Plans for a new railway station at Ardley take a step forward
A study says there's a credible case for a station near communities currently reliant on road travel
A new railway station could be built at Ardley for the first time in more than 60 years.
Oxfordshire County Council says a new study has found there's a credible basis for a passenger station on the Chiltern Main Line.
The initial pre-feasibility study, commissioned by the council, explored the potential for the station, including assessing whether it's viable and identifying key considerations for further work.
What the study found
The council said a station at Ardley could significantly improve rail access for nearby communities that currently rely on road travel.
Councillor Gareth Epps, Oxfordshire County Council's Cabinet Member for Transport, said: "A new station at Ardley is something we explored in last year's OxRail 2040: Plan for Rail, our ambitious plan to improve rail transport and connectivity across Oxfordshire and the wider region.
"This latest study, which we commissioned, has shown that a station at Ardley could significantly enhance rail access for nearby communities currently reliant on road travel. It could also serve a wider catchment area with appropriate infrastructure, mitigating the effects of wider proposed growth and transport changes."
What a station could look like
An initial simple station concept includes two platforms, accessible facilities and modest parking.
The estimated cost is between £24 and £29 million.
A possible location would be the site of the historic Ardley station and its sidings, which closed in 1963.
What happens next
The pre-feasibility study is an early evaluation to see whether there's enough evidence to keep developing the proposal, and to identify opportunities and constraints without choosing a final design or committing to delivery.
The council said any further work would need to include detailed assessments of location, design, costs, timetable integration, environmental impacts, stakeholder engagement and funding options.
That would support the next stage, a potential strategic outline case.
OxRail 2040 proposes four new stations, at Oxford Cowley, Oxford Littlemore, Begbroke and Wantage and Grove, while also exploring the feasibility of a fifth at Ardley.
The council said the plans would be developed through business case, design and delivery in partnership with the government, the infrastructure manager, operators, developers, commercial partnerships and district councils.