Environmental Update Report: Oxford to Bletchley

The project between Oxford and Bletchley would use the existing railway. Services already operate between Oxford and Bicester, and the upgrade of the section from Bicester to Bletchley is currently under construction as part of East West Rail Connection Stage 1, which will introduce a passenger service between Oxford and Milton Keynes in late 2025. To accommodate the full East West Rail passenger service and freight services, alongside existing services, further works are required along this 48km (30 mile) section of railway.

The proposed works are summarised below:     

• Track upgrades at Oxford.
• Potential alterations and upgrades at Oxford, Oxford Parkway, Bicester Village, Winslow, and Bletchley stations to accommodate increased East West Rail passenger numbers. The changes required would depend on the results of passenger demand forecasting and pedestrian modelling, as well as other future operational requirements.
• Closure of the level crossing at Bicester London Road and the construction of an accessible replacement crossing for pedestrians, cyclists and other users of the crossing, either via a footbridge or an underpass.
• Widening of the rail corridor to the east of Islip and at Middle Claydon to create passing loops, resulting in the demolition and reprovision of existing footbridges at both locations to maintain public rights of way (PRoW).
• Utility and traction power works to accommodate overhead line equipment (OLE) across the route, with the largest two diversions to electrical infrastructure at Oxford Parkway station and Verney junction.
• Connections with the Quainton substation or the East Claydon substation, to provide power for East West Rail trains.

Under the full East West Rail service, this section would accommodate four passenger trains per hour and one freight train per hour in each direction. These services would be in addition to the existing two trains per hour in each direction on Chiltern services between Oxford and Bicester (continuing to London Marylebone)

The East West Rail alignment would start south of Oxford station, heading north on existing tracks. To accommodate the full East West Rail services it is likely that a combination of changes to the track layout, such as crossovers or turnbacks, along with operational changes would be required. Ongoing discussions with Network Rail and other rail industry stakeholders will help determine the appropriate solution

To accommodate increased passenger numbers, alterations may be required at Oxford station. These may include changes to the station layout, such as to stairways and platform access.  

To accommodate increased EWR passenger numbers, alterations may be required at Oxford Parkway station. This may include changes to the station layout, enlargement of the  station car park  and an upgrade to the car park entry junction on Oxford Road.   

Options are currently being considered regarding how best to power trains. If the route between Oxford and Bletchley is electrified with OLE, diversion of an existing 33kV overhead power line to the north of North Oxford Golf Club may be required.  

A new train crew facility would be required in the Oxford area for use by East West Rail staff. EWR Co is still identifying the best location for this and will provide further details at the statutory consultation.

East West Rail services are not planned to call at the existing Islip station and so no works are proposed here. To enable faster passenger trains to overtake slower moving freight trains a westbound passing loop is required. This would comprise approximately 870m of new track located to the north-east of the existing station immediately south of the existing railway lines. New signalling, modifications to earthworks and drainage, the demolition of a footbridge and its replacement with a new longer footbridge at the same location would also be required, along with a re-routed footpath. 

It was determined that with a full East West Rail service, the barrier down time at Bicester London Road level crossing would increase, resulting in increased wait time. This, together with the safety risk from potential misuse of the crossing, warrants closure of the level crossing. Road traffic would be re-routed via the existing road network, and a replacement accessible crossing would be provided for pedestrians and cyclists. The replacement crossing would either be a new footbridge or an underpass. Further work is required to determine which option is most suitable.

 London Road Level Crossing - Option 1a:  Footbridge non-motorised user crossing.

 London Road Level Crossing - Option 1b:  Underpass non-motorised user crossing.

Minor alterations may be required at Bicester Village station. This may include changes to the station layout and enlargement of the station car park.  

To enable faster passenger trains to overtake slower moving freight trains, a westbound passing loop is required at Middle Claydon. This would require approximately 870m of new track, as well as new track signalling, earthworks and drainage and the demolition of an existing footbridge and provision of a new longer footbridge at the same location, to maintain the  existing PRoW . 

