Network Rail has today confirmed that Botley Road will not reopen in October 2024 as planned.

The road has been closed since April 2023 as part of the re-development of Oxford station, a £116 million project.

Initially the road was supposed to reopen temporarily from October 2023 to March 2024, however complications and delays meant it remained shut through to October 2024.

READ MORE: Traffic filters launch is now 'in question'

When the road reopens county council bosses plan on activating six new traffic filters across the city on a six-month trial basis, but it is likely this will now be postponed. 

Anna Holbrook, industry programme director at Network Rail said: “Although our work is progressing well on most aspects of this major programme, including the construction of the new platform on the western side of the station, the bridge replacement has unfortunately had to be postponed as the work to divert the complex layout of utility pipes and cables under the road, including the sewer system, will not be ready in time.

"We have informed the councils that Botley Road will not now be able to be reopened in October. 

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"We know how important Botley Road is to Oxford and apologise to local residents and businesses for the ongoing inconvenience.

"We are working out the best way forward and will continue to engage with the local community as our plans develop.

"Kier and the 11 different utility providers involved continue to make progress on diverting the large number of pipes and cables, including the water main and sewer, which need to be completed before the bridge can be replaced.

"Working on this outdated maze of pipes and cables spread out below the highway, in a severely constrained space, with poor ground conditions and significant water levels, continues to make this work very challenging.

"Once fully complete, the upgrades will result in a bigger and better station, more rail services for passengers and an improved road network near Oxford station with safer junctions, and more space for cyclists and pedestrians through the addition of a four-metre cycle/footway on each side of the main road.

"In terms of a new date for the reopening of the road, we are working with industry and local authority partners and will provide an update on timescales when a full review of the programme has been undertaken."

This comes as Thames Water is expected to reduce Osney Bridge to a single lane of traffic until March 2025 while it replaces a leaking water pipe.

Layla Moran, Lib Dem MP for Oxford West and Abingdon, has branded Network Rail’s further delays to the closure of Botley Road as “unacceptable” and slammed their “utterly shambolic” project management.

The MP has written to the new Rail Minister, and former chair of Network Rail, Lord Peter Hendy to request an urgent meeting.

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Ms Moran said: “This delay is completely unacceptable.

"Network Rail have demonstrated utterly shambolic project management from start to finish, and I am furious at this latest development.

"Residents have endured nearly a year and to ask them to endure even a day longer is completely unreasonable.

“I have written to the minister to express my disappointment in Network Rail, to ask for a meeting to discuss my concerns, and to urge the government to provide support for struggling local businesses impacted by the closure.

Susan Brown, leader of Oxford City Council, said: "These delays to the scheme are hugely frustrating for all in the city living with the disruption. 

"Oxford residents and businesses need absolute clarity about when the Botley Road will open and what the implications for County's traffic filters plans are. 

"Network Rail and Oxfordshire County Council must find a positive resolution and provide that clarity as a matter of urgency."

A statement from Oxfordshire County Council said the authority "is extremely frustrated" that the road will not reopen in October. 

The council said it is in discussions with Network Rail to understand the implications of the delay.

The statement added: "Residents and businesses have shown incredible patience with more than a year of disruption to their lives because of this project, which has already had its timetable altered twice before and seen its closure dates extended.

"We have expressed our deep dissatisfaction to Network Rail and to the Department for Transport about this."

Oxford City Councillor for Osney and St Thomas Ward Lois Muddiman said: "Sadly, like most local residents, I am not at all surprised that Network’s Rail’s project on Botley Road will not be completed on schedule and Botley Road will not re-open in October as planned.  

"We can all understand that it is complicated to move a water-mains and a sewer that serve 60,000 households, as well as multiple other utilities, but the scale of delay on this project is simply appalling."

It is understood the delay is not connected to a car being wedged in a walkway next to the works over the weekend.

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