Just days remain for the public to contribute to a consultation on the future of rail in Oxfordshire.
The public consultation for OxRAIL 2040: Plan for Rail ends at midnight on Wednesday, October 1 and West Oxfordshire District Council (WODC) has sent out a plea for its residents to have input by supporting a potential new line between Carterton and Oxford.
The consultation document, launched by Oxfordshire County Council, explores how the county’s rail services could be developed.
WODC argues a Carterton to Oxford railway has potential to better connect some of the district’s fastest growing communities, including Witney and Eynsham, with the wider county and beyond. It is proposed to start in Carterton with stops in Witney and Salt Cross Garden Village.
Cllr Hugo Ashton, WODC executive member for planning, said: “We know how important good transport links are for people living and working in West Oxfordshire, both now and in the future.
“We have done studies that show this railway is viable, and we believe it is a vital upgrade to improve transport options for visitors and residents as house numbers grow over the coming years.
“We will be urging the county council to mirror our own emerging Local Plan and be much more ambitious by including a rail link to Carterton more positively in their strategy.”
Council leader Cllr Andy Graham said, “Everyone using the A40 knows it is not fit for purpose and residents have had to tolerate congestion and poor transport options into Oxford for too long.
“A rail connection between Carterton and Oxford could bring real benefits to both the local economy and the wider economy across Oxfordshire. It would deliver a reliable transport option, reduce congestion, improve access to jobs and education and improve business connectivity.
“We’re encouraging West Oxfordshire residents to take a few minutes to respond to the county council consultation and give their views.”
Witney MP Charlie Maynard said: “Here in West Oxfordshire, we face some of the worst congestion in the county. The Government has required thousands of new houses to be built locally, but we still have no railway serving Carterton, Witney, or Eynsham.
“Without action, the traffic problems on the A40 and beyond will only get worse. That’s why it’s so important that the County Council hears loud and clear from residents that we want the Carterton–Witney–Oxford railway restored.”
Visit the OxRAIL 2040 website here.
Contact OxRAIL2040@oxfordshire.gov.uk.
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