- Home
- News
-
The Oxford Science Park welcomes Cowley Branch Line announcement
The Oxford Science Park welcomes Cowley Branch Line announcement
23 October 2025
The Oxford Science Park (TOSP) has welcomed today’s announcement by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, confirming government funding of £120m for the reopening of the Cowley Branch Line to passengers.
The decision marks a significant milestone in improving transport links for Oxford’s growing innovation district. The project will reconnect Cowley and Littlemore with Oxford city centre and beyond through two new stations with one serving The Oxford Science Park directly.
A founder member of the Campaign for the Cowley Branch Line, The Oxford Science Park has long advocated for the project as a vital step in improving connectivity and supporting Oxford’s growth as a leading innovation hub. The Park has contributed to £35 million in supplementary funding from other local stakeholders.
Yong Shen, Director of The Oxford Science Park, said: “The reopening of the Cowley Branch Line and the creation of a station at The Oxford Science Park will greatly improve connectivity for our tenants to the city and beyond. It’s a significant, tangible step towards more sustainable transport options and will support the continued growth and collaboration that define the Park.”
The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves said: “Oxford and Cambridge are home to the two of the best universities in the world, two of the most intensive innovation clusters in the world, and the area is a hub for globally renowned science and technology. Yet thanks to years of underinvestment, they still lack the public transport, affordable housing, and infrastructure they need. That changes under this government.
“We have massive ambitions for the Oxford-Cambridge corridor, that’s why we’re reopening the Cowley Branch railway 60 years after it closed, why we’re building more affordable housing and investing in business.”
Reopening the Cowley Branch Line will bring far-reaching benefits across the city and region – cutting congestion, reducing carbon emissions, and unlocking thousands of new homes and up to 10,000 jobs. Passenger forecasts suggest the line will support nearly one million return journeys each year once operational.
Read other news articles