Network rail has announced revised Botley Road closure dates to enable work to be carried out to upgrade the station and improve the road network nearby.
The first road closure will take place from 11 April to October 2023. Botley Road will be closed to traffic at the railway bridge between Cripley Road and Frideswide Square to enable the diversion of utilities.
A second road closure is scheduled for March to October 2024, during which Botley Road will be closed to traffic for highway work, including replacing the rail bridge at Oxford station as part of the larger project to expand the station on the western side.
In addition to the planned Botley Road closure, there are also planned railway closures as follows:
- 29 July to 06 August 2023 – Railway lines through Oxford will be closed for track and platform work
- August 2024 (date to be confirmed) – A four-day closure for the bridge replacement.
Network Rail had previously proposed that Botley road be closed from 09 January 2023. And it is expected that the closure will continue until 15 December 2023.
Read more: Botley Road to close for 12 months for Oxford Station improvement works
However, Network Rail later informed Oxfordshire County Council that it was no longer able to meet its 09 January start date and, consequently, the planned Botley Road closure was delayed.
Read more: Start of year-long Botley Road closure delayed
In a statement, Network Rail said: “We would like to thank you for your continued patience and feedback while we’ve been reviewing our work plans in partnership with both Oxfordshire County and Oxford City councils.
“As you know, we’re upgrading the station and making improvements to the road network nearby to improve safety and encourage sustainable transport in the area. The upgrade of the railway here will mean more passenger and freight services can serve the city and Oxfordshire.
“However, before we can start work on replacing the bridge, we have an incredibly complex task of working alongside 11 different utility services to divert their pipes and wires that run underneath the existing bridge.
“To do this successfully, we will be temporarily closing Botley Road in two stages, with the first closure starting on Tuesday, 11 April. This, we hope, will reduce the impact on the city’s residents as well as school and university terms by working in the Spring and Summer months.”
Getting into the city during the Botley road closure dates
Motorists that usually use Botley Road to get into the city are advised to either use the Seacourt Park & Ride or take an alternative route into the city.
Buses will turn around just before the rail bridge, allowing passengers to continue their journey into the city centre on foot, and pedestrians, mobility scooters and cyclists will have access throughout the work.
Local residents will have access to their homes throughout, but with some diversions in place.
A series of community events will be held in March, with times and locations to be provided in the next couple of days.
Editorial update:
Network rail will be hosting two drop-in events where you will have the opportunity to find out more about their work and they’ll be on hand to answer any questions.
The event details are as follows:
- Tuesday, 14 March, at West Oxford Community Centre from 1.00pm to 4.00pm.
- Thursday, 16 March, at Seacourt Hall from 5.00pm to 8.00pm.
