Witney Oxford Transport Group (WOT) has confirmed that the developers of the new Salt Cross Garden Village (SCGV) site are supportive of the proposed plans for a rail route from Witney to Oxford.
The rail link would pass through the SCGV site but, by working with Grosvenor (the developer) and SLC Rail (a rail consultant), WOT identified options that would allow the site to accommodate a rail alignment without any net loss of development land. This prompted Grosvenor to confirm it will support the proposed rail link, which would connect Eynsham to Oxford in nine minutes from a new station at the Eynsham Park & Ride.
The support of the SCGV developers is another positive step for the campaign group as they seek to have this rail route created. Currently, Oxfordshire County Council is waiting for a report (due in February) from a rail consultant on the feasibility of the rail route and is exploring the potential funding opportunities from capturing a share of the incremental gain in land values as a result of the rail development.
A rail link between Eynsham and the city, as well as a line connecting Eynsham with Witney and Carterton, would be a useful additional transport option for our current and future residents. It could also help to reduce the expected influx of traffic on the roads following the completion of the various developments nearby.
You can read more about the project on WOT’s website. We will share any further newsworthy updates as and when we receive them.