£10m for London Road, Halloween and local news

After years of uncertainty, Bicester's London Road underpass has taken a significant step forward.

On Tuesday, 20 October, Oxfordshire County Council's cabinet agreed in principle to contribute £10 million towards an underpass to replace the London Road level crossing.

The funding is intended to help East West Rail deliver a route beneath the railway rather than a pedestrian footbridge.

Why does this matter?

London Road is one of the main connections between Bicester town centre, south-east Bicester and nearby villages.

The existing level crossing is expected to close as East West Rail services expand, with safety concerns cited as the reason.

The two principal replacement options have been a footbridge with lifts, intended for pedestrians and cyclists, or an underpass that would also accommodate road traffic.

For people who use London Road regularly, the difference is substantial.

A footbridge could maintain a crossing for people on foot or bicycles, but drivers would need alternative routes. An underpass would preserve a more direct road connection between different parts of town.

Where will the money come from?

The council's proposed contribution includes £6 million of previously held East West Rail-related funding and approximately £1.66 million in contributions from developers.

The remaining £2.34 million is being covered for now through the county council's capital contingency, with the authority seeking to replace as much of that amount as possible through future developer contributions.

The first £1 million is expected to support design work. Most of the remaining expenditure is currently planned for 2031, in line with the proposed construction timetable.

What happens next?

There are still important steps ahead.

The £10 million commitment is subject to suitable agreements with the government and East West Rail. Final project costs, funding responsibilities and the delivery programme still need to be settled.

That means the council's decision is a funding milestone, not the start of construction.

For Bicester, though, there is now a clearer financial commitment behind the underpass option. The next test will be turning that commitment into agreed designs, contracts and a delivery timetable.

There has been a fresh development in the debate about plans to use MoD Bicester Site A for asylum accommodation.

On Friday, 23 October, the local campaign group Wrong Plan Wrong Site announced that it had launched a High Court legal challenge concerning the government's decision not to require a full Environmental Impact Assessment for the proposed development.

The legal action is being brought through Bicester Countryside and Communities CIC, the organisation supporting the campaign.

What is being challenged?

In August, the government concluded that the proposed development did not require a full Environmental Impact Assessment.

The campaign disputes that conclusion, raising questions about whether environmental issues were adequately investigated before the decision was made.

Its concerns include potential contamination, ecology, wastewater infrastructure and the decision-making process.

The group had previously sent a formal pre-action letter in September. The newly announced High Court challenge represents the next stage.

Does this mean the development has been stopped?

No. Launching a legal challenge does not mean the court has ruled against the government, nor does it automatically resolve the planning application.

Separately, in a parliamentary answer published on 22 October, the Home Office said that no final decision had been taken on the future use of MoD Bicester Site A.

The legal proceedings and the planning process therefore remain matters to watch.

For residents in Bicester, Piddington and surrounding villages, the main development this week is that the dispute has moved into a new legal stage.

There could be welcome news for people visiting Bicester town centre in the evenings.

On 20 October, Cherwell District Council announced its intention not to proceed with proposed overnight parking charges in Bicester and Banbury.

The announcement followed feedback from residents, businesses and other stakeholders, with the council acknowledging concerns about the effect on town-centre activity.

However, the proposal still needs formal approval at a future Executive meeting. The council is also planning a wider review of parking charges.

For now, the key point is that the council has changed its proposed direction, but the formal decision is still to come.

An Elmsbrook community tradition reached the end of an era on Friday, 23 October.

Elmsbrook Community Organisation announced that its volunteer-run Pop-up Café would hold its final session after seven years of bringing neighbours together.

The café, based at the Perch Eco Business Centre on Charlotte Avenue, offered more than coffee and cakes. It provided a regular place for people to meet, chat and get to know their neighbours.

The organisation also announced plans for a new permanent venue, Little Ann's Café, to open nearby on Monday, 2 November.

The final pop-up supported a Lions Clubs initiative providing medical kits for maternity care in Ukraine.

It is a reminder of how much difference a small, regular community gathering can make.

Families looking for something to do during the October school break have several local options.

Elite Youth Sports is running a holiday camp at The Bicester School from 26 to 30 October, with sport, games and activities for children aged five to 13.

Meanwhile, Bumble Creatives has organised two creative sessions at Elmsbrook Community Hub: a Halloween art workshop on Friday, 30 October, and a family autumn crafting afternoon on Sunday, 1 November.

Bicester Library also has its regular activities, including children's Lego Club and adult digital-help sessions.

Some activities require booking, and places may be limited, so checking the organiser's listing before setting off is sensible.

Friday's Halloween Spooktacular at Garth Park is about more than costumes and spooky trails.

The event, organised by Bicester Town Council, is raising funds for the Mayor's chosen charities: Bicester Autism/ADHD and Forget Me Not Bicester.

The programme includes seasonal stalls, games and a Halloween trail, with the main activities scheduled for Friday, 30 October.

One detail to know before making plans: the official ticket page currently marks the event as sold out.

That means families without tickets should not assume they can join the ticketed trail on the day.

For those who have already booked, the event offers an evening out while helping support two Bicester organisations.

For everyone else, there are other local activities this half-term, including children's workshops at Elmsbrook and sessions at Bicester Library.

Have you ever needed a particular tool for one small job, only to realise buying it would cost far more than the job itself?

That's exactly the problem Bicester Green's Library of Things is trying to solve.

The scheme allows members to borrow equipment such as DIY tools, garden tools and other useful household items for a hire charge.

Rather than buying something, using it once and storing it for years, people can share access to equipment already available locally.

It can save money, reduce waste and make occasional home or garden projects a little easier.

Bicester Green also welcomes enquiries about donating suitable items, from hand tools and jigsaws to household equipment.

The Library of Things isn't a new announcement this week. It's an existing local resource that deserves more attention, particularly as households look for practical ways to reduce unnecessary spending.

You can explore the collection and membership details at https://library.bicestergreen.org.uk/.

Little Ann's Café, Elmsbrook: A 2 November opening has been announced by the local community organisation. We'll look for confirmation that the new venue opens as planned.

London Road and parking decisions: We'll continue watching for the next steps in the underpass funding agreements and the formal Cherwell Executive decision on overnight parking charges.

There's a good mix of big decisions and small community stories this week, from the future of London Road to the people keeping neighbourhood activities going.

Thanks for reading HelloBicester.

Is there a local group, independent business or community project we should feature in a future edition? We'd love to hear about it.

HelloBicester is Bicester's free weekly community newsletter. Share it with a friend who loves this town. And if you hear about a new Bicester‑area good news story, send it to HelloBicester ([email protected]) so we can share it with the whole town next week.

See you next week.

Cheers!!