Restoring a railway between Carterton, Witney, Eynsham and Oxford could cost £900million, a new study has found.
A report into the feasibility of the Carterton-Witney-Oxford Rail Corridor (CWORC) was commissioned by Oxfordshire County Council after the Witney Oxford Transport Group proposed reviving the line in 2021.
Details were released earlier this year, along with the summary reports.
The full reports, which have now been updated have now been published.
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Councillor Judy Roberts, cabinet member for infrastructure and development strategy, said: "The work so far shows that this transformational project would be possible and could provide potentially significant transport and other benefits in the longer-term, in line with our policies to improve public transport.
“However, it would also come at a very significant cost, as well as having wider planning considerations, which we would need to discuss with West Oxfordshire District Council and other partners.”
The study also identified environmental issues but found, if it went ahead, it is predicted to be profitable.
The council study predicted journey times of 23 minutes from Carterton to Oxford, 16 minutes from Witney and 11 minutes from Eynsham, reducing journey times for passengers by more than 70 per cent.
The first phase of the railway could be delivered by 2033 at the earliest.
However, construction costs of building the rail line alone are estimated by the report at between £700 - £900 million, with the scheme potentially being delivered in phases – although no route has been decided at this stage.
It would also depend on other rail improvements being funded and completed, including the planned upgrade to the North Cotswold Line, which the county council remains said it remains committed to.
Funding for a rail project of this significance would mainly need to come from central government.
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Councillor Andy Graham, leader of West Oxfordshire District Council, said: “We welcome the feasibility study and partnership opportunities to bring an ambitious project to fruition with the county council and other stakeholders.
“There is much work to be done and we will need to create the framework to ensure it is fully costed as an investment that will make a difference to the lives of our residents and address current and future employment.
"It is not what we do for ourselves today but what we leave for future generations.”
The service between Oxford, Witney and Fairford was stopped in 1962 when many local rail lines were cut by Richard Beeching, then chair of the British Railways Board.
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