OCC’s feasibility study has now shown that the construction costs of building the rail line alone - before land purchasing is considered - are estimated to be between £700-£900 million with OCC stating it would depend on other rail improvements first. These other rail improvements include the planned upgrades to the North Cotswold Line being funded and completed, which Robert has long campaigned for, but have been opposed by the Liberal Democrats.
Following the release of the study, Robert has raised his considerable concerns over the story being sold to West Oxfordshire over; the price tag, deliverability, the vast development which would come alongside the project and the fact that there is no mention of what route this rail link would take.
As an ex-transport minister, Robert is aware of the requirements that facilitate large infrastructure projects. There is not - and never will be, under any Government - a magic pot of money into which a hand can be dipped to extract funds for projects. The study acknowledges that the only feasible way to fund this line would be through a vast increase in development, way above anything yet proposed –which local residents will rightly be concerned would come at the cost of the nature and character of their local area.
Further to this, the already huge price tag omits the costs of the necessary land acquisition that would need to take place – so local people are looking at a total cost of over £1 billion, almost three times the cost of the Oxford Parkway and Bicester railway change that has led to the huge growth of those areas.
Commenting on the outcome of the feasibility study, Robert said: “I remain open minded to any and all ideas put forward to improve our local transport infrastructure, however, this study raises more questions than it does answers. It is essential that the cost and ramifications of this project are not brushed under the carpet, and in any event that plans for the upgrades to the Cotswold Line are prioritised.
This report confirms that such a major infrastructure project - costing £1 billion and counting - could only be funded by significant swathes of development – akin to a city population and not a rural town – what those who are campaigning for this rail link are talking about is opening the doors to concrete over West Oxfordshire with tens of thousands of additional houses across the entire area.
I have been working hard alongside local colleagues, neighbouring MPs and the North Cotswold Line Task Force to make the most of the infrastructure we already have by pushing for upgrades to the existing Cotswold Line – it is disappointing that the Liberal Democrats have run a ‘go slow’ in the council on these clearly deliverable transport improvements.
I would welcome the positive engagement from those who have spent such a vast amount of time on these unaffordable plans, to now focus on delivering realistic improvements to local transport in our area.”
