Key Points
- Trains running through Oxford this morning
- Network Rail completes Botley Road rail bridge
- Eight‑day closure used for replacement works
- Walkway diversion through station now open
- Botley Road set to fully reopen August 2026
Oxford (Oxford Daily News) February 9, 2026 – Trains have been running through Oxford this morning after Network Rail successfully completed the replacement of the Botley Road rail bridge, restoring normal services on the line between Oxford and Didcot Parkway and marking a major step towards the full reopening of Botley Road in August 2026.
As reported by Network Rail in a press release issued on Monday 9 February 2026, the eight‑day closure between Sunday 1 and Sunday 8 February allowed engineers to demolish the old bridge structure, install new bridge spans, and carry out essential preparatory works that keep the wider Oxfordshire Connect programme on schedule. “Trains are running through Oxford as normal this morning after Network Rail successfully completed the latest phase of the Oxfordshire Connect programme with the replacement of the Botley Road rail bridge,” the Network Rail statement said.
What has changed on the Botley Road corridor?
The Botley Road rail bridge replacement is part of a £161 million Oxford Station expansion and Oxfordshire Connect scheme that began in April 2023 and has repeatedly been delayed, with the road closed at the bridge for nearly three years. Network Rail and Oxfordshire County Council had previously announced a revised timetable under which Botley Road is due to fully reopen in August 2026, while improved pedestrian and cycle access would be introduced earlier in the year.
According to Network Rail’s project page, the new bridge enables not only higher‑capacity rail services but also resolves longstanding issues with vehicle headroom, local flooding, and active‑travel routes under the bridge.
“The project will address the vehicle headroom issues below the bridges by lowering Botley Road, the historic local flooding incidents by improving the drainage provisions, and the Active Travel issues by providing new pedestrian and cycleways,” the Network Rail overview notes.
How did the eight‑day closure work?
Between Sunday 1 and Sunday 8 February 2026, trains were not running between Oxford and Didcot Parkway while the bridge was removed and the new structure installed. During this period, rail replacement buses operated for southbound services from Oxford Station, and the usual under‑bridge walkway was diverted through the station itself, using platforms over the tracks.
As reported by RailAdvent in its 9 February 2026 coverage, the temporary diversion through Oxford Station meant that pedestrians and cyclists had to pass through the station concourse and over the platforms, with pushbikes and electric scooters required to be walked rather than ridden.
“The temporary pedestrian diversion through Oxford station has now been removed and the walkway route is fully open again,” Network Rail confirmed in its media release.
What did Network Rail say about the work?
In its official statement, Network Rail emphasised that the bridge replacement keeps the wider Oxfordshire Connect programme on track for the August 2026 reopening of Botley Road.
A Network Rail spokesperson said: “I’d like to thank local residents, businesses and passengers for their patience while we carried out this complex work, and I’m pleased that the walkway diversion and railway lines are now fully open again. We remain firmly on track for our next major milestone, reopening Botley Road in August 2026.”
The company also stressed that the work could only be carried out during a continuous block closure because of the need to demolish the old bridge, lift in new spans, and carry out preparatory track and signalling work.
“This can only take place while trains aren’t running between Oxford and Didcot Parkway and with the walkway under the bridge temporarily diverted,” Network Rail’s project notice explained.
How have local authorities reacted?
Oxfordshire County Council has repeatedly underlined that the long‑term aim of the project is to restore Botley Road as a through‑route while improving safety, flood resilience, and active‑travel links. In a January 2025 update, the council noted that the new programme would see Botley Road reopen in August 2026, with enhanced pedestrian and cycle access introduced earlier in the year.
As reported by BBC News in its 24 January 2025 coverage of the revised timeline, Rail Minister Lord Peter Hendy visited Oxford to meet residents and businesses affected by the prolonged closure.
“The continuing works surrounding Botley Road are frustrating, and the delays are unacceptable, which is why I wanted to hear firsthand from all those affected,” Lord Hendy said at the time.
He added that he had tasked Network Rail with formulating a comprehensive plan and that he believed there was now “light at the end of the tunnel.”
