Oxford City Council and MPs meet with Thames Water to discuss Botley Road works

Oxford City Council Deputy Leader Councillor Anna Railton and Oxford’s MPs, Anneliese Dodds and Layla Moran, met with representatives from Thames Water to discuss the ongoing disruption to Botley Road, seek clarity on the remaining schedule, and reinforce the importance of meeting key deadlines. 

The meeting was constructive, with Thames Water providing further detail on the scale of the works and outlining the next steps in their programme – both diverting the mains water pipe and sewer at the railway bridge, and the repairs to the mains pipe on Osney Bridge. They acknowledged the impact of the disruption and committed to improving communication with the public and stakeholders as work progresses. 

Of the meeting, Councillor Anna Railton said: “This was a good opportunity to meet with Thames Water, and hear more about their work and how it fits into the Network Rail project. We reiterated the importance of meeting deadlines, coordinating effectively with other utility companies, and improving communication with the public. 

“While other utility work is now complete, Thames Water is still working on connecting and testing the new water main at Botley Railway Bridge and installing a new sewer. It’s absolutely essential that this is completed as planned by the end of April 2025 to avoid any further impact on Network Rail’s longer-term programme for reopening Botley Road. 

“We also made it clear that the necessary works on Osney Bridge must take place so there isn't further disruption after Botley Road reopens in late 2026. We were assured that the planned finish date for the Osney bridge works is May 2026.  

“Residents and local businesses have had to put up with this disruption for long enough. It is important that Thames Water stays on schedule while keeping people fully informed. We look forward to continued engagement to ensure progress stays on track.”