A new and improved walkway at Botley Road opened on Sunday, 31 August, marking an important milestone in the revised timeline to fully reopen the road by the end of August 2026.
The route establishes a direct connection between Botley Road and Frideswide Square, providing significantly more space for pedestrians and cyclists to walk or cycle through the area. The additional width is designed to ease congestion and improve safety for the thousands who pass through this busy gateway into Oxford each day.
For now, while construction continues around the site, cyclists are required to dismount while using the shared surface to ensure pedestrian safety. This temporary measure will remain until the permanent walkways are completed and it is safe for cyclists to ride through the area again.
The walkway is part of the wider redevelopment of Oxford Station and the surrounding road and rail network. Once complete, the project will bring more train services with the arrival of East West Rail, provide vital extra rail capacity for the future, and deliver a safer and more reliable road layout beneath the railway bridge.
Looking further ahead, when Botley Road fully reopens in August 2026, a second walkway will be available. Together, the two permanent, wide routes under the railway will enable cyclists to remain on their bikes and ensure better access for everyone travelling into and out of the city.
In the coming months, work will begin on installing the foundations for the new Botley Road bridge before the existing structure is replaced. Some of this activity can only take place at night when trains are not running.
A series of weekend works is scheduled for September, October, and November 2025, followed by an eight-day railway closure in February 2026, when the bridge will be demolished and replaced.
