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Village on track for two new railway stations Image source, SLC from Oxfordshire County Council Image caption, A new passenger station and a rail freight interchange are being considered for Ardley in Oxfordshire By Victoria Walton Oxfordshire political reporter A village that was last served by trains in the 1960s could be in line for two new stations. According to Oxfordshire County Council, an early report suggests a passenger station at Ardley would benefit the growing community. It comes at the same time a rail freight interchange is being planned close to the village, off junction 10 of the M40, that includes a terminal to transfer goods from lorries on to trains, as well as 6.5 million sq ft of logistics warehousing.
Oxfordshire Railfreight Limited, the organisation behind the freight hub, said the scheme would "help reduce congestion, carbon emissions and pressure on the strategic road network" but locals fear it could lead to traffic problems. Image source, Oxfordshire Railfreight Limited Image caption, The proposed rail freight hub includes warehousing covering an area of more than 80 football pitches The passenger service and freight interchange are separate projects and on very different timetables. The Oxfordshire Strategic Rail Freight Interchange (OxSRFI) is considered a nationally significant infrastructure project and is being considered directly by the Planning Inspectorate, rather than the local council.
The initial application was accepted in April, with the examination part of the process due to start this month. Described by the applicant as "a large multi-purpose freight interchange and distribution centre" the hub is designed to link the rail and road networks. There are also plans to make "very significant improvements" to junction 10 of the M40, as well as the surrounding road network, to alleviate existing congestion as well as accommodating new traffic from the rail freight hub and other developments planned for the area.
Image caption, Campaigner Paul Fennemore believes the proposals could cause traffic chaos But people living in the villages neighbouring the site say the project could bring "gridlock" with an estimated 20,000 extra vehicle movements each day. Paul Fennemore, from campaign group North Oxfordshire Residents Action (NORA), said the proposals needed to be considered alongside the 12 other large developments planned for the area. "The question is, are they really looking carefully at the combined cumulative impact of all the other developments that are happening in this area?
"Namely 9,000 more houses at Heyford Park, which is a mile away, big warehousing another mile away at Beynard's Green and then the Puy du Fou theme park, which is only another two-and-a-half miles away," he said. He predicted taken together, they could generate 60 million more traffic movements every year. A group of 11 local parishes has come together to form the Mid-Cherwell Neighbourhood Plan Forum, raising £6,500 to fight the plans over concerns the scheme could "open the door" to more developments being approved.
Image caption, Ardely is located just off junction 10 of the M40 A spokesperson for Oxfordshire Railfreight Limited said the plans were "a response to the government's ambitions to maximise the use of rail freight in the supply chain as well as to support economic investment, job creation and growth". "...we have undertaken an extensive environmental assessment process alongside consultation with statutory bodies and the public and have worked hard to ensure that the final form of the scheme appropriately manages and mitigates the effects of the scheme on the environment," they added. Plans for a new passenger station for Ardley have been announced by Oxfordshire County Council.
As part of a "pre-feasibility study", the report found a stop on the existing Chiltern Main Line could "significantly enhance rail access for nearby communities currently reliant on road travel". Councillor Gareth Epps, cabinet member for transport, said it could also serve a "wider catchment area with appropriate infrastructure, mitigating the effects of wider proposed growth and transport changes". The council will look to see if a new station at Ardley, which could cost between £24m and £29m to build, should be added to the existing OxRail 2040 proposals, which includes new stops at Oxford Cowley, Oxford Littlemore, Begbroke and Wantage and Grove.
A possible location would be the site of the historic Ardley station and its sidings, which closed in 1963.
Source: BBC
