New access road to Banbury railway station set to open - but councillor blasts it as 'walk of shame'

Oxfordshire County Council (OCC) has announced that the route will be open to the public from Wednesday (June 18).

The project, which cost around £15 million, was first launched in 2020, with construction work beginning last autumn.

The council says that once the new access road is fully open, it will reduce town centre traffic congestion and make accessing the station from the south easier.

However, Oxfordshire County Councillor Kieron Mallon says the project prioritises ‘commuters who drive electric cars over the elderly, vulnerable, disabled and families’.

Vehicles cannot access the front of the station, except for disabled access, but passengers are able to use a limited drop-off facility at the west car park B and park and be dropped off in the east multistorey car park.

Cllr Mallon said: “OCC had a blank canvas and painted the wrong picture. The North Bridge Street entrance had six drop-off bays on Station Approach Road; these have been removed, and they have chosen not to design any drop-off at the new Tramway entrance.

“The county council in its proposals forces all vulnerable, disabled and elderly people, as well as holidaymakers with heavy luggage, to walk a considerable distance to and from the same place they do now on Tramway Road or forces them to drive through Bridge Street, which is against one of the reasons we implemented this scheme, to take congestion off the Bridge Street junction.”

Cllr Mallon continues to say that the project has ‘now failed in its reason for existing’, as it will not reduce congestion or give access to the station from the south.

He said: “The priority for the county council is to reward a few electric vehicle commuters with car spaces right next to the southern entrance who will fill the spaces by 7am and, in doing so, will discourage people from using rail public transport.

“I was astounded to see that OCC has put the needs of electric car drivers and their parking above the needs of the elderly, disabled and families concerning the lack of drop-off and pick-up points at the southern entrance to Banbury Railway Station.

“This scheme has now failed in its reason for existing, to give access to Banbury Railway Station from the south. It is Oxfordshire County Council’s walk of shame.”

A spokesperson from Oxfordshire County Council responded to Cllr Mallon’s criticisms of the project by saying no new electric vehicle charging bays have been added and that the west car park has been designed as per National Rail standards.

They said: “The drop-off bay planned for Tramway Road was part of the design and will provide a safer walking route to the station. This bay complements other drop-off areas to the north of the station and in the east multi-storey car park.

“No additional electric vehicle charging bays will be added; the existing two will be relocated to prioritise disabled access parking bays close to the station entrance.

“The west car park has been designed as per railway standards because it is owned by Network Rail. The design includes six disabled and six enlarged parking bays.”

“Opening Tramway Road for west car park access will add another entry point to Banbury station, helping to reduce congestion on Bridge Street and Cherwell Street and improve future access for cyclists, pedestrians, and buses.”

The next stage of construction, which will build the improved Station Approach Road and west car park A, will start on June 18.