Chiltern Railways boss

The report by the inspector who conducted the public inquiry into the route is due to be published in January.

Mr Brighouse, the newly installed managing director of the company, said: “I am expecting a positive result and if so we can begin work on the line and are planning for the first trains to be running by May 2014.”

The service will have two trains an hour from Oxford to Water Eaton Parkway (a working title) to Bicester Town, High Wycombe and Marylebone.

The cost is being privately financed with no Government money.

Among the work to be undertaken will be a curve to link the line with the Birmingham to Marylebone service on the eastern edge of Bicester.

Bicester Town station — off London Road — will be rebuilt and have two platforms (instead of the present one) as well as a footbridge.

“We are expecting Water Eaton Parkway will attract passengers from north Oxford, Kidlington and neighbouring villages,” said Mr Brighouse.

The line will also serve Bicester Village outlet shopping centre as Bicester Town station is adjacent. It will mean that people from Oxford can easily reach Bicester Village and passengers from London will be able to go directly there without going to Bicester North station and catching the shuttle buses," he said.

Mr Brighouse, 54, was appointed well in advance of Adrian Shooter retiring as chairman on December 31.

He rejoined the company in 2006 after working on the upgrade of a massive rail system in Canton, China, helping out with the infrastructure of the Sydney Olympic Games and refurbishing the North London Overground system.

As a regular commuter on the company’s service from Haddenham and Thame Parkway, he can quickly see when something goes wrong like the recent hiccups on the new Chiltern Mainline operation from Birmingham to Marylebone.

Chiltern Mainline improvements to track, signalling, stations and new rolling stock cost £250m and brought up to £600m invested in the railway since privatisation in the mid-1990s.

Mr Brighouse said: "I would describe what happened as teething problems. In September we introduced the biggest timetable changes we have ever had.”

As Chiltern now run the Oxford-Islip-Bicester Town service, the company is well placed to be the operator of the East-West link from east coast ports to Oxford and points west.

The link is being promoted by a consortium of 17 local authorities and it is expected the first trains would run between Oxford and Bedford, though Bicester Town station.

"What we will be doing for our new Oxford-Marylebone service will be compatible with whatever happens on the East-West link,” said Mr Brighouse.

Ever since Chiltern was established on the privatisation of the national rail network, the company has been improving the Birmingham-Marylebone service. Chiltern has also taken on the Stratford-Upon-Avon to London service and some Birmingham trains run on to Kidderminster.

Mr Shooter explained: “We were given our franchise specifically to offer an alternative service to the Birmingham-London Euston service. So we are in tooth-and-nail competition with Virgin and there are now only a few minutes difference in our timings. We are consistently cheaper than Virgin — and you could say we aim to take the shirt off Richard Branson’s back.”

Of the 3.18 million journeys between the West Midlands and London, Chiltern now take 20.8 per cent of that business.

One reason for Chiltern’s success if that it has spotted potential for passenger growth.

For example, the Warwick Parkway station just off the motorway network has been a hit with commuters.

“They can park easily in a secure car park. The car park has been extended twice and we now have planning permission to add a deck. We get travellers from as far afield as Shropshire coming to Warwick Parkway,” said Mr Shooter.

Another reason for the company’s success has been attention to concerns from passengers and staff.

“It is common sense to listen to what passengers want and to keep our staff happy and proud of what they do — that way everyone benefits,” he said.