The OBRAG Website » News

Date set for inquiry into new rail link

OBRAG admin — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 14:22:20 +0000

THE public inquiry into Chiltern Railway’s £260m Oxford-Bicester-London rail link will start on 2 November 2010.

For more details, click here to read the article from the Bicester Advertiser.

New parking at Bicester Village

OBRAG admin — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 08:27:07 +0000

Bicester Villlage have now completed their new car park next to Bicester Town station. This area will be available from Monday 26 July for rail users travelling on the Bicester Link line. More details can be found in this press release from FGW.

OBRAG members may also be interested to know that our chairman, Ian East, has recently published a book called The Cost of the Car: Human, Environmental and Economic. It is available in hardback and paperback from Amazon.co.uk.

The Cost of the Car by Ian East

Steam engine marks 100 years of Bicester line

OBRAG admin — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 12:02:16 +0000

The Oxford Times has an article about the chance to see a steam train at Bicester North at 10:30 and 15:10 this Saturday. It provides an interesting background to Chiltern Railways who will take over the Oxford-Bicester service, which is also mentioned.

Outcome from recent vandalism at Islip

OBRAG admin — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 10:51:40 +0000

Regular rail users at Islip will be aware that the shelter was recently vandalised. We have the following report from Geoff Capes, FGW Station Manager at Oxford, on the outcome of the police investigation.

“Our neighbour at Islip heard the vandalism and called the police, and also took some camcorder images. The miscreants had left by the time the police arrived.

Apparently, some of the miscreants heard about the images and decided to hand themselves in, before the police came
calling. I am told that six teenagers were involved, some of whom have been interviewed by BTP and the rest to follow. I understand that, as first time offenders, they will be dealt with under police caution.

Repairs have been authorised today, at a cost of £1,500. We shall be looking at ways of recouping our costs.”

This is an good example of British Transport Police working with the local community and FGW to get a great result with tackling anti-social behaviour on the rail network.

Warning over plan for second Oxford-London rail route

OBRAG admin — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 12:01:37 +0000

Click here for this article from the Bicester Advertiser.

Oxfordshire train journey figures

OBRAG admin — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 13:07:26 +0000

Figures released show growing numbers using the Oxford-Bicester line, highlighting the need to continue the extra train services introduced recently. Dr Ian East, chairman of the Oxford-Bicester Rail Action Group quoted here.

Notice board vandalism

OBRAG admin — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 16:22:13 +0000

Unfortunately the Rail User Group notice board at Bicester Town station was vandalised at the weekend. If anyone has any information about this incident, please contact us.

Passengers seek pledge on Bicester rail link services

OBRAG admin — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 18:29:54 +0000

Today’s Oxford Times and this week’s Bicester Advertiser both have articles about the proposed upgrade to the Oxford-Bicester service. The Oxford Times has comments from OBRAG chairman Ian East, in particular about services stopping at Islip – click here to read the article.

The article in the Bicester Advertiser urges users to have their say on the type of replacement services available while the line in closed. The text of this article can be found here:
Bicester Advertiser 2010-02-11

The Bicester Advertiser also has the following advance warning:
“Rail passengers are being warned that services from Oxford will be affected by engineering work over the weekend of February 20-21. The line north of Oxford will be closed both days, with buses replacing FGW trains to Islip and Bicester Town”

This is also on the FGW website (although this mentions engineering on Saturday only).

Article from Rail Magazine 27 Jan 2010

OBRAG admin — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 22:07:18 +0000

Click the following link to read this article about Chiltern’s plans for the new Oxford-London route from Rail Magazine:
Rail Magazine 27 Jan 2010

2010 AGM minutes

OBRAG admin — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 18:10:27 +0000

Minutes from the OBRAG AGM last week are now available here:
OBRAG AGM 2010 Minutes

Also, there have been more articles in the press recently about Chiltern Railways’ Evergreen 3 proposals for the Bicester-Oxford service:
Bicester Review 2010-02-01
Bicester Advertiser 2010-01-28
Oxford Mail 2010-01-28