UK Government Plans £120m Oxford Cowley Branch Line Reopening with Two New Stations

The UK government has announced a £120 million funding package to reopen Oxford's Cowley Branch Line to passenger services, with two new stations planned at Oxford Cowley and Oxford Littlemore. This project aims to connect communities such as Littlemore, Cowley, Blackbird Leys, and Greater Leys to central Oxford in under 10 minutes, and extend links through to London Marylebone, supporting key business districts including ARC Oxford, The Oxford Science Park, and the Ellison Institute of Technology (EIT). The reopening is part of a larger £500 million investment in the Oxford-Cambridge corridor, designed to foster economic growth and innovation, with EIT pledging £10 billion over the next decade for talent and science programs. Local leaders emphasize the line's critical role in improving public transport integration, reducing congestion, unlocking thousands of homes and jobs, and meeting climate targets. The project, supported by local councils and private partners, is expected to deliver about one million journeys annually and is slated for completion by 2029/30, pending further funding and planning approvals. Officials and stakeholders have hailed the reopening as a transformative infrastructure development that will strengthen Oxford's position as a hub for science and technology, linking research, business, and communities more effectively.