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ID sylw: 107238

Derbyniwyd: 26/02/2025

Ymatebydd: Oxfordshire County Council

We note that the North Cotswold Line has a spur connecting from Honeybourne to the Long Marston Rail Innovation Centre. The Preferred Options document proposes to safeguard the innovation centre site for 'rail-based employment and research and development' as set out in Draft Policy Direction 14. The spur does not provide for passenger services, and north of the innovation centre, the former railway line no longer exists and has been replaced by the Stratford Greenway, which is a popular cycling route to Stratford-upon-Avon. We are aware that Stratford-on-Avon District Council received in October 2024 a refreshed strategic outline business case for re-opening the Stratford- upon-Avon to Honeybourne Railway Line, which advises on the need for a Worcester- Stratford-Leamington sub-regional transport strategy to identify which investments in transport infrastructure and services are needed having regard to growth proposals in the area. We agree that additional research is needed, particularly given the option of strategic growth at Long Marston, which is identified as one of the four 'more suitable' new settlements in the Preferred Options consultation, building on existing development at Long Marston and Meon Vale.