Bats delay Oxford to London rail link

Date: 17/11/2011

A new railway link between Oxford and London's Marylebone station cannot go ahead due to bats living in a tunnel.

Proposals for the development, which will go through Bicester, were put forward by Chiltern Railways and the project is expected to cost £130 million.

However, bats use Oxford's Wolvercot Tunnel for swarming and foraging, meaning the changes would impact on their habitat, a planning inspector stated.

The creatures also use the site for roosting and if more trains were to pass through the tunnel "this would increase the risk to bats" meaning they could no longer reside there, a report on the matter stated.

If an effective solution to the problem can be found, it is likely the Secretary of State for Transport Justine Greening will approve the rail scheme.

Allan Dare, Strategic Development Manager at Chiltern Railways, told the Oxford Mail: "Discussions with Natural England are now at an advanced stage; we hope to complete these shortly."

Posted by Mary Treen