Construction work is to start on the first phase of the Bicester A4095 road realignment project in Cherwell.

The scheme will open up a new route to benefit cyclists, pedestrians and other users along the A4095 in Bicester.

The work, funded by Homes England and the Oxfordshire Housing and Growth Deal, is designed to address expected congestion between Howes Lane (A4095) and Bucknall Road, ensuring road capacity keeps pace with the housing and economic development in and around Bicester.

The new road realignment will also help to support the North West Bicester eco-town development, delivering up to 6000 much needed new homes and related community infrastructure.

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The scheme has been helped with £23.5 million of funds from the £150m Oxfordshire Housing and Growth Deal the Oxfordshire Growth Board agreed with the Government to accelerate the building of already planned housing that requires infrastructure investment to bring them forward.

The first phase of the work will be a bridge under the railway (a rail underbridge) to accommodate the realigned Howes Lane together with a separate underpass through the railway embankment at Bicester. The underpass will open a new route for pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders, eliminating the current obstacle of the railway embankment.

The building of both the underbridge and underpass beneath a live railway, the twin track NAJ2 Marylebone to Aynho line, is a specialist and challenging engineering project. This has been achieved through the close and collaborative working, for over a year, on design and delivery of the scheme by key partners of Oxfordshire County Council including Network Rail, Cherwell District Council, adjoining landowners and utility firm Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks.

A brief railway closure over the Easter period of 2021 has been agreed with Network Rail to allow safe insertion of the steel underbridge while minimising disruption to the public.

The work is due for completion by July 2021.