DOZENS of extra parking spaces are to be provided at Charlbury railway station after a plan to extend the car park won a grant from a Rail improvement fund.

And Radley station’s car park will also get more spaces, after bids for money by train operator First Great Western were approved.

The grants will come from a £100m fund set up in April by Network Rail, the Department for Transport and the Association of Train Operating Companies.

The 150 existing spaces at Charlbury’s car park are often full by the end of the morning rush-hour and commuters’ cars parked in streets around the town are a long-standing problem.

Up to 100 extra spaces could be provided on a triangular area of land, once used as allotments, between the B4437, the station’s approach road and the north end of the existing car park.

The area was levelled and given a hardcore surface last year for use as a site compound during Network Rail’s recent project to reinstate double track on the Cotswold Line between Oxford and Worcester, including the section between Charlbury and Ascott-under-Wychwood.

The £67m scheme was completed last month.

Work on detailed plans to make the site suitable for use as a car park is now under way.

The go-ahead for the scheme has been welcomed by passengers and the local community.

John Ellis, chairman of the Cotswold Line Promotion Group, said: “We’re delighted to hear the extension has been approved. It’s long overdue and will help reduce parking problems in the town.

“More importantly, it should encourage more people to use the railway.”

Charlbury Town Council chairman Nick Potter said: “We’re absolutely delighted that funding has been allocated and are waiting to hear the full details.

“We hope they can get on with the work as quickly as possible. I’m sure I speak for Charlbury residents and everyone who uses the station when I say how good it is to hear we will have a bigger car park after all these years.”

Mark Hopwood, managing director of First Great Western, said: “This announcement is great news for our customers and further demonstrates our long-term commitment to the Greater Western franchise.”

Patrick Hallgate, Western route managing director for Network Rail said: “As well as providing a safe, punctual and reliable train service we must give passengers a better journey experience.

“These car park expansion schemes will make a big difference to the community and businesses, who rely on the railway for thousands of journeys every day.”