Options are currently being considered regarding how best to power trains and a number of options are being considered for this section, with an emerging preference for new substation compounds in either  Quainton  or  East Claydon  on the East West Rail route. If Quainton is selected, power would come from the existing site (at Quainton) via a new East West Rail substation, approximately 6km (4miles) from the East West Rail route.  

As an alternative to Quainton, power could come from the existing site at East Claydon, via a new East West Rail substation, that is situated 1.5km (1 mile) from the East West Rail route beside the disused Metropolitan Railway line south of Verney Junction. This option would also require the diversion of high voltage power lines.  

Winslow station is a new East West Rail station being developed as part of Connection Stage 1 that will come into service in 2025. With the introduction of new East West Rail services between Oxford and Cambridge, minor alterations may be required at Winslow station. These may include changes to the gate line and stairwells to better accommodate the increased number of passengers and reduce potential crowding. As part of ongoing design development, EWR Co will also consider if any upgrades are needed to the station or car park.

East West Rail would introduce new journey opportunities, with people using stations along the route able to gain better access to jobs and to leisure, health and community facilities using the new service. This could mean some changes to local travel patterns to access stations, which may have impacts on the local road network. Potential impacts will be assessed through ongoing traffic modelling, with mitigation proposed where necessary. The upgraded stations and other potential improvements at Oxford, Oxford Parkway, Bicester Village, Winslow, and Bletchley could result in widespread socio-economic benefits. 

Rail noise is already characteristic along this route section. The area would see a change in noise levels with the introduction of the East West Rail train service, which would increase to four trains per hour. The contribution of rail noise to the character and level of background noise depends on other noise sources, such as roads and industry, as well as temporary contributions such as construction activity. Existing noise levels would be relatively high through the urban settlements due to road traffic, and so impacts from East West Rail would be expected to be limited. The increase in number of trains per hour, as well as changes in station layout could result in noise impacts for residents in these settlements.

Operation of the  passing loops , including idling freight trains, could also have local noise impacts. Noise mitigation requirements would be identified through noise modelling. Mitigation could take the form of acoustic screening or operational station changes such as quieter station announcements and train speed restrictions. Noise mitigation may be required on the north side of the existing railway at Middle Claydon to address a potential increase in noise from freight being held on the passing loop.

Particular changes which could impact the community include the proposed  car park extension  at Oxford Parkway station and the new  London Road crossing  for pedestrians, cyclists and other users in Bicester (where the existing level crossing would be closed), and the changes being made to various stations along this section and the impact of those on nearby residents.

Removal of vegetation along the existing railway, such as at Oxford Parkway, around Islip, Middle Claydon, Verney Junction, west of Winslow and close to utility diversions, could open up views of the currently well-screened railway from residential properties and the surrounding landscape. There would be changes to views resulting from the extension of existing platforms and reconfiguration of station buildings, as well as from expansion of car parks, diverted utilities, changes to road and footpath alignments, and provision of new infrastructure to support the railway.

Potential expansion of the car park at Oxford Parkway, utility diversions and a new drainage pond would result in a change to views from residential properties and PRoW in the area around the station. Woodland planting, strengthening of existing hedgerows and reducing light intrusion where possible in the new parking area would help mitigate these impacts. The new pedestrian bridge or underpass ( Options 1a  and  1b  respectively) required to maintain connectivity at the London Road level crossing in Bicester would be prominent additions to views in the town. Planting and careful design of the new structures and public realm would contribute to improving the public space and minimise adverse visual impacts. The changes to Bletchley station may be visible from the area near the station.

The project would require the permanent acquisition and temporary use of certain land and property. Depending on whether a footbridge or underpass option is selected for the London Road crossing, the project would affect five or seven businesses properties respectively across the route section as a whole. Both options would require permanent acquisition from a petrol station, with the underpass also requiring permanent acquisition from two further business properties. Elsewhere, temporary use would be required from land at a golf course near Oxford Parkway station, a car park at Bicester Village station, a depot at Bletchley and a removals company east of Bicester.

