£70,000 rail link study under way (From Witney Gazette)

£70,000 rail link study under way

1:50pm Friday 18th May 2012 in News By William Crossley

A £70,000 study of the prospects for recreating a direct Rail link between Oxford and Stratford-upon-Avon, by rebuilding a route between the Cotswold Line and the Warwickshire town, is under way.

Consultants Arup are looking into whether there is a business case for reinstating the line from Stratford to Long Marston, where a short freight branch line connects with the Oxford-Worcester Cotswold Line route at Honeybourne, in Worcestershire.

Direct trains between Oxford and Stratford, via Banbury, ended in December 2004, when the London-Stratford service was transferred to Chiltern Railways.

Arup are expected to deliver their report to Stratford District Council, which is co-ordinating the feasibility study, next month.