Residents, local councillors and campaigning organisations have declared that years of community pressure have delivered a major win for London’s Road in Bicester.

East West Rail Company has confirmed that a single-lane vehicle underpass is the only viable option being pursued for replacing the London Road level crossing in Bicester.

The decision represents a significant milestone for local people, businesses and activists who have fought long and hard to maintain Bicester’s connectivity.

MP Calum Miller, who submitted a petition containing more than 4,500 signatures to the House of Commons last year, characterised the result as a genuine victory for Bicester.

Miller stated that in 2021, East West Rail examined the possibility of shutting the crossing completely. Their 2024 consultation only considered options that would have banned cars. Now they have selected an underpass as their preferred scheme. Miller added that this did not happen by chance. It happened because local people mobilised, made their views known and kept insisting that Bicester deserved better infrastructure, and he has been proud to stand alongside them throughout.

The announcement came during the rail operator’s latest round of public consultation, which runs until Tuesday, June 9, giving local people the chance to share their views.

A formal application for government approval, known as a Development Consent Order, is scheduled for submission next year, which will include the final design, business case and cost estimates.

Campaigner Carole Heatherington, who chairs the Langford Village Community Association, said she was relieved that a vehicle underpass had been selected as the only workable solution.

Heatherington commented that they have worked incredibly hard to get to this point, and well done Bicester. She noted that they now just need confirmation from government and East West Rail that the funding is locked in, which she expects to happen soon.

The scheme features a single traffic lane for cars along with a separate route for pedestrians and cyclists.

As part of Bicester’s wider transport plans, this should cut waiting times and congestion caused by barrier closures, boost safety for road users and improve punctuality for buses and emergency services.

The underpass will have height restrictions, with a different route planned for large trucks.

Further transport studies and environmental assessments are underway to finalise details of the junction improvement scheme.

A new active travel hub south of Bicester Village station is proposed, complete with cycle parking, an upgraded bus stop and parking spaces for private vehicles.

A sloping earth bank along part of the underpass approach will create a wider, better-lit route, protect public spaces and footpaths and provide a direct walking link from the station to Langford.

Hybrid electric and battery-powered trains will operate on the railway line, including services between Oxford Parkway and Bicester Village.

Paul Troop, coordinator of the Bicester Bike Users’ Group, welcomed the belated recognition of pedestrians, cyclists and public transport users who depend on the crossing.

However, Troop said his group should commit to funding the underpass from its own core budget rather than relying on outside handouts.

While the design confirms that persistent efforts to secure the underpass have paid off, it remains dependent on obtaining external funding.

East West Rail and Oxfordshire County Council are working closely with the Government’s Department for Transport to agree a funding package, though no binding commitment has been made so far.

Miller also stressed that funding needs to be resolved quickly. He added that the more vocal and determined local communities remain in the coming weeks, the harder it becomes for anyone to backtrack. Miller noted that Bicester has already made its position clear, and now they must do so again and get the job done.

David Hughes, Chief Executive of East West Rail, said that from six different options, they intended to pursue the more expensive but significantly better choice.

Hughes explained that over the past five years they have consulted on at least six different possible approaches, yet what has consistently stood out is the disruption caused by closing that level crossing to the local community. He noted that they have clearly heard that people wanted to keep vehicle access, and the only way to achieve that is through this option, which he believes has been welcomed.