EWR Co recognises the effects these impacts would have and will be working with affected parties as the designs are further developed, seeking to agree measures to reduce the impacts of the proposals where possible and enter into agreements with property owners where property would need to be acquired or used. Further information is provided in the  Guide to Compulsory Acquisition and Compensation .

Desk-based research shows that agricultural land would lie within the draft Order Limits in this route section. Around half of this is expected to be Grade 3 (good to moderate quality land), which may be classified as best and most versatile (BMV) depending on future survey results. The remaining land is not expected to be considered BMV. Ongoing design development will take agricultural land and farm holdings into consideration to reduce impacts.

The River Cherwell and its tributaries (particularly the River Ray) form an important wildlife floodplain corridor south of Islip and north of the large  Otmoor SSSI . In the upper River Cherwell and Ray valley is the  Wendlebury Meads and Mansmoor Closes SSSI  – which are bisected by the existing railway – and a large area of floodplain grazing marsh immediately adjacent to the project at Wendlebury. The  SSSI meadows  are amongst the few surviving examples of calcareous clay pasture communities which were once widespread throughout southern England.

There are at least seven Water Framework Directive (WFD) surface water catchments potentially impacted in this route section, namely Thames (Evenlode to Thame), Cherwell (Bletchingdon to Ray), Gallos Brook, Langford Brook (Bicester to Ray inc. Gagle Brook), Langford Brook (source to downstream A41), Summerstown Ditch and Launton and Cutters Brook, and Claydon Brook (DS Granborough).

The wetland areas of the Thames and Cherwell valleys, including the low-lying Vale of Aylesbury and large waterbodies at Calvert, attract characteristic bird species, in particular large regionally important numbers of snipe, redshank, curlew and lapwing and during winter floods, pochard, wigeon and snipe. The river valleys and waterbodies are also known to support water vole and otter, and in the wider farmed countryside brown hare and badger are found. A number of bat species are located in the buildings and trees in this landscape and within built-up areas.

A collection of protected sites, waterbodies and ancient woodland are found in a triangle between the villages of Calvert, Kingswood and Botolph Claydon to the south-east of the project. All occur outside the draft Order Limits but some are located immediately adjacent. The large  Sheephouse Wood SSSI  and  Grendon and Doddershall Woods SSSI  east of Charndon are the more substantial ancient woodlands in this area, which support a diverse invertebrate fauna including white admiral, purple hairstreak and black hairstreak butterflies, the latter being a nationally restricted species largely confined to relics of ancient forest on the clay belt running through Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire to the East Midlands. Sheephouse Wood has recently been identified as being of importance in providing supporting habitat for several bat species, including the nationally rare Bechstein’s bat.

A network of smaller ancient and broadleaved woodlands (habitat of principal importance; HPI) is found in a swathe of land from north-west of the project near Addington through to Mursley to the south-east of the project. All occur outside the draft Order Limits but many are immediately adjacent to the existing rail line. In addition, two large areas of  ancient woodlands  occur immediately adjacent to the project east of Bletchley.

Direct impacts on ancient woodland and other key habitats located adjacent to the project would be avoided. Protection from indirect impacts on the network of ancient woodlands and other retained habitats (including HPI), will be a key consideration for design and mitigation proposals, including management through the CoCP to address risks of air pollution, as well as mitigating against habitat fragmentation and disruption of habitat connectivity. The need for habitat replacement areas would be determined as part of the EIA.

To ensure legal compliance with relevant wildlife legislation, appropriate mitigation strategies for legally protected species found to be present will be developed in consultation with Natural England as the ecology baseline for the project evolves.  

The potential for impacts and effects on the qualifying interests and conservation objectives of the Oxford Meadows SAC will be considered through the Habitats Regulation Assessment. Further information can be found in the  Approach to Habitats Regulation Assessment factsheet . As mitigation needs become clear, options that deliver wider benefits for other species and habitats will be devised wherever possible.

The project would intersect ditches and aquifers that are integral to the broader network of water bodies safeguarded and assessed under the WFD. There are at least seven WFD surface water catchments potentially impacted in this route section, which are listed earlier in this section. Assessments will be undertaken to demonstrate that the project would not deteriorate the status of any WFD element or prevent the attainment of surface water and groundwater body objectives. Necessary mitigations could include riparian planting and reinstatement of natural bed and bank materials.

