A new rail link connecting London’s Marylebone station and Oxford has been announced. Chiltern Railways will be in charge of this project. Planned for completion by 2013, the rail link will involve construction of 0.5 miles of fresh track.
For Chiltern, the link will be an integral part of its £250 m expansion plan, which also involves an improvement of the route between Birmingham and Marylebone. The project will upgrade more than 50 miles of track to 100 mph running, thereby reducing travel time by around 20%.
Financed by Network Rail, the cost for the project will be reimbursed by Chiltern Railways in 30 years’ time, through a “facility charge”. Any future franchisee will have to take up the repayment responsibility.
Adrian Shooter, Chairman of Chiltern Railways, said that this was the biggest passenger rail project not involving the taxpayer for support. He also said that the contract with Network Rail reinforced the fact that true advancements in rail services were possible without public funding and by pulling people out of their personal vehicles onto the trains.
If you are looking for a great Hotel while travelling Tudor Court Hotel is ideal and just minutes from Paddington.