'Sorry' is first word on rail bosses presentation

Rail bosses have apologised for disruption being caused by overrunning works to upgrade a city's train station.

Oxford MP Layla Moran said an "extraordinary" meeting with the transport minister and Network Rail began with a presentation that started with just the word "sorry".

The Botley Road closure, which has been in place since April 2023 as part of Network Rail's £161m railway station upgrade, has negatively affected residents and businesses.

The MP said she had been assured the project would be completed but the due date would not be known until January.

Moran's office said business owners have reported up to a 60% drop in income.

The the Lib Dem MP for Oxford West and Abingdon wrote to the rail minister to ask for a meeting to discuss the ongoing disruptions.

She also raised this issue in parliament with the former Transport Secretary Louise Haigh.

Moran was due to meet with the Secretary of State earlier in December, when the meeting was cancelled as Louise Haigh resigned.

Speaking to BBC Radio Oxford, she described the meeting with Lord Hendy and Network Rail as "most extraordinary".

"They produced a slide pack... and the very first slide has one work on it, and it just says 'sorry'."

Moran said it was "a good place to start" but "certainly not enough" when it comes to the businesses, the "untold disruption" to people in the vicinity and the impact on the whole county.

"I think it's fair to say they were very aware of how bad this has got.

"I asked them 'anywhere in the grand scheme of schemes that have gone wrong, where does this sit?

"To which they said, 'this is right up there.'

"We had assurances that [the project] will continue and it will get done," she said.

"But the date they won't know until January and partly that's [because they need] Thames Water to come back with their assessment of this pipe."

The project has been pushed back due to "highly complex" pipework.

Thames Water is working on excavations to find a relocation for a water main connection point.

Other points raised at the meeting were the complications over the historic arch and difficulties diverting utilities under the road.

Moran said she had "pressed hard on the need for support for local businesses, many of whom are struggling and some of whom have already gone under".

"With the second Christmas of disruption fast approaching, extra support is sorely needed."

She said the rail minister had assured her he would travel to Oxford in January to meet with key stakeholders and provide a timeline for the works going forwards.

"I welcome their candour," she said.

"But I don't think it was until that meeting yesterday that I'd realised, in the grand scheme of things that have ever gone wrong was projects for Network Rail, that this was one that they will remember."

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