We already have two threads covering this: on
Oxford Corridor Capacity Improvements and on
Oxford Station. It was hard to separate the work at Oxford station (both passenger and railway aspects) from the wider railway improvements, even before someone decided a study was needed into a corridor. That gives scope for the government-approved practice of multiply announcing the same funding, and no doubt gives as these
LEPs» and suchlike something to do so they can feel useful. Otherwise it just confuses.
The study - ORCS phase 2 - is referred to in reporting as "published", though I can't find it nor anything answering to ORCS (or its new name of Oxfordsshire Connect). Most of what is available is from Network rail, and of course what they are interested in is what they should build and where they money's coming from. The funding that has been announced is for Oxford station; the rest of the corridor is alleged to take the total to £161M.
NR» 's presentation on the ORCS ties it into their long-term planning process, including the RNEP. One side effect is that they identify Stage 1, 2, 3 etc. that are quite different from the Phases used for the work at Oxford. Having noted that the study is complete, it goes on:
Oxfordshire Connect will be the vehicle used to take forward the recommendations from ORCS, into the Rail Network Enhancements Pipeline (RNEP) to seek funding. Strategic interventions will need to be prioritised; development and delivery strategically phased and co-ordinated to enable project synergies to be utilised to maximise benefits and minimise impacts on passengers and customers.
The Oxfordshire Connect programme formally entered RNEP in March 2021. Development work will continue to progress the priority interventions identified to the next stage of business case development, subject to funding.
The station layout has certainly been known for some time, and I think most of the the new track layout to the north was done some time ago. Network Rail's summary of their aspirations for the southward corridor (to and at Didcot) are hinted at rather than stated in their documents: four tracking to Radley certainly, and an extra platform at Didcot, and grade separation probably - but no details.
There is a
TWAO▸ (see
NR's web page) for the land take at Oxford station, and this is from the
statement of aims in those documents:
The works at Oxford Station requiring the proposed Order are summarised as follows:
• A new through platform on the west side of Oxford station to form a second face to the existing Platform 4, including additional waiting facilities, toilets, retail units and construction of a new canopy along the platform length.
• New track connections to the line from Platform 5, which will allow trains to leave both Platform 4 and 5 at the same time.
• A new western station entrance from Roger Dudman Way, off Botley Road.
• A new span over Botley Road to accommodate the additional downside platform. This will incorporate highways improvements to provide a dedicated cycleway and footpaths and improve the road gradient and clearances below the bridge to allow the use of normal height double decker buses, as well as passive provision for an additional span to the east.
• Re-routing of Roger Dudman Way, removing the junction where it joins Botley Road and creating a new access onto Cripley Road.
• Replacement of road span of Sheepwash Bridge and adjoining footbridge structure on a new alignment.
