IT’S not crystal clear... but it certainly looks promising. The electrification of the Rail service between Oxford, Didcot, Reading and London has at last been given the go-ahead.

But – and it’s a significant ‘but’ – a question mark still hangs over whether the bulk of commuters taking trains from Oxford to London will benefit. Why?

Well for one, it won’t be in place until 2016, and two, the Government has deferred a decision on whether to electrify the Great Western Main Line west of Didcot (although an announcement on this is expected in the new year).

Regardless, Transport Minister Norman Baker yesterday heralded the £14bn of funding to Network Rail as the biggest investment in railways since Victoria times.

And, if that wasn’t reason enough to toast your season ticket (or at least not burn it), passengers have been told they can expect more coaches to deal with overcrowding (electric trains from London’s Thameslink route will be transferred to operate Oxford services). According to Railfuture Thames Valley branch chairman Richard Stow: “Both passengers and neighbours of the railway will benefit.”

Or, to put it more simply, after years of being treated like cattle, there is a very real possibility that Oxford commuters might actually get what they pay for. And wouldn’t that be a miracle?