A PETITION has been set up calling for a railway station to be opened in southern Oxfordshire.

More than 600 people have already signed the petition to build a station at Grove near Wantage – close to the site of one which was closed in 1964.

The former Wantage Road Station was built as a stop on the Great Western Railway in 1846, but was closed as part of the Beeching cuts aimed at increasing the efficiency of the nationalised railway system.

Rail users are now hoping the station can be reopened, as the population increases due to new housing.

Andy Holding, who started the petition and has created the Facebook page "Wantage and Grove Station Supporters", has emailed MP Grant Shapps, the transport secretary, Wantage MP David Johnston, Network Rail, GWR, Chiltern Railways, and Oxfordshire County Council showing them the public support to reopen the site.

He said: "Wantage and Grove would benefit from a railway station being re-opened in the area as soon as possible.

"Since 1964 the population has increased significantly and the roads have become busier to the point where journeys can sometimes take upwards of one hour to Oxford by car during peak times.

"The initial assessment shows that a new Wantage and Grove station could be viable... with a return of £2.48 for every £1 spent on the scheme.

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"This is regarded as 'high value for money' by the Department for transport. Wantage and Grove Station is needed with a growing population in the area of over 30,000.

"Journey times by public transport are currently 55 minutes to one hour 18 minutes. Furthermore, it has been well documented that there is a bus driver shortage in Oxford and services can be unreliable at times.

"Journey times by train could be under 32 minutes on GWR or Chiltern Railways.

"The train operating service is likely to remove several thousand car and van journeys off the busy roads and reduce travel times, by bus, of up to 46 minutes.

"The journey time from Wantage to Oxford Station by car can take 30 minutes to one hour. There's also the benefit of possible services to London, Banbury, Didcot, Oxford, Swindon, Bristol, Birmingham, South Wales and onto the EWR route."

He added: "Wantage and Grove as well as East Challow has a similar population to Didcot, Oxfordshire but we don't have a station?

“There’s also the case of why does Radley, Appleford, Cholsey and Culham have a station for such low population?”

To sign the petition, visit: change.org/p/wantage-grove-railway-station-needs-to-re-open