Around £20 million of investment in Oxfordshire’s rail system has been unanimously adopted by Oxfordshire County Council’s cabinet to help deliver OxRail 2040, its ambitious plan to improve rail transport and connectivity across Oxfordshire and the wider region over the next 15 years.
OxRail 2040: Plan for Rail, which was approved by the council in November 2025, was extensively consulted on. Read TVCC’s consultation submission here.
The funding includes contributions towards:
- An Oxfordshire Metro: creating an integrated transport network that brings together rail, bus, walking and cycling in a better co-ordinated and seamless user-centred travel offer.
- The delivery of the Cowley Branch Line, including new stations at Oxford Cowley and Oxford Littlemore
- Three other proposed new stations at Begbroke, Ardley, and Wantage & Grove to support growth.
- Continuing studies with industry partners to deliver more overhead wiring and introduce new battery-electric passenger trains across the county
- Installing an underpass at London Road in Bicester, linked to the East West Rail project and the need to remove the existing level crossing.
Gareth Epps, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport, said:
We welcome the work and industry engagement that has gone in so far, which is helping to turn the OxRail 2040: Plan for Rail vision into reality
Paul Britton, Chief Executive, TVCC comments:
The County’s OxRail 2040: Plan for Rail is indeed welcome, especially as plans include a focus on improving active travel access to stations, progressing station enhancement programmes and developing business cases that assess the environmental, economic and community benefits of rail investment. We include the timely delivery of the Western Rail Link to London Heathrow (WRLtH) scheme which TVCC has long been a champion and continues to lead work on behalf of the Thames Valley. We’re pleased for the support of Oxfordshire County Council in this work
Read more about OxRail 2040 HERE. Find out more about WRLtH HERE.
