Motorised underpass preferred option for Bicester crossing

East West Rail Company (EWR Co) has announced a major consultation on the latest designs for the route linking Oxford, Milton Keynes, Bedford and Cambridge.

The eight-week consultation will run until Tuesday, June 9, 2026, offering communities along the route an opportunity to have their say.

Contributions will help shape the final design before a Development Consent Order application for government backing is submitted next year.

A new fully accessible single-lane motorised underpass is now the preferred option for replacing the London Level crossing in Bicester.

Its construction remains subject to third-party funding with Oxfordshire County Council working closely with the Government to develop and help fund the proposal.

CGI images of single-lane motorised underpass, which is the preferred option for Bicester’s London Road level crossing (Image: East West Rail Company)

The design includes a single-lane road that could be used by vehicles, alongside a protected active travel corridor for pedestrians and cyclists.

This solution aligns with Bicester’s wider connectivity plans. It is expected to cut delays and congestion caused by barrier closures, make journeys safer and improving the reliability of bus and emergency vehicles.

There will be a height restriction on the underpass and a diversionary route for HGVs will be put in place.

Further traffic modelling and wider environmental assessments are now underway to refine the details of the junction improvement proposal.

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A new active travel hub to the south of Bicester Village station is proposed. It will include cycle parking, an enhanced bus stop and a private car pick-up and drop-off area.

A sloped embankment along one side of the underpass approach ramps will create a more open and lighter underpass, retain public space and walkways and provide a direct walkway from the station towards Langford.

Hybrid electric/battery-equipped trains are planned to operate along the railway, including between Oxford Parkway and Bicester Village.

A series of public drop-in events are being held across the route and online sessions will take place on April 20, May 6 and June 2.

Up to five trains an hour with up to five carriages could run across the whole route during peak times to meet increase demand and  enable service extensions on the wider rail network.

New stations and sections of the line will open as soon as they are ready with the full railway open by the mid-to-late 2030s.

David Hughes, CEO of EWR Co, said the updated proposals “mark a major step forward”.

He said: “From more frequent and higher-capacity trains to a preferred single option for London Road level crossing and improvements for Bicester Village, we are focused on improving the rail experience for everyone.”