Join us at a public meeting to cover next steps in the campaign to ensure continued access for all vehicles and pedestrians across the East West Rail route in Bicester once the London Road level crossing is permanently closed by EWR/Network Rail.
Monday 6th January 7.30pm at Langford Village Community Centre, OX26 6XX.
The next phase of the fight to secure a crossing for vehicles to still be able to use London Road into and out of Bicester has begun. Read on for more details of a TV report, a debate in Parliament and a forthcoming meeting to be held in Langford Village Community Hall.
ITV Meridian South reported live from the location on 11th December 2024 in the evening news. It covered the details and interviewed people about the proposed closure of this busy road route for local residents and visitors to Bicester.
⏯️ You can watch the report from here.
On the same day, our local MP Calum Miller managed to secure an adjournment debate in the House of Commons (quite an achievement we understand), where a Minister has to come forward and respond.
Carole Hetherington, Chairman of LVCA Chairman, was lucky enough to attend the debate along with Councillor Rachel Mallows and Councillor Frank Ideh.
Carole writes,
“Calum Miller represented the London Road Crossing situation very well and has secured the agreement of Lord Peter Hendy, Minister of Rail at Department of Transport to carry on looking at proposals for a solution for vehicles to continue to use London Road.”
The full debate is on record in Hansard and text be viewed and downloaded by a click here.
⏯️ WATCH from here:-
Finally, a date for the diary. a APublic Meeting is being held at Langford Village Community Centre Monday January 6th at 7.30pm to look at the next steps that everyone can be involved with in order to keep up the pressure on the government and East West Rail to bring about a solution for future crossing of the rail line for all in Bicester.
Please do come along to the Hall on that evening and spread the word about it to others.
Our picture here shows the Chairman of LVCA, Carole Hetherington (second from right) with Councillor Frank Ideh, the MP for Bicester and Woodstock, Calum Miller, and Councillor Rachel Mallows (also representing the Bicester Transport Action Group).
All travelled to the House of Commons for the adjournment debate and were mentioned during it.
The long-awaited announcement from East West Rail appeared to have sealed the fate of the road crossing for vehicles at London Road in Bicester. It will close to traffic at a date yet to be set and no alternative crossing for vehicles will be built.
EWR suggests a new bridge or underpass for pedestrians and cyclists should be built near the existing London Road level crossing and is asking residents to express views on this as part of the consultation now underway and lasting into the early part of 2025.
To view the relevant sections of the consultation report click here
To view the technical report section on London Road crossing click here.
Please leave any comments below or join the conversation on the LVCA facebook page.
ADDED UPDATE:
The East West Railway Company issued a short video on the London Road crossing on 12th December 2024..
A landmark moment has seen trains travelling on the new rail route between Bicester and Milton Keynes for the very first time.
It happened on Monday 21st October when test journeys were made by both Chiltern Rail and GWR to and from Bicester Village station. When the new line opens for passengers in 2025 there will be a direct service between Bicester Village and Milton Keynes Central. There will be four more trains each hour using the existing London Road level crossing.
Local people who had learned about the first test run turned out to take images as history was being made. We’ve included some of these here in a small gallery.
You’re invited to share your thoughts in the comments box on this post or on the Langford Life facebook page.
Winslow (Credit: Thomas Walker-Werth)Near Launton (Credit: Chris Squire)Bicester Village (Credit: Dylan Roberts)Bicester Village (Credit: Dylan Roberts)
Understanding the formal process for a solution to London Road Crossing
Every person on Langford Village should be involved with the process beginning in June regarding the EWR proposals for the solution to London Road Crossing.
OnMay 9th we all get a chance to understand this process before we see the proposals in the following month.
EWR are holding an event at Weyland Hall in Bicester from 2.00pm to 7.00pm on that day which is open to all.
This event is designed to help people understand the statutory consultation and Development Consent Order (DCO) processes. Members of the EWR DCO and engagement teams will attend to answer any questions and queries people might have.
These sessions are not formal consultation events and there will be no specific design information or proposals available to view, however that design information will of course be available at the statutory consultation, where there will then be the opportunity to share feedback about the proposals.
June will see the first phase of the statutory consultation and we will have sight of the first plans of the two proposed sites for a bridge for access to town to replace the London Road crossing at which people will be able to give feedback.
One of the proposals, as far as we know, is to have a bridge over the railway at Gavray Drive, anyone backing on to or near Gavray needs to be ready to comment as it would mean Gavray being turned into much busier road with an extra 7.000 vehicle journeys daily. it also means we have lost an access road into town as that would feed into Launton Road.
The other proposal, as far as we know, is a curved bridge alongside London Road cutting through the carparks near the ambulance building and coming down along Station Approach, a much more sensible option retaining an existing road into town.
Whatever happens will have a huge impact on everyone south of London Road Crossing.
The long awaited announcement by East West Rail on the future of the level crossing following public consultation in 2021 has now been made.
Click here to read the section of its latest document that is relevant to this.
For more advanced information on the issues and options that are contained in the Technical Report section of EWR’s latest information please click here
The main points are:
➡ The level crossing may now be able to remain open for traffic
➡ A new underpass or bridge for pedestrians there is a possibility
➡ A road bridge for traffic or a traffic underpass on London Road is ruled out
➡ A new road bridge crossing (that could be lifted into position) over a suitable route to the south or east of the existing crossing may be a possibility
➡ A detailed proposal for consultation will not be put forward until next year
Click here to read the latest comment by the LVCA Chairman.
A BBC South TV news report broadcast on 29th May can be viewed here
East West Rail is holding a public event at the John Paul II Centre in Bicester on Wednesday 12th July 2023 between 2pm and 8pm. This is an opportunity to meet the EWR team and discuss latest announcements and plans surrounding the London Road level crossing.
Meridian TV visited our area and broadcast a report on 30th March 2023 that focused on the issues and possible solutions to keeping a route open across the East West rail line at London Road when the new train services start.
Comments were provided by the Chair of Langford Village Community Association, Carole Hetherington, Oxfordshire County Councillor Calum Miller, and a number of local residents.
If you missed Natalie Verney’s report on broadcast tv, it’s still available to watch here.
Meridian TV’s Natalie Verney reports on Bicester’s London Road level crossing on 30th March 2023
What solution do you wish to see? Post a comment here or on the LVCA facebook page.