Oxford Corridor Phase 2 & Platform 5 updates

[Oxfordblues]

Thanks for that. I do hope they rigorously enforce the ban on motorcycles (including illegal electric motorbikes) through the station. It might require a BTP presence as the motorcyclists are notoriously "above the law". I don't use the existing tunnel after several confrontations with motorcyclists who refuse to dismount.

 

[djox]

Mopeds and motorbikes will not be permitted through the station. Please use alternative route: A4144 - A34 Western Bypass – A420.

Encouraging mopeds to go on A34 at 30mph is a real risk to them and other road users as well as the ones who are delivering someone's takeaway. What is the difference between pushing a moped and an ebike on the diversion route?

 

[SynthD]

What is the difference between pushing a moped and an ebike on the diversion route?

A number plate?

 

[djox]

A number plate?

Except they have been able allowed to push them for the last 3 years using the diversion under the railway bridge, but now for 9 days when the diversion moves to over the railway they won't be able to.

 

[JamesT]

Except they have been able allowed to push them for the last 3 years using the diversion under the railway bridge, but now for 9 days when the diversion moves to over the railway they won't be able to.

Quite possibly related to the temporary bridges across the railway? A moped/motorcycle is considerably heavier than an e-bike.

 

[Nicholas43]

Quite possibly related to the temporary bridges across the railway? A moped/motorcycle is considerably heavier than an e-bike.

I think Network Rail is trying to keep things simple by calling them 'bridges'. They will be flat walkways at platform level. What, elsewhere, is called a causeway.
Incidentally, all this is merely preparatory work, before any action on platform 5 gets going.

 

[Snow1964]

Network Rail media release 21st January

Oxford passengers urged to check before travelling as Network Rail installs new bridge to boost rail services​

Region & Route: Wales & Western: Western
Passengers travelling via Oxford are being urged to plan their journeys ahead at the start of February as Network Rail installs a new railway bridge adjacent to Oxford station as part of plans to boost rail services and capacity.

An amended timetable will be in place from Sunday 1 February until Sunday 8 February, with rail replacement services in place between Didcot Parkway and Oxford, and between Banbury and Oxford/Didcot Parkway.

The work to upgrade Oxford station, expanding the railway infrastructure in the area and improving the local road network will bring: a bigger, better station for everyone, more services with East West Rail, additional rail capacity for the future, including the Cowley Branch Line, and an improved and safer road layout

Giles Clark, project director for Network Rail, said:

“This is a major milestone in our work to provide more capacity and better journeys for passengers in Oxford. We know getting to this stage has been a difficult journey for passengers and local residents, and I’d like to thank them for their ongoing patience as we install the new bridge.
“If you’re planning to travel via Oxford over the first week of February, please make sure to check your journey before travelling at National Rail Enquiries or with your train operator.”

Billy White, GWR Station Manager for Oxford, said:

“This new bridge over Botley Road is a really important investment in the long-term future of Oxford station and for the city as a whole.
“While some train services will be affected, trains will still run to London or the Cotswolds throughout as well as to Banbury, except on Sundays.
“During this period, replacement road transport will be operating for Banbury or Didcot Parkway from the long stay car park on Becket Street.
“At Didcot Parkway, trains will still be running between London Paddington and Cheltenham, South Wales or Bristol as well as services for the South Coast.
“It’s important that customers are aware that these alternative travel arrangements will make journey times much longer, so please plan ahead.”

Passengers should note the station car park on Becket Street will be shut for the duration of the time that these rail replacement services are running.

Pedestrian access through Oxford station will be maintained when Botley Road is closed during these works with temporary walkways between platforms.

Oxford passengers urged to check before travelling as Network Rail installs new bridge to boost rail services

Passengers travelling via Oxford are being urged to plan their journeys ahead at the start of February as Network Rail installs a new railway bridge adjacent to Oxford station as part of plans to boost rail services and capacity.

www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk

 

[contrex]

Encouraging mopeds to go on A34 at 30mph is a real risk to them and other road users as well as the ones who are delivering someone's takeaway. What is the difference between pushing a moped and an ebike on the diversion route?

Am I missing something? I have noticed people calling what I think of as motor scooters 'mopeds'. I speak as a former owner both types, Lambretta and Vespa scooters, not to mention Mobylette and NSU Quickly mopeds. The NSU cost me £5 and took me from London to Bristol on a gallon of petrol. Mopeds were so-called because motor and pedal propulsion were available...

