A CAR park which has more than doubled the number of spaces available at a busy railway station has been officially opened.

The multi-storey at Didcot Parkway has been open to commuters for several months but was yesterday given its formal launch by local MP Ed Vaizey.

Didcot is a major hub for trains in the area, with connections to Oxford, Banbury, Reading and London and the car park is the latest stage in its redevelopment.

The Foxhall Road site, which has 1,800 spaces, is intended to ‘unlock economic opportunities’, given the station’s proximity to major employment sites including Milton Park, Harwell Campus and Culham Science Centre.

It was delivered by Great Western Railway and Network Rail and part-funded by the government’s Local Growth Fund.

READ ALSO: School edge closer to £30,000 donated in memory of Rebecca Henderson

The Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership (OxLEP) helped to secure £9.5m from this national fund towards the overall £23m cost of the project.

Nigel Tipple, chief executive of OxLEP, said: “The completion of such a significant project, that will have a positive impact on commuters’ travel experiences is excellent news.

“As the local enterprise partnership for Oxfordshire, we want to ensure our county benefits from an infrastructure that is fit-for-purpose, supporting dynamic economic growth.”

Residents who live close to the station have long complained their streets have been clogged up by passengers parking there rather than using the official car park.