Plans for 'Oxford Metro' set to be presented

[alexx]

From the Oxford Mail: http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/15...Metro__with_new_train_routes_across_the_city/

PLANS for a new 'Oxford Metro' will be presented to the Government as part of a future plan for a city-wide system of new train routes.

Upgrades to signalling south of the city's main station could allow the Cowley Branch Line to be used again for passenger services, possibly using refurbished trains from the London Underground.

Leading academic Dr Nicholas Falk said it is time to 'stop talking' about a new metro system and to 'get things under way'.

It would at first serve stops at Oxford Station, Oxford Science Park, Blackbird Leys and Oxford Business Park, but could be the first step towards a bigger system.

Seems to be building on Chiltern's already existing proposals to run passenger services on the Cowley branch. Not quite sure about the "refurbished trains from the London Underground" plan though.

 

[Elecman]

Those will be 230s from Vivarail presumably

 

[najaB]

Seems to be building on Chiltern's already existing proposals to run passenger services on the Cowley branch. Not quite sure about the "refurbished trains from the London Underground" plan though.

Was posted here.

 

[Oxfordblues]

Any additional trains between Oxford and Kennington Jn would require reinstatement of the Up Relief line. How unfortunate that, although the South Hinksey flood prevention scheme made passive provision for the additional track, the current resignalling scheme does not. New cable-troughing has just been installed alongside the Up Main just where the new track would go.

And as for an extra 6-10 trains an hour on Platform 3 at Oxford Station, I just can't see this happening.

 

[anti-pacer]

Oxford in city terms is small, and although it has a large student population and major hospital, there are more deserving cities for a better public transport system.

Leeds for instance!

 

[The Ham]

Was posted here.

However, having its own thread will mean that it can be discussed without going off topic.

 

[The Ham]

Oxford in city terms is small, and although it has a large student population and major hospital, there are more deserving cities for a better public transport system.

Leeds for instance!

Each proposal should be evaluated on its merits, not just on other places could also do with a better rail system. In purely Numbers the are 44 urban areas with larger populations that could argue that they need an improved metro system.

That's not to say that Leeds shouldn't have a better rail, rather a proposal needs to be suggested. The thing with Oxford is the article was implying that little to no additional infrastructure would be required beyond what had already been announced. As such the extra costs would almost purely be associated with running the extra trains, which could make it viable to do.

Oxford has always been very forward thinking in terms of public transport so it is not surprising that they are looking to do something like this.

The one thing that we are unlikely to see are lots of people saying that Oxford is deserving of new trains to run this service as they don't want London's castoffs.

 

[najaB]

However, having its own thread will mean that it can be discussed without going off topic.

I don't dispute that, I just wanted to make sure you (and others) knew about it so that we don't end up with two conversations about the same thing.