What have residents and businesses said?
Local residents and traders have expressed a mixture of relief at the bridge being replaced and frustration over the length and impact of the works. In BBC interviews, some business owners along Botley Road and Osney Mead said they had struggled with reduced footfall and access since the road closure began in April 2023.
One Osney Mead trader, quoted by BBC News, said: “We’ve lost all confidence in Network Rail to execute this project,” reflecting concerns that the original completion date of October 2024 had been pushed back by nearly two years.
At the same time, several residents told local reporters that they welcomed the promise of a wider, safer walkway and better flood defences once the work is complete.
What comes next after the bridge replacement?
With the rail bridge now in place, Network Rail and its contractors are turning their attention to remaining elements of the Oxfordshire Connect programme, including the completion of new surface‑water flood‑defence tanks and underground structures beneath Botley Road. Network Rail’s timeline indicates that a new surface‑water flood‑defence tank is due to be completed in April 2026 and an underground flood‑defence structure in May 2026, ahead of the August 2026 reopening of the road.
According to the Oxfordshire County Council project page, the final stages will also see the permanent reopening of Botley Road as a through‑route for vehicles, while retaining and enhancing the new pedestrian and cycle paths created as part of the scheme.
“The new schedule will see Botley Road reopen in August 2026, while improved access for pedestrians and cyclists will be introduced this summer,” the council’s notice states.
How has this affected rail services beyond Oxford?
The Oxford–Didcot Parkway section is a key part of the Great Western Main Line, and the eight‑day closure required careful coordination with train operators and passengers. As reported by RailAdvent, services between Oxford and Didcot Parkway were replaced by buses during the block, while trains continued to run to and from Oxford on other routes.
Network Rail stressed that the concentrated block closure was chosen to minimise the total disruption to passengers compared with spreading the work over multiple weekends.
“This work is an essential part of the programme to reopen Botley Road in August 2026,” the company said, noting that the bridge replacement will support future increases in rail capacity and reliability through Oxford.
What does the new bridge look like?
The new Botley Road rail bridge is designed to accommodate the upgraded track layout and additional platform 5 at Oxford Station, part of the wider station expansion. Network Rail has described the structure as more resilient and better suited to modern rail traffic, with improved clearances and integrated drainage and flood‑protection features.
Footage and on‑site videos from late January 2026, including a 360‑degree “Over The Fence” update filmed by a local videographer, show the old bridge being prepared for removal and the new concrete box walkway positioned ready to be slid into place. The video also highlights the scale of the works along the A420, with Botley Road closed at the rail bridge since April 2023 and the surrounding area transformed into a major construction zone.
Why has the project taken so long?
The Oxford Station expansion and Botley Road works were originally expected to be completed in about six months, but have stretched to nearly three years due to a combination of utility diversions, ground‑condition issues, and flood‑defence complexities. Network Rail has acknowledged that unexpected underground conditions and the need to avoid cutting off water and sewerage to around 60,000 homes led to a pause and a complete revision of the programme.
In a January 2025 briefing, Network Rail’s chief executive, Sir Andrew Haines, told local media that the company had worked with more than a dozen agencies to develop the revised plan. “We are very confident in this plan,” he said.
“We’ve collaborated with experts and over a dozen agencies to develop this. The complexities we encountered once we initiated the work necessitated a pause to ensure we did not cut off water and sewerage to 60,000 homes, but we are now confident in our plan.”
How are commuters and travellers adapting?
With trains now running normally through Oxford, commuters on the Oxford–Didcot–London corridor have returned to regular services after the eight‑day disruption. However, some passengers told local reporters that the temporary bus replacements during the closure had added time and inconvenience to their journeys, particularly at peak hours.
At the same time, many rail users have welcomed the long‑term benefits of the Oxford Station expansion, including the planned extra platform and improved station access.
“We’re pleased that the work is progressing and that we’re seeing tangible milestones like the bridge replacement,” said one regular commuter quoted by Oxford Mail in an earlier report on the project.
