Network Rail has said the project to develop Oxford Railway Station is still running on schedule as the closure of Botley Road reaches its one-month milestone.

Botley Road is closed at the rail bridge to allow for the multi-million pound development to take place.

The road closed on April 11 and is not due to open until October with a similar closure planned for next year.

READ MORE: Trade down 50 per cent for Botley Road business after road closure

Only pedestrians and cyclists are able to pass under the bridge with motorists forced to find an alternative route into the city.

The closure has caused significant disruption with much heavier traffic than normal being reported on the Oxford ring road during peak times.

The Oxford Mail asked Network Rail for a comment on how the project is progressing.

The company confirmed that over the last few weeks, the contractors had completed ground investigation works and this has enabled them to move onto the next stage of the project.

This will involve digging deeper to divert pipework.

A Network Rail spokeswoman said: “As we pass the first month-milestone of our major project to upgrade the station and railway in Oxford, we’d like to thank the local community for their cooperation, patience and understanding.

“We appreciate the past few weeks have required an adjustment to daily lives for many, but we continue to work closely with key partners to improve things, where we can, and keep everyone updated.

“Over the last few weeks, we’ve completed our ground investigation works, which involved diverting a large number of the complex network of pipes, cables and wires that run beneath the road.

“This vital piece of work means we can now safely move on to the next stage of the project, digging even deeper to divert further pipework and removing the surface of the road.”