Wantage & Grove Station study identifies strong strategic case
A study has identified a strong strategic case for a new railway station serving the Wantage and Grove area.
Last year, Oxfordshire County Council commissioned SLC Rail to prepare a strategic outline case (SOC) for the new station. An SOC is the first stage in the Department for Transport’s business case process for projects such as developing new railway stations.
The SOC estimates that the station could attract up to around 1,400 passengers a day and generate economic benefits subject to the station location and the routes and services being offered. It concluded there is a robust foundation for progressing the Wantage & Grove station scheme further.
Councillor Gareth Epps, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport, said: “This strategic outline case report has shown what we and many others believed to be the case – that Wantage and Grove is ripe for rail investment and justifies our calls for a station.
“Improving rail services will be a key factor in achieving the ambitious targets we have set for Oxfordshire in our local transport and connectivity plan. Wantage and Grove, with its links to the Science Vale area and growing population, is a prime location for the transformative impact of better public transport.
“Our local communities and businesses across the region need fast, regular and reliable transport options to support the people, our economic centres and climate change objectives. We look forward to working with partners to move this scheme forward to the next stage.”
The SOC also highlighted challenges including train service provision, complex infrastructure and the impact of Thames Water’s proposals for a large reservoir nearby. Furthermore, Network Rail has recently published its concerns that the Swindon-Didcot section of the Great Western Main Line is ‘likely congested infrastructure’ which adds to the station scheme’s complexity.
The council is continuing to engage with Thames Water to ensure their White Horse Reservoir proposals do not prevent delivery of a new Wantage & Grove station and to identify whether there can be station location and relevant infrastructure opportunities associated with their scheme.
The council is continuing to work with the rail industry to assess and understand wider capacity and operational issues on the Great Western Main Line and how these could affect or support the feasibility of a new Wantage & Grove station, including its train service, site location and commercial viability options. This work is anticipated to be completed in spring 2027 and will inform the council’s decision on committing to the next business case stage.
Andy Holding, founder of the Wantage & Grove Station Supporters Group, said: “I would like to thank everyone involved with their dedicated hard work, support and commitment with the reopening of Wantage & Grove Station and their continued support to reopen the station.
“We must keep pushing for the reopening of Wantage and Grove Station, especially with the continuing growth in the area with the population and businesses being attracted to the area.
“The station could become one of the busiest in Oxfordshire and the return on investment is beneficial to wider economy. It could help reduce congestion into Oxford, and there’s the potential for intercity services too.”
Oxfordshire County Council is leading on the promotion of the station and will be working closely with Network Rail, Great Western Railways (GWR) and South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse district councils to progress any plans.
A Wantage & Grove station was initially opened in 1846 but has seen no trains since 1964.
Proposals for the new station featured in Oxfordshire County Council’s OxRail 2040: Plan for Rail, which was adopted last November. On Tuesday, its cabinet approved £20 million of investment in Oxfordshire’s rail system linked to the delivery of the plan.
The SOC and other rail-related documents will be published this month on the council’s new rail webpage: https://www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/transport-and-travel/local-transport-and-connectivity-plan/rail
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