Safety Fears as solar lighting switches off at Oxford train station walkway

Safety fears have been raised after solar-powered lights have been switching off in the evening at a new walkway close to Oxford railway station.

Network Rail has provided the new walkway for pedestrians and cyclists as part of a £231m scheme to upgrade the station.

Cyclists and pedestrians share the walkway and cyclists are asked to dismount in the four-metre wide space.

But some cyclists are refusing to get off their bikes and are cycling through the walkway instead, despite signs requesting them to dismount, and additional marshals have been hired to monitor the situation.

Now residents have complained that the walkway is not being properly lit up at night because the solar panels are switching off as they are not getting enough solar power during the shorter daylight hours.

Rhiannon Ash of the campaign group West Oxford Access said: "Some of you may have walked through the western end of the tunnel at night last week, where it zig zags, and found it in total darkness by 8.30pm.

"This is obviously dangerous, especially with delivery bikes cycling through.

"I wrote to Network Rail, who say: 'As the lighting is powered by solar panels, it seems with the change of season that the lights weren't receiving enough power and had therefore not been able to be on when needed. I can confirm we will be installing more panels to ensure there's enough power for the lights to be on'."

A spokesman for Network Rail said: "We’ve been made aware that the lighting at the Botley Road walkway has been switching off early because the solar panels which power them haven’t been able to generate the required power, owing to the reduction in daylight hours as the season changes. 

"We’d like to thank those who brought this to our attention and confirm that additional panels will be installed as soon as possible to remedy the situation.” 

Julian Le Vay, who lives off Botley Road, launched West Oxford Access to monitor Network Rail's progress with the major scheme which led to the closure of Botley Road at the rail bridge in 2023. It will not reopen until August 2026.

Mr Le Vay said: "I wish I could say I'm surprised by this but I'm not.

Earlier this month, it emerged that new architects are being invited to bid for a £1.9m contract to redesign the railway station.

Network Rail is advertising for new architects to provide plans for a complete redesign of the station which would be completed once the Botley Road reopens.

The rail infrastructure company has already announced plans to create a new western entrance to the station, provide a new rail bridge, and build a new platform to boost East West Rail links and facilitate the opening of the Cowley Branch Line.