The application for judicial review of the TWA Order for the Evergreen 3 Phase Two project has been granted. The judgement is expected in a “couple of months”. Opinion is divided as to whether an appeal against a judgement in favour of the project is possible or not.
Chiltern Railways have undertaken to give its customers at least twelve weeks notice of closure. My math tells me that this means closure is now unlikely before August.
It remains unclear whether the Oxford Area Remodelling, starting in 2015 will or will not require continued closure of our line. While Chiltern’s Network Development Manager (Richard Harper) believes it will not, it is hard to see how Network Rail can manage all the construction with a service from Bicester into Oxford still running.
I’m afraid we will know only once an agreement is reached between the Department for Transport and NR later this year. I have asked Chiltern to represent our interests, which they insist they would do anyway. If NR demand possession of the line, it will remain closed until 2017 at least.
If you are concerned about this prospect then please write your MP. It’s all we can do.