WORK to speed up Chiltern Railways’ trains between Oxfordshire and London is on track, with a new platform at Bicester North station coming into use.

The work, carried out as part of the company’s Chiltern Mainline scheme to improve its route between London and Birmingham, has seen curves on the London-bound line at either side of the station removed, allowing trains to run faster when arriving and departing or passing through non-stop.

The next phase of work at Bicester will see the gap between the new platform and its predecessor filled in.

Passengers are using temporary bridges to reach trains at present.

Once the Mainline project is complete in May next year, passengers will see journey times between Oxfordshire stations and London cut by about 20 per cent, with Chiltern’s Clubman trains able to run at their top speed of 100mph on much more of the line.

l Work continues on the Mainline scheme this weekend, with the line closed between Banbury, Bicester, High Wycombe and Denham in Buckinghamshire on Saturday and Sunday.

Passengers from Banbury are advised to travel via Oxford for services to and from London Paddington, while Bicester North and Haddenham & Thame Parkway will be served by buses, which will connect with trains to and from London Marylebone at Aylesbury.

For more details, call 08456 005165 or see Chiltern's website.