HUGH Jaeger (January 4) may see Hanborough as Witney’s new railhead, but I would rather press for something more significant in terms of new transport links.

We need a mass transit scheme from West Oxfordshire to have any chance of managing the large number of passenger movements resulting from the 15 per cent growth in jobs across Oxford that the Labour city council may well create through the Northern Gateway and other schemes.

That is why, along with Liberal Democrat colleagues on the county council, I have requested a feasibility study on the re-opening of the Witney to Oxford rail link.

Personally, I would also look at restoring the historic rail link from the Cotswold Line to the Bicester route thus enabling the new parkway station under construction to take some of the pressure off Oxford station.

Today’s letters

Such a scheme might also allow for the relocation of the Oxford North junction, north of the ring road and thus take the Bicester Line away from Wolvercote.

This plan would also do away with the future need for a flyover alongside Port Meadow that has entered the long-term thinking of Network Rail planners who now expect rail traffic to grow significantly during the coming decades.

If the Government can stump up money for a flood channel to be used possibly once or twice a year it can surely find the money to improve our rail facilities and in so doing also help the environment and improve the livelihood for many that live across north Oxford.

Cllr John Howson, Libl Dem for St Margaret’s, Oxfordshire County Council

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