Oxford Station - improvements, incidents and events (merged topic)

[whole diary]

[willc]

Photographer Martin Loader has just uploaded a photograph taken at Oxford in 1990 of a Reading-Bicester train with the then gleaming new station and the footbridge in its original form - without the lifts. How times have changed. See http://www.hondawanderer.com/L409_Oxford_1990.htm

[IndustryInsider]

You don't see many 3-car trains going to Bicester now - and look at all those litter bins... 

[devon_metro]

Photographer Martin Loader has just uploaded a photograph taken at Oxford in 1990 of a Reading-Bicester train with the then gleaming new station and the footbridge in its original form - without the lifts. How times have changed. See http://www.hondawanderer.com/L409_Oxford_1990.htm

I too noticed that yesterday, was interested to see how new it is!

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the Oxford Mail:

All change for new-look Oxford platform

These images of how a planned new platform at Oxford railway station could look, has been released as part of public consultation.
Oxfordshire County Council is inviting the public to comment on the ^10m scheme at its website or by picking up details of the plan from the passenger information desk at the station, where details are on display.
The new platform, south of Botley Road on part of the station^s long-stay car park, off Becket Street, will be used by services between the city and London, with the aim of reducing delays caused by shunting trains between the station^s existing platforms and the sidings north of the station.
The platform, inset, will be connected to the main station building by a new covered footbridge over Botley Road. Huw Jones, Oxfordshire County Council^s director for environment and economy, said: ^We^re very excited about this project and looking forward to hearing what people think.^
If planning permission is granted, construction could start next year. The deadline for comments is April 26.
For further details on the station scheme, go to myconsultations.oxfordshire.gov.uk

[paul7575]

The picture on the Network rail site shows that the bridge will be split, with a paid side, and a public side. Looks very much like steps from the carpark giving access through a barrier line - makes sense in that regular pax such as season ticket holders joining/leaving trains in the new bay won't ever have to visit the main station at all...

http://www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk/Resource-Library/New-platform-and-footbridge-at-Oxford-station-b3f.aspx

Paul

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

Passengers see ^12m Oxford Station plans

Rail passengers are being asked for their opinions on ^12m plans to upgrade Oxford Station.
They include building a new platform on the existing long-stay car park and a new footbridge with a covered walkway over Botley Road.
The county council and Network Rail are funding the scheme and want it completed by 2012 if planning permission is granted later this year.
Displays will be on show at the station until 26 April.
There was a mixed reaction among rail users interviewed by the BBC at the station about the plans.
Sumit Chakradorty welcomed the prospect of a new platform. He said: "It would be good for the image of Oxford and make it a better experience for commuters."
But another passenger, Phil Dodd, questioned whether the level of investment was needed. He said: "It's only about 10 years since they refurbished the station. It's a nice scheme but is it really necessary?"
Mark Harwood supported the idea. He said: "Public transport is massively important. Anything that increases rail options has to be good."

[willc]

There are a series of images of the design, including details of the platform, at the county council's online consultation page, which also feature in the display in the booking hall at the station.

http://myconsultations.oxfordshire.gov.uk/inovem/consult.ti/oxfordstation/consultationHome

[inspector_blakey]

I rather like the sweeping curves of the footbridge, although no doubt there will be those in the city who are furious that the building will not be constructed from Cotswold stone and feature spires and gargoyles. Can't say I'm much of a fan of the view from the platform side though: although I admit it's only a vague artist's impression, it looks like a quick and nasty 1960s prefab job from that angle.

And as an aside, I'm impressed that they managed an accurate depiction of an OBC Citaro (probably one of the flavours of route 4!) waiting at the traffic lights...

[IndustryInsider]

Thanks for the links, guys.  All looks fairly impressive to me, though I remain a little concerned over how many parking spaces will be lost.

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

^10m Oxford railway station upgrade under threat

A ^10m upgrade of Oxford train station is under threat.

The Department for Transport was set to contribute ^5m but the project is under review as the new government looks to cut back on public spending.

The plans include building a new platform on the existing long-stay car park and a new footbridge with a covered walkway over Botley Road.

Network Rail, which would also provide a share of the money, had planned for the work to be completed by early 2012.

The plans are part of Oxfordshire County Council's Access to Oxford project, which was set up to make the city more accessible.

Leader Keith Mitchell said he hoped there was a way the work could still go ahead.

"It's really important, not just for Oxford but for the whole transport system around because it's a pivotal point in the system," he added.

The plans went on public display at Oxford Station in April and a planning application was being prepared for later this year.

On 24 May, the government announced that savings of ^683m were to be made from the Department for Transport's 2010/11 budget.

[willc]

The new bay platform at the south end and the covered bridge over Botley Road have been given planning permission by the city council

http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/8422329.Bridging_way_to_new_look_station/

[IndustryInsider]

I must admit I thought that the scheme might quietly be dropped to save some money, but good news that it's still looking likely to go ahead.

[gwr2006]

I must admit I thought that the scheme might quietly be dropped to save some money, but good news that it's still looking likely to go ahead.

Unfortunately the money isn't confirmed yet so there's still time for that happen!

[Chris from Nailsea]

It's also interesting that the figure for the cost of this project varies between ^10 million and ^12 million, and back again, in the three previous stories from the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page), quoted above. 

[paul7575]

It's also interesting that the figure for the cost of this project varies between ^10 million and ^12 million, and back again, in the three previous stories from the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page), quoted above. 

Depends if the journalist is writing in the peak or offpeak I expect...

Paul