East West Rail: 'They're going to kill our town'

Julie Arncott (left) and Elaine Whittaker voiced concerns over plans to close a level crossing

Residents have voiced their opposition to plans to close a level crossing as part of a major rail project.

East West Rail has proposed to permanently shut the crossing in Bicester, Oxfordshire, due to the planned increase in the number of trains.

The firm held a public exhibition in the town on Thursday, seeking views on ideas including a replacement footbridge and a new pedestrian underpass.

However, visitors told the BBC the loss of vehicle access would "cut the town in half".

Julie Collins from Arncott said she was "fuming" over the idea.

She said: "They're going to kill Bicester. I'm disabled so I certainly won't be coming into town as much as I do."

Elaine Whittaker from Bicester said: "There isn't really a ready alternative. The only valid route is through the level crossing.

"The train line is a fantastic idea but it seems like no consideration has been given to this incredibly quickly growing community."

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

East West Rail will eventually link Oxford and Cambridge via Bicester, Milton Keynes and Bedford, with the Oxford to Milton Keynes section due to open next year.

The government confirmed its support for the project in the Autumn Budget.

It said the scheme would "boost the Oxford-Cambridge economy by £6.7bn per year by 2050".

However, Ms Collins said the closure of the London Road crossing could cause Bicester shops to fold.

Another exhibition visitor, Andy Wallace from Langford, said: "It's going to stop a lot of people from where I live travelling into the centre."

Annmarie Godwin from Bicester said it would "cut the town in half".

The first test trains recently started running between Oxford and Milton Keynes

Liberal Democrat MP for Bicester and Woodstock Calum Miller previously said the proposed underpass could possibly be expanded to allow cars through.

East West Rail's strategy director Will Gallagher said: "With the increase in trains that would be going through that level crossing... it just wouldn't be safe to keep that crossing open.

"It would also be pretty frustrating for drivers because the barriers on that crossing would be down for longer than they're open every hour.

"We've taken the view that the right thing to do is to make upgrades to the roads in the local area so that people can use the existing roads to take a diversion."

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

East West Rail previously said journey times between Oxford and Cambridge would be reduced to 90 minutes from the current "two and a half hours by car or coach".

An online public consultation runs until 24 January.