Oxford: Travel disruption warning ahead of railway upgrade

There will be no trains in and out of Oxford for four consecutive weekends

Rail passengers have been warned of disruptions as work on a £161m project is set to begin.

There will be no train services in or out of Oxford, between Didcot, Banbury and Hanborough, during the remaining weekends in September and on 1 and 2 October.

Three high-speed crossovers, enabling trains to switch tracks at Oxford north junction, will be created.

The move is the first phase of a scheme to upgrade Oxford railway station.

The project, led by Network Rail, will see a new entrance to the station as well as a new platform and track, which will allow additional trains.

Buses will operate between Didcot Parkway, Oxford station, Oxford Parkway, Banbury and Hanborough during the four consecutive weekends of work, set to begin on 10 September.

The new station entrance in Oxford is expected to open in 2024

On 10, 11 and 18 September buses will also go onto Leamington Spa, Network Rail said.

Mike Gallop, the company's western route and strategic operations director, said the work involved was "too big to schedule overnight".

Trains between Oxford and London will still run from Oxford Parkway.

But Network Rail warned that strike action on 15, 17, 26 and 27 September would "also severely disrupt train services, with no services at all on some lines".

Passengers have been urged to plan their journeys in advance and allow extra time.