Bicester MP condemns lack of commitment to London Road underpass

Calum Miller says Government has “listened but not yet acted” and urges Treasury to back underpass plan 

Bicester and Woodstock MP Calum Miller has criticised the Government for failing to confirm its commitment to an underpass at London Road in its latest response to the consultation on East West Rail. 

Despite years of campaigning by residents, businesses and councils, ministers have still not ruled out the unpopular pedestrian bridge option, which local people have repeatedly warned would be less accessible and more damaging for the town. 

The latest response from East West Rail confirms that an underpass was the more popular option in the consultation and that many respondents saw it as offering a more accessible and direct route, particularly for people using wheelchairs or pushchairs. However, the underpass would only go ahead if sufficient third-party funding contributions can be secured, while the alternative bridge option would not require any such funding. 

Calum Miller MP said: 

“I am very disappointed that the Government has not taken this opportunity to commit to an underpass at London Road.  

“East West Rail has finally admitted what local people have been saying for years. Their own analysis shows that an underpass is more popular and more accessible, especially for people using bicycles, wheelchairs or pushchairs, and they have improved the design as a result. That change is down to the strength of local campaigning by residents, businesses and councils. 

“Our campaign has already forced significant progress. In 2021, they proposed to close the road. In the last consultation there was no option for a car crossing. the Government has shifted its position; it has listened but not yet acted. 

“Now an underpass that can take both pedestrians and vehicles is on the table, yet ministers have still not taken the final step and agreed to fund it. If the Government accepts that the underpass is the better, more accessible solution, it should back it properly. 

“Both options remain in play. We can still win this if we keep the pressure up. I will continue working with residents, businesses, and local councils to make sure the Treasury backs the underpass and delivers a safe, accessible and future-proof crossing for Bicester.” 

Local campaigner and chair of the Langford Village Community Association, Carole Heatherington, added:  

“People in Langford Village and the communities south of the crossing are devastated that the Treasury will not fully fund the only sensible solution for London Road. The underpass is vital for our future. When a recent Bicester Village event caused gridlock, a 2.5-mile trip into town took over an hour - without London Road it will be quicker to shop in Buckingham or Aylesbury, and that would be a disaster for Bicester town centre. 

“I have been fighting for this for more than a decade. This is not a quiet back road. 9,000 cars use it every day. Cutting us off would hit older people and wheelchair users hardest and would rip the heart out of our community. 

“The Government must listen to residents and fund the underpass. We were promised East West Rail would bring benefits - not leave half the town stranded with an unsuitable bridge.”