A settlement located close to Bicester may receive approval for a new railway station with projected expenses reaching £29m, according to an initial assessment carried out by the local authority.
Oxfordshire County Council conducted research into establishing a facility on the Chiltern Main Line to serve Ardley village, undertaking preliminary pre-feasibility work.
The investigation concluded there existed sufficient justification for developing a new passenger rail facility as part of broader regional connectivity improvements planned by the council.
Councillor Gareth Epps, the cabinet member responsible for transport at Oxfordshire County Council, explained that a station at Ardley featured in the previous year’s OxRail 2040: Plan for Rail, which set out ambitious proposals for enhancing rail services and connectivity throughout Oxfordshire and the surrounding area.
He further noted that the recently commissioned research had demonstrated how an Ardley station could substantially improve railway access for neighbouring communities currently dependent on road transportation.
Additionally, with suitable infrastructure in place, such a facility could serve an extended geographic area while helping to address the consequences of broader planned growth and transport modifications.
Local residents have long expressed frustration regarding the speed and combined effects of development projects in villages surrounding Bicester, establishing North Oxfordshire Resident Action to advocate for community concerns.
During July, the organisation presented a petition bearing 1,700 signatures to Cherwell District Council, calling for fundamental changes to the way significant developments in the Bicester and Heyford areas are evaluated.
The group highlighted worries about the collective consequences of at least 13 substantial housing, logistics, infrastructure and leisure schemes currently progressing through the region.
These ventures encompass a proposed Puy du Fou theme park situated within several miles of Ardley, substantial alterations to the M40 junction 10 interchange with Bicester, and residential developments including plans for approximately 9,000 additional homes at Heyford Park, merely one mile from the village.
According to calculations by the campaign group, these combined initiatives could introduce roughly 58,000 extra inhabitants and generate up to 60 million additional vehicle journeys annually.
Oxfordshire County Council has emphasised that the pre-feasibility assessment constitutes preliminary research aimed at determining whether sufficient evidence exists to advance the Ardley station proposal.
An initial design concept proposes two platforms, facilities designed for accessibility and limited parking arrangements, with projected expenses ranging from £24m to £29m.
The site of the former Ardley station and its associated railway infrastructure, which ceased operations in 1963, has been identified as a potential location.
The council has indicated that subsequent phases would involve developing a potential strategic outline case, encompassing specifics regarding positioning, architectural design, financial projections, integration with existing timetables, environmental consequences, consultation with interested parties and potential funding mechanisms.
The OxRail 2040 strategy outlines proposals for four additional stations at Oxford Cowley, Oxford Littlemore, Begbroke and Wantage and Grove, with a possible fifth location at Ardley.