Rail crossing closures will 'cut town in two'

Calum Miller is the MP for Bicester and Woodstock

Residents do not want to see their town "cut in two" by proposed longer closures of a busy level crossing, an MP has said.

Calum Miller, the Liberal Democrat MP for Bicester, has sent a letter to Rachel Reeves outlining the town's "frustration" at a lack of funding for the London Road level crossing.

In the letter Mr Miller called on the Chancellor to fund replacement crossings for all users when the site closes as a result of the new East West Rail service.

More trains will run across the crossing when the route begins running at full capacity.

This is expected to result in longer closures of the level crossing, which Mr Miller said would make it "unsafe".

The East West Rail service will connect Oxford, Milton Keynes, Bedford and Cambridge.

"We need a commitment now to invest to provide alternative crossings so that pedestrians, cyclists and drivers can continue to get across town," he said.

The London Road crossing links south east Bicester to the town's centre

The first test train journey on the multibillion-pound East West Rail route from Oxford to Milton Keynes was successfully completed earlier this month.

The entire line is expected to open to passengers in the early 2030s.

In the letter to Ms Reeves, Mr Miller said residents had told him the closures would "negatively affect them or their families".

"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," he said.

A spokesperson for the Treasury said: "Following the spending audit, the Chancellor has been clear that difficult decisions lie ahead on spending, welfare and tax to fix the foundations of our economy and address the £22 billion hole the government has inherited."

On Wednesday the Chancellor will deliver Labour's first Budget for 14 years.

She has warned it will involve "difficult decisions", with government sources telling the BBC the budget could include tax rises and spending cuts to the value of £40bn.