COUNCILLORS have endorsed improvements to Charlbury railway station as part of the Cotswold Line redoubling project.

Network Rail will build a new platform for trains heading to Worcester and a ramped footbridge to link it with the existing platform.

The £67m redoubling project is reversing changes made to the line in 1971, when the second track was removed from much of the line to save money.

With many more trains using the route than in the 1970s, a delay to one service can affect others over several hours while they wait to pass each other at the end of the single-track sections.

Work will begin next month to lay 20 miles of new track, including four miles between Charlbury and Ascott-under-Wychwood.

The council was asked to approve the work at the station, as it lies within the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and its main building, designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel and dating back to the opening of the Oxford Worcester and Wolverhampton Railway in 1853, is Grade II listed.

As well as the platform and the footbridge, the station will also get new lighting and digital train departure screens.

Alan Brain, chairman of Chipping Norton Railway Club, welcomed the changes.

He said: “It’s absolutely magical. The redoubling is going to be great for commuters and for the local community. It will be good for the county generally.”

He said the loss of the second track in 1971 had led to years of headaches for passengers on the line.

Mr Brain added: “Of course, they never should have singled it in the first place.”

The station plans were discussed by West Oxfordshire District Council’s uplands area planning sub-committee on Monday.

Charlbury & Finstock councillor Mike Breakell said: “I’m very much in favour of it, and everyone else is interested and excited to see it go ahead.

“There’s loads of support all around.”

Crawley councillor Colin Dingwall added: “Everybody’s done a really professional job on this, to the benefit of west Oxfordshire.”

The proposals also have the backing of Charlbury Town Council. Councillor Reg James said members “fully supported” the plans.

Network Rail spokesman Mavis Choong said the scheme would improve the reliability of trains on the Cotswold Line and further afield.

She added: “The council and the community have been very supportive of this scheme to help our work progress smoothly and on schedule. We have carefully designed the bridge to be compatible with the conservation area and it will also be fully accessible for disabled people.”

Oxford contractors Amey will build the footbridge and new platform early next year.

The section of double track in west Oxfordshire is due to open in June, with more double track in Gloucestershire and Worcestershire due to be opened for use by trains in late August.

for more details of the project, see the Network Rail website.