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Kier to deliver £65m Oxford railway station redevelopment project

Artist's impression of Oxford station.

Kier has been appointed by Network Rail to deliver the £65m main works package at the Oxford railway station redevelopment project

The work is part of the Oxford Corridor Phase 2 Project and comes as the Department for Transport confirmed it had awarded funds to Network Rail to enable the station works to take place, alongside improvements to the railway.

Last week rail minister Wendy Morton announced government was to fund £161m of upgrades at Oxford Station boosting economic growth and opportunities in the local area – with work due to be completed by 2024.

Kier has secured the contract to take Phase 2C and 2D of the project to Governance for Railway Investment Projects (GRIP) Stage 8, following a previous appointment to deliver the detailed design and enabling works, earlier this year. 

Phase 2C Botley Road enhancement includes the replacement of the existing railway bridge spanning Botley Road with a new, wider structure which will incorporate 4-metre-wide cycle/footways on either side of the road. 

Highway lowering and realignment will provide additional height clearance resulting in double-decker buses being able to pass underneath the bridge for the first time. This will also see the replacement of the existing footbridge.

Phase 2D platform 5 and station improvement works will involve the construction of an additional platform and overhead canopy, a new western station entrance, ticket office, waiting room, toilets, café and shops, alongside the construction of a subway to connect the western entrance to the new platform.

The package includes the demolition of buildings surrounding the station, and road alignment works at Roger Dudman Way, including the replacement of Sheepwash Bridge, to improve safety at the junction with Botley Road.

Once complete, the new fifth platform and enhanced facilities will significantly improve the capacity of the station, accessibility, safety and passenger experience. 

Mark Pengelly, group managing director at Kier Infrastructure, said: “We’re delighted to have been appointed to deliver the main works at Oxford railway station, it will transform the network links in the area by providing a bigger and better station and helping to enable improved journeys for passengers and freight.

“Our team, including our strategic design partner WSP, will work with collaboratively with Network Rail to deliver this new scheme, with a clear focus on keeping the local community informed and disruption to a minimum.”  

Site surveys are already underway, with the enabling works and utilities diversions planned to start in early autumn and the main works will start soon after.

If you would like to contact Karen McLauchlan about this, or any other story, please email kmclauchlan@infrastructure-intelligence.com.