50cc scooters with a restricted engine are limited to a top speed of 28mph/45kph, but if unrestricted some can manage 60mph/96kph, and most will comfortably reach 40mph/65kph. Is 'moped' a legal category now, irrespective of whether it has pedals? When I worked in Fowlers motor bike shop in Bristol we sold a lot of Yamaha FS-1E 'sports mopeds' to sixteen year olds. They had pedals to comply with the law that had come in for people aged 16. The 'restriction' was an extra-depth carburettor slide, with a helpful cast-in line to show where to file to!

 

[Nicholas43]

At the update for local residents on 21 January, Giles Clark of Network Rail explained that
1. The No-No is any petrol-driven two-wheelers anywhere on the station. Land Sheriffs will be enforcing this, backed up by British Transport Police.
2. There will be 100 people per shift aiming to make sure that the bridge replacement is finished on time on 8 February.
3. One slide seemed to show that they won't tempt Fate by putting any tracks on the new span that will lead to the hoped-for platform 5.
4. ‘Subject to funding release’, the plan is to start work on the new bridge over the Sheepwash Channel, and on platforms 4 and 5, and the design of the hoped-for new western entrance, in 2027.
On past form, Network Rail will soon make the slides from this 21 January presentation available on-line.

 

[swt_passenger]

50cc scooters with a restricted engine are limited to a top speed of 28mph/45kph, but if unrestricted some can manage 60mph/96kph, and most will comfortably reach 40mph/65kph. Is 'moped' a legal category now, irrespective of whether it has pedals?

In the uk mopeds were redefined so as to no longer need pedals as long ago as 1977. The max speed and capacity stayed. Probably off-topic though?

 

[AeM]

At the update for local residents on 21 January, Giles Clark of Network Rail explained that
1. The No-No is any petrol-driven two-wheelers anywhere on the station. Land Sheriffs will be enforcing this, backed up by British Transport Police.
2. There will be 100 people per shift aiming to make sure that the bridge replacement is finished on time on 8 February.
3. One slide seemed to show that they won't tempt Fate by putting any tracks on the new span that will lead to the hoped-for platform 5.
4. ‘Subject to funding release’, the plan is to start work on the new bridge over the Sheepwash Channel, and on platforms 4 and 5, and the design of the hoped-for new western entrance, in 2027.
On past form, Network Rail will soon make the slides from this 21 January presentation available on-line.

This is what Oxfordshire Connect are pumping out via their online newsletter:

It has got the high level milestones that have been completed, and the milestones to go which are:

• Bridge Replacement - 9 Feb 26
• New Surface Floodwater Tank Completed - 17 Jul 26 (Re-sequenced from before)
• New Ground Water Flood Defence Concrete Structure Completed - 30 May 26
• Botley Road Reopended to Traffic - 31 Aug 26.

I'm sure the last milestone is the only one most people are concerned about, having lived through the disruption.....

Also in the newsletter is the diversionary route for pedestrians through Oxford Station, and a diagram of the rail replacement buses in operation from 1-8 Feb 2026.

 

[JamesT]

This is what Oxfordshire Connect are pumping out via their online newsletter:

It has got the high level milestones that have been completed, and the milestones to go which are:

• Bridge Replacement - 9 Feb 26
• New Surface Floodwater Tank Completed - 17 Jul 26 (Re-sequenced from before)
• New Ground Water Flood Defence Concrete Structure Completed - 30 May 26
• Botley Road Reopended to Traffic - 31 Aug 26.

I'm sure the last milestone is the only one most people are concerned about, having lived through the disruption.....

Also in the newsletter is the diversionary route for pedestrians through Oxford Station, and a diagram of the rail replacement buses in operation from 1-8 Feb 2026.

The newsletter was already linked to in post #660

 

[Nicholas43]

Network Rail's weekly update includes

Preparations are underway for the demolition and replacement of the Botley Road rail bridge, which will take place from 1 – 8 February.
This includes making a route for the Self-Propelled Modular Transporter (SPMT), which will lift the central abutment (support) for the new main rail bridge into position. This central abutment has been built on the west side of the site, near the [former, now derelict] One Restaurant and Westgate Hotel, ready to be moved in while trains on the southbound tracks are not running.
This week, tarmacking took place to create a temporary route for the SPMT. This temporary route is not the final highway, which will be built between February – August, underneath the new rail bridges.
Works are also taking place in the Becket Street car park compound to prepare a platform for the large crane, which will lift the two smaller south-east and south-west bridge abutments into position during 1-8 Feb.

