After more than three years of diversions, temporary bus arrangements, barriers and construction work, Botley Road is finally a road again.
Botley Road reopened in the early hours of Sunday 20 September, bringing to an end one of the most disruptive road closures Oxford has seen in recent years.
The road has been closed to through traffic since April 2023 while work has taken place to replace the railway bridge, remodel the road beneath it and prepare the area for the next stage of the Oxford Station redevelopment.
The reopening restores bus access between west Oxford and the city centre and allows services to once again travel along Botley Road.
It also marks the opening of two new pedestrian and cycle routes beneath the railway bridge, alongside a new footbridge connecting Oxford Station with Becket Street.
A new way through
The redesigned section of Botley Road includes separate pedestrian and cycle facilities on either side of the road.
Both walkways are open in both directions, while cyclists use one-way routes:
- Eastbound cyclists: northern cycleway
- Westbound cyclists: southern cycleway
- Pedestrians: either walkway in either direction
The new routes are four metres wide, with paved walkways and tarmacked cycleways.
The layout is designed to give pedestrians and cyclists more space while keeping cyclists travelling in the same direction as traffic.
For passengers using Oxford Station, the reopening also means the return of the passenger assistance drop-off and pick-up points at the front of the station on Park End Street.
The temporary passenger assistance gate at platform 4, which was used while Botley Road was closed, closed after 9.00pm on Saturday 19 September.
Buses return
The reopening also brings an end to the temporary Botley Flyer bus service, which ran for the final time on Saturday 19 September.
From Sunday, normal bus services can once again use Botley Road, reconnecting west Oxford, including Seacourt Park & Ride, with Oxford Station and the city centre.
Oxford Bus Company and Stagecoach have introduced services and changes to coincide with the reopening.
For passengers who have spent more than three years relying on alternative routes, the return of buses along Botley Road is one of the most significant changes brought by the reopening.
How did we get here?
The road’s return comes after a much longer closure than originally anticipated.
- April 2023: Botley Road closed to through traffic as work began on the Oxford Station redevelopment.
- September 2023: Network Rail announced that the closure would continue into October 2024, following delays including unexpected discoveries beneath the road.
- July 2024: The planned October 2024 reopening was postponed again as complex utility diversion work took longer than expected.
- January 2025: A new programme targeted reopening in August 2026.
- February 2026: The new railway bridge was installed during a planned railway closure.
- July 2026: The August reopening was postponed after gas leaks were discovered during drainage excavation.
- 29 July 2026: Network Rail announced 20 September as the new reopening date.
- 20 September 2026: Botley Road finally reopened to traffic.
The work isn’t over yet
Although the road is open, construction around the station is continuing.
Remaining work includes creating a permanent junction between Cripley Road and Roger Dudman Way, replacing temporary fencing and other finishes around the new walkways, and reinstating paving at Frideswide Square.
The next phase of the Oxford Station transformation will also bring a new western entrance and platform.
For now, however, one of Oxford’s most familiar routes is open again.
