PARKING may be a lot easier at Hanborough railway station with the new spaces, but it is safety that is the key step forward, according to county council leader Ian Hudspeth.

Mr Hudspeth cut the ribbon to officially open the £435,000 extension with 200 extra car parking spaces on Wednesday at a ceremony attended by fellow councillors, staff from Cotswold Line train operator First Great Western, passengers and representatives of the Department for Transport. About 50 cars a day are already using the 191-space car park, after the gates were opened just over a fortnight ago.

Due to a rapid growth in passenger numbers at the station in recent years, the existing 55-space car park was often full by 6.45am, with dozens of commuters leaving cars on verges alongside the A4095 Main Road.

The Department for Transport paid £400,000 out of its £100m national station improvement fund, while Oxfordshire County Council spent £35,000 on road alterations at the car park entrance, cycle parking and road signs.

Mr Hudspeth, who lives in nearby Bladon and often uses the station, said: “It’s a fantastic asset and I’m really pleased to see it opened.”

He added: “It’s not just about the ease of things for passengers now, it’s about safety, because if you look today, you can say parking on the verges is not an issue, but on a wet November night, when people were parked there and struggling to reverse out, cars frequently got stuck.”

Mr Hudspeth joined FGW Cotswold Line stations manager Teresa Ceesay in praising district councillor Colin Dingwall for his efforts to find a site for extra parking at the station.

Mr Hudspeth said: “He didn’t just say ‘there’s a problem’, he came up with a solution, and not only did he come up with one solution, he came up with two, and I think he still aims to see the other solution put forward as well, which I think is fantastic.”

Mr Dingwall’s other idea involves building social housing and more parking on land west of the station.

Ms Ceesay said: “We hope we have improved the area for the neighbouring businesses and the people who live near the station. The feedback so far has been very positive.”

John Ellis, the chairman of the Cotswold Line Promotion Group, said: “I’m really pleased to see it open. It’s an ideal site and perhaps the best and biggest along the line.”

Work to build an access ramp from the car park extension to the station platform will start shortly.