Design consultant Aedas has been chosen to produce designs for the redevelopment of Oxford railway station.
The appointment has been made by Network Rail, Oxfordshire County Council and Oxford City Council, who are working together to draw up a plan to improve the station and surrounding area.
Figures collected by the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) showed that 6.3 million passengers used the station in 2011/12 compared to 5.8 million in 2010/11.
Investment over the coming years will see resignalling and electrification work carried out around the city, as well as the construction of the western section of the East West rail link between Oxford and Bedford.
Patrick Hallgate, Network Rail route managing director, said: “The next few years will see continuous improvement on the railway in and around Oxford as Network Rail delivers a programme of electrification and signalling upgrades to pave the way for new, more reliable trains.
“Our aspiration is to have a station that will provide better facilities to accommodate future passenger and freight traffic and help to boost economic growth in the region.”
Funding has not yet been secured for the station’s redevelopment and any plans remain subject to outside funding.
Aedas director Karle Burford said: “We are delighted to be part of the team that will work on the station masterplan and the approach into the city.
“Oxford is one of the UK’s most important places and deserves a station and an entrance into the city to match. The new designs will improve operations, increase capacity and create a modern approach to enhance the overall impression upon arrival.”
