Town would be 'cut in two' without rail underpass

The petition has garnered 4,526 physical signatures

A petition calling for a fully accessible underpass at a town's level crossing will be presented to Parliament on Tuesday.

Totaling 4,526 signatures, it calls on the government to ensure any replacement of the level crossing at London Road in Bicester includes access for cars, not just cyclists and pedestrians.

The crossing is set to be closed on safety grounds when the East West Rail (EWR) line becomes fully operational but residents fear this will see the town "cut in two."

EWR said it was looking into "all the potential solutions" and that it would present a final proposal to the public.

The new EWR service will connect Oxford, Milton Keynes, Bedford and Cambridge and is due to be opened to passengers in the early 2030s.

But Bicester residents are worried it will cut one side of the town off from the other.

Bicester and Woodstock MP Calum Miller will present the petition, which he launched

Petition creator Calum Miller, MP for Bicester and Woodstock, has previously warned of residents' concerns.

In a letter to Chancellor Rachel Reeves last October, he said: "There is support for the new rail line but also a belief that its opening should not unfairly affect one town. They do not want to see Bicester cut in two."

In the most recent consultation, which received more than 6,000 responses and closed in January, EWR had proposed a new footbridge or underpass for pedestrians and cyclists.

But a letter from chief executive David Hughes later suggested the plans were under review.

Following a meeting with Mr Miller and Baron Peter Hendy, the Minister for Rail, on 7 April, Mr Hughes wrote that "further work" had been undertaken as a result of feedback.

He said: "I can confirm that since our meeting we have held discussions with both Network Rail and the local council to understand the feasibility of developing the design to incorporate some form of vehicular access."

Mr Miller previously told BBC Radio Oxford it would be "very hard" to put a bridge in place.

A spokesperson for East West Railway Company said: "We welcome the public's continued interest in this important issue and continue to assess all the potential solutions for the London Road Level Crossing.

"Whilst this work is being carried out, we are working closely with our local stakeholders including Calum Miller MP and the local councils.

"Once all the analysis has been completed a final proposal will be published and presented to the public."

The petition, which contains physical signatures only, will be presented by Mr Miller at 19:00 BST.

A Department for Transport spokesperson said: "We recognise the strong views felt locally in Bicester and East West Rail Company is carefully reviewing responses to its consultation.

"Options for the future of the London Road level crossing are still being considered, but any option will need to balance cost with the impact on the community."