RAIL passengers from Bicester and Banbury could see up to 10 minutes cut off their journeys to London or Birmingham.

Chiltern Railways has put forward plans to Network Rail to improve track and signals between the two cities over the next year.

Proposals are in the final planning stage and work is due to start early next year.

The improvements will mean trains can travel up to 100mph on the Chiltern Line, with the eventual aim of cutting journey times between Birmingham and London to 90 minutes, rather than two hours at present.

The plan is part of the firm’s £250m Evergreen3 project, which will also see the creation of a second Oxford-London route, by building a new connection to the Chiltern Line in Bicester, and bring Oxford-Bicester journey times down from 25 to 14 minutes.

The scheme will see the reconstruction of Bicester Town and Islip stations, and a new station built at the Water Eaton park-and-ride centre, just outside Kidlington.

Chiltern Railways chairman Adrian Shooter said: “Over the past few years we have done quite a lot of things at Chiltern Railways to speed trains up and reduce journey times from Bicester and Banbury to London.

“We’re planning to take it a step further.

“The plan has got two parts. The first part is making trains go faster between London and Birmingham, and Bicester — being half-way — will get the benefit of that.

“It will reduce the journey time from Bicester by approximately 10 minutes, basically by going faster on existing tracks.

“To do that there will be work on the tracks and signalling. That work will take place next year and will involve one or two line closures.

“We are hoping from December 2010 to make journey time reductions.”

Mr Shooter pledged to warn commuters well in advance when sections of the line will be closed for engineering work.

Travellers will be offered other transport to get to their destination, including alternative rail routes and bus links.

He said part two of the Evergreen3 project was linking London Marylebone with Oxford, with a half-hourly train service expected to start running in 2013.

Mr Shooter said: “We will do that by building a small curved piece of track south of Bicester North station, connecting to the line between Bicester and Oxford.

“That piece of railway isn’t in good condition.

“We’re going to completely rebuild that, so we can run trains up to 100mph between Bicester and Oxford.”

Because it is such a big project the operator will need permission from the Government under the Transport and Works Act.

Chiltern aims to submit its application next month.

The Government could order a public inquiry to he held. If so, it could take place next summer.

bicester@oxfordmail.co.uk