ELECTRIFICATION of the railway route between Oxford, Didcot, Reading and London was confirmed this morning by the Government.

The plan was first announced last year by the former Labour government but a final decision was put on hold by the coalition as part of its spending review.

However, the Government has further deferred a decision on whether to electrify the Great Western Main Line west of Didcot, to Bristol and South Wales, until the new year, while it assesses plans to replace First Great Western's diesel High Speed Trains with new all-electric or dual-mode diesel-electric trains.

Electrified suburban services between Paddington and Oxfordshire, as well as the Reading-Newbury line in Berkshire, will be provided by transferring overhauled trains from the Thameslink route in London, which will get new trains.

Trasnport Secretary Philip Hammond told the BBC: "I made the decision that we must carry on investing in the railway, we can't stand still.

"If we want growth to continue, we have to invest in our transport infrastructure."

He added that the electrification of commuter services from London to Didcot, Oxford and Newbury would be done over the next six years.