Bicester North railway station is one of the best in Britain.

It won the award for the most passenger-friendly small station at a glittering ceremony hosted by comedienne Sandi Toksvig today.

Bicester North is on the Chiltern Line, with services to London Marylebone and Birmingham, and is used by hundreds of passengers every day.

Passenger services were recently increased after the completion of work to double the 18-mile section of single track from Bicester to Princes Risborough.

The competition, open to all 2,500 stations on the Railtrack network, focuses on the quality of facilities and services offered to passengers.

The aim is to highlight the company's five-year £1 billion regeneration programme designed to bring all stations up to a benchmark standard by 2001.

Loveliest Loo, Excellence in Adversity and Community Spirit are among the categories included in the Station of the Year competition, which is organised by Railtrack for the first time.

The prestigious honour of 1998 Station of the Year goes to Grantham in Lincolnshire.

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