Issue - meetings

Questions from County Councillors

 

 

Meeting: 18/12/2018 - Cabinet (Item 122)

122 Questions from County Councillors pdf icon PDF 217 KB

Any county councillor may, by giving notice to the Proper Officer by 9 am two working days before the meeting, ask a question on any matter in respect of the Cabinet’s delegated powers.

 

The number of questions which may be asked by any councillor at any one meeting is limited to two (or one question with notice and a supplementary question at the meeting) and the time for questions will be limited to 30 minutes in total. As with questions at Council, any questions which remain unanswered at the end of this item will receive a written response.

 

Questions submitted prior to the agenda being despatched are shown below and will be the subject of a response from the appropriate Cabinet Member or such other councillor or officer as is determined by the Cabinet Member, and shall not be the subject of further debate at this meeting. Questions received after the despatch of the agenda, but before the deadline, will be shown on the Schedule of Addenda circulated at the meeting, together with any written response which is available at that time.

Decision:

See attached Annex

Minutes:

 

Councillor Howson had given written notice of the following question to Councillor Constance: -

 

“Leaving aside East West Rail and the GWR electrification project, what progress on other rail projects has there been in Oxfordshire during 2018?”

 

Councillor Constance replied: -

 

“Network Rail has completed the £97 million Oxford area signalling scheme, replacing the 1960s signalling with a state-of-the-art system controlled from the Thames Valley Signalling Centre in Didcot. Signals have been replaced and extra signals provided to increase capacity.

 

Network Rail has completed Oxford Corridor Phase 1, a £163 million scheme to upgrade and remodel the track layout around Oxford station to remove conflicting movements, provide greater operational flexibility, improve train speeds and increase capacity.

 

Network Rail is finalising the business case for Oxford Corridor Phase 2, and this is due to be submitted to Government in spring 2019. This phase of work comprises a new northbound island platform, replacement of the Botley Road bridge, realignment of Roger Dudman Way and Cripley Road, level crossing closures north of Oxford and upgraded track to and from East West Rail. It is estimated at around £160 million and will be delivered by 2023. Officers are working with Network Rail to define our future highway requirements.

 

The North Cotswold Line Taskforce has met regularly throughout the year and is developing a Strategic Outline Business Case for investing in extra capacity between Oxford and Hanborough to enable a more frequent train service that can support new housing and employment in West Oxfordshire.

 

Platform extension work is underway at stations on the North Cotswold Line to enable longer InterCity Express Trains to be introduced in 2019.

 

A new £20 million multi-storey car park has opened at Didcot Parkway partly funded from the Local Growth Fund. This has provided an extra 910 spaces, and increases car parking to 1800 spaces. Network Rail has built a step-free pedestrian link between the new car park and the station building.

 

Electrification of the Great Western Mainline through Oxfordshire is complete and electric trains can now operate between London Paddington and Swindon (and from next year, Cardiff), albeit not through Steventon, where the ongoing objection to replacing the bridge means trains cannot use electric power and have to use their on-board diesel engines.

 

We have agreed that Network Rail will review the economic and operating case for completing electrification between Didcot and Oxford. If it were to go ahead, it would be designed with passive provision for future four-tracking.

 

The County Council jointly commissioned initial site assessment work for the proposed Wantage & Grove station with Vale of White Horse District Council to ensure appropriate land is safeguarded in their Local Plan. As a result, two potential sites have been identified.

 

Informal discussions have been held with Oxford University about a proposal for a new station near Begbroke. This will serve the expanding Science Park and the strategic housing site being proposed in the Cherwell Local Plan. We await further information from the University.

 

Oxfordshire Rail Corridor Study – this  ...  view the full minutes text for item 122