Botley Road “disaster” referred to National Audit Office

The road was shut at the rail bridge in April 2023 for work linked to a major upgrade of Oxford rail station, and was due to reopen on August 31 this year.

After a gas leak was discovered close to the new rail bridge, which was installed in February, the road’s reopening was postponed until September 20.

READ MORE: Timetable for station needed after Botley Road disaster

Ms Moran, MP for Oxford West and Abingdon, said last week she felt so “frustrated” on behalf of residents and businesses that she wanted to “pick up a shovel and pitch in herself”.

The cost of the work so far has risen from an estimated £161m to about £237m.

Now, following a public meeting last night at Lula’s cafe, where the ongoing closure of Botley Road was discussed, Ms Moran said she was referring the project to the National Audit Office, an independent public spending watchdog which holds the Government to account.

Network Rail work in Frideswide Square (Image: Oxford Mail)

She said: “The Botley Road project has been a complete shambles and has repeatedly blown through budgets and deadlines for reopening.

“We must not make the same mistakes in future, and there is a lot that can be learnt from the gross incompetence of how this project was scoped, planned and managed.

“I have therefore written to the National Audit Office and called for an investigation into the delivery of the project.”

The road closure, which was initially expected to last only six months, has caused years of misery for local residents and businesses.

Some businesses have shut permanently as a result of the road closure, and it is estimated that businesses in the area have lost, in total, at least £20m and possibly as much as £50m.

Ms Moran added that she was seeking meetings with Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander and has written to the National Audit Office to ensure it looked at the project as an example of what happened when a project went “catastrophically wrong”.

She added: “With luck, one day we will get together and laugh about what happened along the Botley Road but for now it really is no laughing matter – it is a disaster and until it reopens I will not believe that it will.”

Baroness Deech (Image: Wikimedia Commons)

Baroness Deech, who lives in Oxford, called for compensation to be paid to local businesses which have lost money as a result of the road closure, and added she wanted to see a new western entrance at the station, and a new platform five – both have been promised by Network Rail.

Baroness Deech will ask the Government what is the original, and current, estimated completion date of the update to Oxford station, including the new western entrance and platform five. 

Work is not thought to have started properly on either the new entrance or a new platform five.

Network Rail work in Botley Road (Image: Oxford Mail)

Rail industry expert Paul Clifton said at the meeting that government funding for the western entrance could be in doubt, due to funding demands from other major rail infrastructure projects in the UK.

He added: “However you measure the Oxford project, it has gone spectacularly badly. And it has cost significantly more than anyone expected. 

“That raises an important question. Money is a really big problem. There isn’t any.

An artist’s impression of the new western entrance at Oxford rail station (Image: Network Rail)

“The railway receives an extraordinary amount of public money. But be in no doubt: increasingly difficult times are ahead. The railway will be doing less with less.”

A Network Rail spokesman said details regarding the new western entrance have not yet been confirmed.

Lula’s cafe in Frideswide Square (Image: Andy Ffrench)

He added: “We fully acknowledge the impact this project has had on people’s daily lives, businesses and journeys and understand the strength of feeling. 

“We apologise for the ongoing disruption and remain focused on completing the remaining work and reopening Botley Road to traffic on Sunday. September 20.

“We have committed to being open about the challenges we’ve faced, to keep people updated and focus on delivering the work that’s needed to reopen the road.”