Network Rail has appointed a master planning team led by Hawkins\Brown, working in collaboration with 5th Studio, to develop a long-term vision for Oxford station as passenger demand continues to rise and major rail enhancements come on stream.
Already serving more than eight million passengers annually and around 24,000 customers every day, Oxford station is facing significant growth over the next decade. Forecasts indicate peak demand could double by 2036, driven by projects including East West Rail, new services to Cowley and Bristol, and continued regional economic expansion.
The new masterplan, being developed by Network Rail in partnership with its property development arm Platform4, will be shaped alongside Oxford City Council and Oxfordshire County Council. The project will take a transport-led approach focused on increasing rail capacity, improving passenger interchange and creating a station capable of supporting future growth.
Three key priorities have been identified:
- Delivering a high-quality station capable of meeting future demand
- Creating new station entrances that provide a stronger gateway to Oxford
- Improving onward travel connections and integrated transport options
The appointment brings together two practices with extensive experience in major transport infrastructure. Hawkins\Brown and 5th Studio have previously worked on schemes including Stratford, Bury and Solihull interchanges, alongside nationally significant projects such as St Pancras International, the Elizabeth Line and East West Rail.
As part of the process, the project team will review future capacity requirements, passenger flows and wider transport connections before launching a programme of engagement with local communities and stakeholders.
The scheme also aligns with the Government's wider ambitions to improve infrastructure and support economic growth through better-connected transport networks.
Tom Pierpoint, Industry Programme Director, Network Rail and Great Western Railway said:
"Oxford station is a vital transport interchange for both the city and the wider region, and it needs to be ready for the growth that's coming.”
“Appointing Hawkins\Brown marks an important step in shaping a long-term vision for the station, one that improves the experience for customers while creating the capacity and connectivity we'll need as demand grows. We're looking forward to working closely with the local community and stakeholders to get this right."
Andrew Ferguson, Interim Chief Executive for Platform4 added:
"This is an exciting opportunity to reimagine what Oxford station can be, not just as a transport hub, but as a genuine gateway to the city. Alongside improving the customer experience, there is an opportunity to explore how the surrounding land can support both the local economy and the city’s growth."
Hawkins\Brown Associate Director Anthony Lazarus said:
"The passenger experience of Oxford station is not as welcoming as it could be as it deals with increasing demand. We look forward to simultaneously thinking wide and in the detail to transform this key transport interchange at the heart of Oxford’s West End."
Councillor Susan Brown, Leader of Oxford City Council, said:
"Oxford station is our city’s most important gateway and as we continue to grow, it is important that it evolves to support the inevitable growth in numbers of people using it, including passengers for the reopened Cowley Branch Line. This will help to strengthen the local economy by providing easier access to employment and provides a positive first impression of Oxford. Appointing Hawkins/Brown to lead the station masterplanning is an exciting step in that journey."
Cllr Gareth Epps, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport, said:
"As a part of the delivery of the county's OxRail 2040: Plan for Rail, we are seeing great improvements in services from Oxford, with new and higher frequency services along with additional and modern trains being progressed. The redevelopment of the station is a key priority and desperately needed to provide better facilities and capacity for the people of Oxfordshire – as is providing seamless integration with buses and cycling but also being a key transport hub and gateway to the city."
Neale Coleman, Chair of the Oxford Growth Commission, added:
"More investment and capacity at Oxford Station is vital not just for the city and the ambitious plans for its West End but also to enable new, enhanced and more frequent services across the rest of Oxfordshire. Getting the station and its connections with bus services right is a necessary condition for all that and for ensuring economic and housing growth is truly sustainable with the prospect of better public transport for all."
Image credit: Network Rail
