Work is to begin on a railway flood alleviation project in Oxfordshire.

Network Rail engineers will start raising the height of tracks which run through Hinksey to prevent them from flooding on Saturday, 30 July.

The railway will be increased in height by more than half a metre with large pipes, or culverts, installed under the railway line to allow water to flow from one side to the other.

The scheme is to be completed by Sunday, 14 August.

Joanna Grew, Network Rail's commercial scheme sponsor for the project, said: "During the past two years, as part of our Railway Upgrade Plan to deliver a better railway for passengers, we have worked with the Environment Agency to find a long-term solution to the problem. This has involved carrying out detailed flood modelling and an in-depth environmental study to establish the cause of the flooding and the options available to reduce the chances of it happening again.

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"The culverts comprising of 64 sections that will be installed will not only reduce the impact of flooding on the railway in this area, but will also help the Environment Agency as they work with local authorities to minimise flooding in the region as part of the Oxford Flood Alleviation Scheme."

The scheme is part of additional work which will see the railway between Oxford and Banbury closed from Saturday, 30 July to Sunday, 07 August, for signalling improvements, and between Oxford and Hanborough, for bridge repairs, from Wednesday, 03 August to Sunday, 07 August

(LM/CD)