£500,000 revamp for Bicester station

A new footpath, with lighting, between the station and Bicester Village is also planned that would cut the present walk from 15 to five minutes.

Thames Trains and Bicester Village struck the deal to attract more passengers to the under-used line which connects Bicester with Oxford. Both sides hope it will lead to a more regular service with trains leaving on the hour as opposed to every 75 minutes at present. The plans are subject to Cherwell District Council allowing the new footpath.

The cost will be shared between Value Retail - the company which runs Bicester Village - and Thames Trains.Part of the money will be spent on a joint marketing campaign scheduled for the beginning of the annual tourist season next Easter.

John Holmes, development consultant for Value Retail, hoped the scheme would bring an extra 200,000 people to Bicester Village each year. At the moment, two million shoppers travel there, mainly by car."I am hoping that by promoting the station and the site together we will attract members of the public who do not have cars.

He said: "The train from Oxford literally goes right past our front door. We should make maximum use of it, but make it a pleasant trip as well." Nick Illsley, commercial director at Thames Trains, said: "We are committed to the service but we could do more if there was more business.

"We would like to see more people using it at off peak times during the day and that is why we have got together with Bicester Village."About 125 passengers use the line per day. Numbers have increased by about a third in the past four years.Mr Illsley said: "The line is perfectly safe but it would require a huge investment to upgrade it and make journey times faster. That could happen if we can attract more passengers."The station, which used to have buildings and two platforms, was originally called Bicester London Road Station but it was closed on New Year's Eve in 1967.

After years of lobbying by rail campaigners and Bicester Town councillors it re-opened with just one platform as Bicester Town Station on May 9, 1987.

The line used to be called the Varsity Line because it connected Oxford and Cambridge via Bicester, Milton Keynes and Bedford.

But today passenger trains from Oxford go no further than Bicester and the rest of the line is used only by freight. Last June the Sunday service stopped because of a lack of passengers. But commuters told the Oxford Mail they would prefer money to be spent on reducing journey times rather than a cosmetic overhaul of Bicester Town Station.

John Jewers, of Trinity Close, Bicester, said investment was really needed in improving the speed of the track. He said: "I could almost cycle to Oxford quicker than the time it takes at the moment. If they are going to spend money I think they should spend it on the line. That would attract more passengers."

Hazel Peaper, of Bassett Avenue, Bicester, thought the journey into Oxford could be cut by at least five minutes.

She said: "If they could get us there faster that would be a real bonus." I would also like to see the station tidied because it is in a real mess."

She added: "If money is spent on the station they should improve the car parking facilities for rail users. Often the spaces for rail users are full of cars belonging to people who work nearby."

Hywel Luff, of Heron Drive, Bicester, moved to the town because it had a rail link with Oxford.

Mr Luff, who works at Oxford University Press, said more passengers would use the line if money was spent on improving it.

Mr Luff said: "If they built up the service, proportionally more people would use it."

He added: "Bicester Village needs better advertising in Oxford. I have gone by bus from Oxford and the driver just waved us in the general direction.

"I think a better rail link and a new footpath would attract many more people."

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