This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/dec/12/first-commuter-service-new-oxford-london-marleybone-rail-link-chiltern-railways
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| First commuter service set to begin on £230m Oxford-London rail link | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The first commuter services on a £320m rail link connecting Oxford city centre and London will begin on Monday. | The first commuter services on a £320m rail link connecting Oxford city centre and London will begin on Monday. |
| Chiltern Railways will operate two trains an hour between Oxford and London Marylebone, with journey times from about 60 minutes. | Chiltern Railways will operate two trains an hour between Oxford and London Marylebone, with journey times from about 60 minutes. |
| Rail bosses claim the service will give passengers “real choice and flexibility” as Great Western Railway already runs trains between the cities from Paddington station. | Rail bosses claim the service will give passengers “real choice and flexibility” as Great Western Railway already runs trains between the cities from Paddington station. |
| Franchise competition is rare on UK railways. Among the few existing examples are London-Birmingham, London-Gatwick airport and London-Peterborough. | Franchise competition is rare on UK railways. Among the few existing examples are London-Birmingham, London-Gatwick airport and London-Peterborough. |
| Annual season tickets between Oxford and London will cost £4,920 from 2 January following the annual price increase. | Annual season tickets between Oxford and London will cost £4,920 from 2 January following the annual price increase. |
| More than 850,000 journeys are expected to be taken to or from Oxford station on the new Chiltern Railways services each year. | More than 850,000 journeys are expected to be taken to or from Oxford station on the new Chiltern Railways services each year. |
| Trains began running on the route on Sunday, with the first weekday services leaving Oxford at 5.36am and London Marylebone at 6.09am,on Monday. | Trains began running on the route on Sunday, with the first weekday services leaving Oxford at 5.36am and London Marylebone at 6.09am,on Monday. |
| Network Rail contributed £190m towards the project, with Chiltern investing £130m. | Network Rail contributed £190m towards the project, with Chiltern investing £130m. |
| The transport secretary, Chris Grayling, said: “This is the first new rail link between a major British city and the capital in 100 years and also a shining example of partnership working between the private and public sector. | The transport secretary, Chris Grayling, said: “This is the first new rail link between a major British city and the capital in 100 years and also a shining example of partnership working between the private and public sector. |
| “From today travellers to and from London Marylebone and Oxford will get increased choice, more trains and faster journey times.” | “From today travellers to and from London Marylebone and Oxford will get increased choice, more trains and faster journey times.” |
| About 1.5 million passengers used the line from London Marylebone in its first year when it opened as far as Oxford Parkway, on the outskirts of the city, in October 2015. | About 1.5 million passengers used the line from London Marylebone in its first year when it opened as far as Oxford Parkway, on the outskirts of the city, in October 2015. |
| In September the final track installations were completed for the extension into the city centre, with the old 20-40mph branch line upgraded to a 100mph main line. | In September the final track installations were completed for the extension into the city centre, with the old 20-40mph branch line upgraded to a 100mph main line. |
| The railway from Oxford to Bicester was closed in 1967 before being reopened 20 years later. | The railway from Oxford to Bicester was closed in 1967 before being reopened 20 years later. |
| It was closed again for the modernisation work in February 2014. | It was closed again for the modernisation work in February 2014. |
| Sim Harris, managing editor of newspaper Railnews, said the reopening of the line to Oxford was a “landmark moment” as it was “another small but important” section of east-west rail. | Sim Harris, managing editor of newspaper Railnews, said the reopening of the line to Oxford was a “landmark moment” as it was “another small but important” section of east-west rail. |
| It was announced last week that a new organisation separate to Network Rail would be created to secure private sector investment to design, build and operate the reopening of the line from Oxford to Cambridge, which was closed in the 1960s. | It was announced last week that a new organisation separate to Network Rail would be created to secure private sector investment to design, build and operate the reopening of the line from Oxford to Cambridge, which was closed in the 1960s. |
| The Network Rail chief executive, Mark Carne, said: “Chiltern told us what their customers wanted and put up some money – then Network Rail, working closely with Chiltern, made it happen.” | The Network Rail chief executive, Mark Carne, said: “Chiltern told us what their customers wanted and put up some money – then Network Rail, working closely with Chiltern, made it happen.” |
| He added that privately funded railway projects based on customers’ needs were “exactly what Network Rail is all about” and called for “many more railway upgrades following this model in future”. | He added that privately funded railway projects based on customers’ needs were “exactly what Network Rail is all about” and called for “many more railway upgrades following this model in future”. |
| The Chiltern Railways managing director, Dave Penney, said: “The new line delivers meaningful benefits for those living and working in the region and will be economically advantageous for the regional economy. It creates direct competition in the rail market between Oxford and London, giving customers a real choice and flexibility.” | The Chiltern Railways managing director, Dave Penney, said: “The new line delivers meaningful benefits for those living and working in the region and will be economically advantageous for the regional economy. It creates direct competition in the rail market between Oxford and London, giving customers a real choice and flexibility.” |