Talk:Oxford–Bicester line

Please add {{WikiProject banner shell}} to this page and add the quality rating to that template instead of this project banner. See WP:PIQA for details.

Trains: in UK Start‑class Low‑importance

Trains Portal

This article is within the scope of WikiProject Trains, an attempt to build a comprehensive and detailed guide to rail transport on Wikipedia. If you would like to participate, you can visit the project page, where you can join the project and/or contribute to the discussion. See also: WikiProject Trains to do list and the Trains Portal.TrainsWikipedia:WikiProject TrainsTemplate:WikiProject Trainsrail transport articles

Start

This article has been rated as Start-class on Wikipedia's content assessment scale.

Low

This article has been rated as Low-importance on the project's importance scale.

Associated projects or task forces:
/
	This article is supported by WikiProject UK Railways (assessed as Low-importance).

This article lacks references.

The route diagram template for this article can be found in Template:Oxford Bicester RDT.

Future

The draft [nb, draft - we shouldn't even be using it yet!] text says [a] Further delays in discharging planning conditions through local planning authorities, which have impacted the programme to date, are expected and will be mitigated as far as possible through continuing dialogue. and [b] TWAO submission assumed decision timescales of 18 months. That does not add up to me to justify the doom and gloom text that user:Cantab72 has added. Unless a better citation can be produced, I suggest the TWAO reference should be removed as POV editor opinion. --John Maynard Friedman (talk) 00:36, 28 January 2016 (UTC)[reply]

First, your text is a significant improvement on what I had said and I accept the comments re timescale for the TWAO were out of scope. However, isn't it reasonable to try and estimate when the East West Rail link might be operational based on what Network Rail is saying? My estimate would be as follows: Autumn 2016 the case for a TWAO is ready - based on Network rail's own comments in their Oxford Bicester collaboration pages. Assume it then takes 18 months to complete - again Network Rail's estimate - this brings us to Spring 2018. Project is going to take 2 years before trains can run so 2020 is earliest. Also in their draft enhancements report when they can give dates in 2019 they do, even if they are beyond the end of CP5.

re the draft nature of the Network Rail pages enhancement report: I first found it through an explicit link on the DfT page announcing the Hendry consultation so it was 'released' by the DfT even if Network Rail had put 'draft' all over it. It may well remain draft until the Hendry consultation is complete.

Since the article is really about the Oxford to Bicester Rail Link and the TWAO is complete - except for the discharge of planning conditions to mitigate noise in North Oxford - then if you feel that references to TWAO should be removed I would see the point in this. The TWAO for the next section of East West Rail shouldn't be a big issue as the changes to the alignment are, I understand, relatively minor. The risk is that those living along the route of East West Rail decide to be difficult because they are upset about HS2. However, none of this really belongs in the article.

Thanks for your advice. Cantab72 (talk) 16:11, 28 January 2016 (UTC)[reply]