.co.uk/news/11561521.Abbey_Wood_makes_way_for_Crossrail_as_temporary_station_opens/ .
The single biggest thing Hanborough station needs now is a safe cycle route from the east - the A4095 is absolutely lethal, and Woodstock and Bladon have a population of 4,000 (with many more to come at the new Pye development) within very easy cycling distance. Additional cycle parking is all very well but it's not much use if it's too dangerous to get there.
