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ITEM EX14 - ANNEX 1
EXECUTIVE
– 6 FEBRUARY 2002
CARTERTON
AND WITNEY TO OXFORD PUBLIC TRANSPORT LINKS
Survey and
Review of the Old Railway Alignment between
Yarnton Junction
and Brize Norton
- From Yarnton junction
to Cassington, a large part of the first section of the route is currently
being used by Hanson’s Sand and Gravel Works as an internal access road.
Under current permissions, these works are permitted to continue until
2010, with full restoration of the site to be completed by 2012. Use
of the old alignment before this date would cause operational problems
for Hanson’s which would make agreement with them unlikely.
- On the south side
of Eynsham, the B4449 Eynsham bypass now occupies the old alignment.
Two industrial units belonging to Oxford Instruments have been built
where the old route enters and leaves Eynsham. Clearly, therefore, an
alternative alignment would need to be found in this area. One possible
alignment is within the open space between the bypass and the edge of
the village.
- At South Leigh,
residential properties have been built on the former route although
space is available for an alternative alignment. Further along the line
at Cogges Bridge, the old station has been converted to a residential
property with gardens extending over the line of the old track.
- At the time when
the old railway was operational, Witney bypass had not been built and
the A40 passed through the centre of Witney. The Witney bypass is thus
a very significant barrier to reinstatement of a rail line into Witney
and would involve extremely expensive crossings either above or underneath
the road. In addition, the site of the old railway station within Witney
has been used as an industrial estate. Given these very significant
constraints, the most realistic option would be to run the line south
of the Witney bypass and rely upon a parkway type station.
- Between Witney
and Brize Norton there are no major physical constraints. The main issue
here is the alignment itself. Given the need to link the route to Carterton,
there would be little point in using the section of the old alignment
which runs south of the air base and an alternative along the north
side would be required.
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