January night-time works
Overnight works are taking place between Monday 19 January and Saturday 31 January, from 20:00 - 04:00, to prepare for the temporary pedestrian diversion through Oxford station. This diversion will be in place from 1-8 February while the current walkway between Botley Road and Frideswide Square is closed to enable the replacement of Botley Road rail bridge.
During these nights:
Part of the wall between platform 3 and the current bin store outside the station will be removed, in order to create a wider entrance for the temporary walkway diversion.
On Roger Dudman Way, work will be carried out on the emergency ramp outside the platform 4 emergency acces
Tarmacking works will take place to widen the footpath at the southern end of Cripley Road and Roger Dudman Way.

On line, they have managed to amend the amusing track diagram that appears in the paper leaflets. The paper version has 'Bicester Village' where they now show 'Princes Risborough'. Both versions have Aynho Junction in the wrong place (but I assume they don't want to imply trains from Kings Sutton to Marylebone).

Would probably belong in a speculative thread, and no doubt would have required three years for driver training and safety clearance, but I do wish GWR could have run trains Didcot-Culham-Radley-Hinksey Reception and back.

 

[djox]

Network Rail's weekly update includes





On line, they have managed to amend the amusing track diagram that appears in the paper leaflets. The paper version has 'Bicester Village' where they now show 'Princes Risborough'. Both versions have Aynho Junction in the wrong place (but I assume they don't want to imply trains from Kings Sutton to Marylebone).

Would probably belong in a speculative thread, and no doubt would have required three years for driver training and safety clearance, but I do wish GWR could have run trains Didcot-Culham-Radley-Hinksey Reception and back.

So now they missed out Bicester Village rather than adding it on the vertical green line completely.

I don't imagine Oxford to Princes Risborough has huge amount of passengers, whereas Oxford to Bicester Village especially tourists is huge, so this will generate a lot of queries to staff to enquire if trains are going to Bicester.

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Network Rail's weekly update includes





On line, they have managed to amend the amusing track diagram that appears in the paper leaflets. The paper version has 'Bicester Village' where they now show 'Princes Risborough'. Both versions have Aynho Junction in the wrong place (but I assume they don't want to imply trains from Kings Sutton to Marylebone).

Would probably belong in a speculative thread, and no doubt would have required three years for driver training and safety clearance, but I do wish GWR could have run trains Didcot-Culham-Radley-Hinksey Reception and back.

Do trains normally go from Oxford to Kings Sutton, Heyford etc. on a Sunday, I'm surprised if there is a replacement bus if they don't.

 

[Falcon1200]

Of all the many stations between Oxford and Marylebone they have shown only Princes Risborough! Presumably simply to show that this is the route and that it is not affected by the closure.

 

[Nicholas43]

Do trains normally go from Oxford to Kings Sutton, Heyford etc. on a Sunday,

Only in summer. I think you are supposed to work out that the replacement bus [arranged by Cross Country], shown by the red line, does not stop at Heyford etc.

 

[The Planner]

Would probably belong in a speculative thread, and no doubt would have required three years for driver training and safety clearance, but I do wish GWR could have run trains Didcot-Culham-Radley-Hinksey Reception and back.

Isn't it bi-di on that section? Could have run wrong road along the up and turned in the platform.

 

[cle]

It's weird to not show Bicester.

Interesting to see Didcot become such a XC hub, finally...

 

[Melancholia]

Isn't it bi-di on that section? Could have run wrong road along the up and turned in the platform.

It is, however you cannot reverse at the stations.

When Nuneham Viaduct between Radley and Culham was shut, GWR did run some shuttles Didcot - Culham, however this used a pilot to reverse as it was technically working to/from an obstruction.

 

[gallafent]

Passengers should note the station car park on Becket Street will be shut for the duration of the time that these rail replacement services are running.

... and since the short stay was moved from the convenient location next to the station building to the Becket Street car park (the location next to the station building is now all staff parking I think (maybe also some disabled bays?), and from recent observation generally has many empty spaces ... making me somewhat ... reflective ... about the priority given to staff convenience vs passenger convenience, especially in the current circumstances where getting to the station from the Becket Street car park involves walking about 400 metres, and crossing five lanes of traffic (Becket Street x1, Park End Street x2, station approach x 2) ... but I digress), leaving only the small number of pick-up/drop-off (no "waiting") bays on the forecourt available for people arriving at or departing the station by car, and leaving nowhere for a driver collecting or dropping off someone that needs assistance or guidance to navigate the station building or forecourt to park in order to do so.

 

[Edvid]

After an 18-month delay, the big blockade is set to get underway. Extracts/information from the latest presentation to residents (as of 21 January) are provided below.

