HOPES of reopening the Oxford-Bicester-Milton Keynes railway line have been given a boost by the inclusion of the route in a proposed National Strategic Rail Freight Network.
The plan, drawn up by the Department for Transport, lists the east-west route as one likely to be needed to meet forecast growth in rail freight over the next decade.
Reopening the line from Claydon, east of Bicester, to Bletchley, in Milton Keynes, would create a route for trains between south coast ports and the west coast main line at Bletchley and the Midlands main line at Bedford, giving access to destinations throughout the Midlands, the North and Scotland.
Consultants working for the East West Rail Consortium, which wants to reopen the Bicester-Bletchley line for passenger trains, are preparing designs for the work needed to bring the line back into use, with a report due in December.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here