With respect to flood risk, fluvial hydraulic modelling at specific locations will be undertaken to assess in detail the impacts and develop flood mitigation measures. The  Oxford Meadows SAC  will be a key consideration in this respect. In all other locations where flood risk is minimal, desktop assessment will be undertaken on all sources of flood risk.

A balancing pond would be provided to the north-east of the proposed new Oxford Parkway car park area to attenuate rainfall runoff from the new car park. A grassland habitat would be created around the balancing pond to replace the loss of grassland in the corner of the existing station car park. This would improve landscape and habitat connectivity and integration. There will also be further woodland habitat creation in the form of strips running from the north-east to the south of Oxford Parkway station and car park.

The landscape around the route reveals little evidence of human activity until the Neolithic period when people began to settle, and farming became more widespread. Rural settlements grew during the Iron Age and evidence of groups of roundhouses and enclosures from these periods is scattered across the landscape. There is also a heavy Roman influence with road networks running through the project. Remains of Roman villas and smaller farmsteads are present.

The Domesday Book notes Oxford to be a large settlement area, with various small settlements scattered throughout the surrounding landscape. This general historical character remains unchanged, although the rural landscape is now characterised by post-medieval fields. The landscape has also been changed by the growth of the large-scale extractive industries, including brick, clay and tile production. The railways’ arrival in the 19th century had a profound influence in both Oxford and Bletchley and the landscape in between. Both towns expanded rapidly with Oxford becoming more industrial and Bletchley losing its small village size. Over the course of the 19th and 20th centuries major transport infrastructure was introduced, supporting the movement of people, raw materials and manufactured goods. These networks still exist today.

The existing railway has a fairly discreet presence in the landscape currently, being mainly lined by vegetation and being at ground level. Removal of vegetation during construction would make the railway infrastructure more prominent in places, but new and replacement planting would gradually reintegrate it into the landscape. Careful design of the public realm at the new and expanded stations would limit urbanising effects on the landscape and historic environment by day and night. Construction activity in the railway corridor north of Oxford station would be visible from Port Meadow, which is one of the views constituting Oxford’s historic skyline.

The proposed changes to the stations and along the railway corridor would not fundamentally change the character of the landscape in this route section since they would take place along an existing railway corridor.  Woodland habitat creation  to the eastern extent of Oxford Parkway station would improve landscape and woodland connectivity and provide visual screening. There would also be further woodland habitat creation to provide new woodland planting and visual screening to realigned roads. These would take the form of strips which run from the north-east to the south of Oxford Parkway station and car park.

A balancing pond would be provided to the north-east of the proposed new Oxford Parkway car park area to attenuate rainfall runoff from the new car park. A grassland habitat would be created around the balancing pond to replace the loss of grassland in the corner of the existing station car park. This would improve landscape and habitat connectivity and integration.

The scheduled monument of Rewley Abbey lies close to Oxford station, although little remains above ground of the Abbey, and its setting has been significantly altered since its closure in 1536. There is a cluster of  listed buildings  to the east of Beckett Street including Grade II listed St Thomas Church. The possible turnback south of Oxford station has the potential to change the setting of these listed buildings and Rewley Abbey scheduled monument. These heritage assets and their settings will be investigated to understand how their surroundings contribute to their historic interest and to what extent the proposed works would impact this. Where historic value may be lost, mitigation measures will be developed. EWR Co would also look at ways of sharing any new information in celebrating the importance of these buildings and their history.

The setting of Islip Mill, a listed building, and its associated buildings would be affected temporarily by a construction compound and permanently by the construction of an electricity substation. Mitigation will be explored to reduce impacts both during and after construction. Similarly, the setting of the Grade II listed Station House approximately 15m north-west of the London Road level crossing could be changed by the proposed new footbridge. However, the impacts are likely to be minor given the historic relationship between the building and the railway. Opportunities to mitigate any impacts or better reveal the heritage value of the building will be investigated.