Delivery of the central bridge span sections to Becket Street car park was rescheduled owing to site space constraints. It's listed in the 4-week look back with a yellow tick which I believe means some float eroded but no impact expected on January 2025 critical path.


Botley Road west of the railway, with a temporary surface to accommodate the SPMT that'll carry part of the southern abutment. This isn't representative of how it'll look when the road reopens.


A wet Botley Road east of the railway - looking towards the current bridge, southern abutment (inc. "tunnel of doom") and sub-railway ground set for removal next week, up to where the sheet piles cross the railway.


Bridge replacement works, steps 1-4


Bridge replacement works, steps 5-8

At Osney Bridge SSE are digging trial holes to ascertain the locations of their existing cables (they've found 2 out of 4 so far) and planned connections. The permit on one.network currently has a completion date of 6 28 February.

Looking further ahead, the indicative start of Phase 2D has indeed been pushed back to approximately February/March 2027.

 

[NickBucks]

As this event is likely to attract more spectators than an Oxford United home match will there be a viewing area created with refreshments do we know ?

 

[fishwomp]

After an 18-month delay, the big blockade is set to get underway. Extracts/information from the latest presentation to residents (as of 21 January) are provided below.

Thanks for sharing. I was wondering about that east side deck - is that the footbridge replacement, or provision for a future running line (eg. Cowley) - or both (footbridge today, running line in the future, and new footbridge then)?

 

[hwl]

Thanks for sharing. I was wondering about that east side deck - is that the footbridge replacement, or provision for a future running line (eg. Cowley) - or both (footbridge today, running line in the future, and new footbridge then)?

Both

 

[Edvid]

Network Rail have also uploaded a video walkthrough of the walkway diversion in both directions and a list of FAQs.

Here are a few of the questions & answers:

Why are the pedestrian diversion routes one way?
One way routes are in place to separate the flow of people going in each direction. The diversion routes are also separated from people going into the station, to allow for smoother access through the station.

How many people are expected to use the route?
Pedestrian flow analysis estimates around 1,000 people per hour use the current walkway at peak times.

How long is the diversion route and should I allow additional time?
We anticipate that the diversion is approximately 200m further and will add less than 5 minutes for an average walker.

Will station facilities like toilets, shops and lighting be available?
Yes, train services will be running from Platform 1 and 2, so shops and toilets will remain open.

Where can I park during the work?
No further parking restrictions will be in place for residents. However, the APCOA Becket Street long stay car park will be closed from 29 January – 9 February. Seacourt and Redbridge Park and Ride is available for use. APCOA Parking Customer Services can be contacted on 0345 165 2030.

And to answer @NickBucks' possibly tongue-in-cheek query...

Is there any way we can watch the bridge replacement?
We will be sharing photos and video footage of the bridge replacement on the Oxfordshire Connect Facebook page and the digital screens at either end of the walkway. Some of the work will be visible from outside the station and on the walkway diversion route. The areas around the station are busy, so please be mindful of this if you wish to view the works.

 

[djox]

Has anyone got any updates on what is happening at the station, 24hrs after the southbound closure started? According to a report on Oxford Clarion's Bluesky the footpaths over the rails aren't in as of Sunday afternoon and were supposed to be ready very early Sunday morning.



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Update
Actually it may well be in now as Network Rail Facebook says

 

[Gagravarr]

The walkways were in place and in use at 8.15 this morning. (Bit of a rushed shot as I was dashing for the Bicester train...)

 

[hwl]

Has anyone got any updates on what is happening at the station, 24hrs after the southbound closure started? According to a report on Oxford Clarion's Bluesky the footpaths over the rails aren't in as of Sunday afternoon and were supposed to be ready very early Sunday morning.

View attachment 197194

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 1 Feb 2026 ==


Update
Actually it may well be in now as Network Rail Facebook says
View attachment 197197

The walkways were in place and in use at 8.15 this morning. (Bit of a rushed shot as I was dashing for the Bicester train...)

The first part of the first step in the bridge deck work was removing the existing track which would probably be far easier without the foam block bridges in place between P3 & P4 but this also block meant the walkway underneath could be open until the existing track and ballast was removed. A better solution in the interim for everyone.
[Never trust the accuracy of super simplified project plans...]

 

[djox]

Both walkways over the tracks are in place and Botley Road Bridge is no more, picture may not show but the whole bridge section has been demolished.

 

[Falcon1200]

Thanks for the photos; They do show why Working to the Point of Obstruction on Platforms 3 and 4 was not possible!