Clarion Weekly, 17 January 2025

Culham Campus is to be the country’s first “AI Growth Zone” (photo: UKAEA)

Welcome! Now we’ve cleared the Christmas backlog, this is shaping up to be a big year for Oxfordshire news: OUFC’s new stadium, county council elections, thousands of new houses, two theme parks planned for the Bicester area… the list goes on. But one thing we’re not betting on in 2025 is completion of the Botley Road works. Here’s why:

This week’s top stories

Botley Road rail bridge could remain closed until June 2026. Rail industry documents passed to the Oxford Clarion show that the window has passed for the work to be scheduled any earlier – unless the Government overrules Network Rail. In a long read, we looked at what’s gone wrong, and what happens next:

Culham, between Oxford and Didcot, has been selected as Britain’s first “AI Growth Zone”. The Government says planning approval for data centres will be fast-tracked; access to the energy grid will be prioritised; and the site promoted for international investment.

Working with the UK Atomic Energy Authority, the Government will “seek a private-sector partner who would develop one of the UK’s largest AI data centres, beginning with 100MW of capacity and with plans to scale up to 500MW”. The process to select the partner will begin this spring.

Tim Bestwick of the UK Atomic Energy Authority said: “Culham Campus’s high-capacity and connection to the UK’s national electricity grid, coupled with its available land on the Campus, positions it as a prime location for deploying substantial computing facilities.” The UKAEA site at Culham has been Britain’s national laboratory for fusion research since 1965. Adjacent land is proposed for new labs/offices, with a planning application currently under consideration, and a 3,500-home new town. We looked at the proposals last year.

A Citizens’ Assembly on Oxfordshire transport starts on 8 February. 40 residents have been randomly selected to discuss “What steps do we need to take so Oxfordshire’s transport system enables our county's health, economy, and environment to thrive in 2050?”

The project is overseen by an 18-strong “independent advisory board” including local councillors (Conservative, Labour, Green, Independent); transport and health experts; and representatives from Thames Valley Police, the NHS, Healthwatch Oxfordshire, the City of Oxford Licensed Taxicab Association, Oxford Civic Society, and GWR – though not the bus companies.

The assembly is being extended from 30 to 45 hours total to include a special focus on “the council’s suite of traffic management measures in central Oxfordshire”, following a motion passed at last month’s County Council meeting. It will be asked to make a set of interim recommendations.

A similar “Citizens’ Jury” took place in 2022. It recommended “a congestion charge based on the size of vehicle and emissions”; “reducing motorised traffic in residential areas”; and “infrastructure for clear physical separation between different forms of transport”.

Around the city

Oxford City Council has raised the possibility of expanding the city limits “which could give Oxford as a place the ability to meet all its future housing need”. The suggestion was made in a letter to Government opposing Oxfordshire County Council’s approach to council reorganisation. The City Council says it wants a high-level “strategic authority” (a grouping with other counties) to be agreed before unitary councils are formed, whereas the County Council has asked to join a fast track that could lead to unitary status sooner. Settlements like Wheatley, Kidlington, Kennington and Botley currently lie outside Oxford City within neighbouring districts, as does land that could be built on for new housing. The City Council has floated the idea of “a city-based unitary on expanded geography” which might include these villages. (We took a longer look at the arguments behind unitary councils, and the positions of each council, in last week’s newsletter – you can read online, or of course, subscribe to get each one by email.)
Oxford’s last angling shop, Top Tackle on Abingdon Road, has closed. A notice cites “the ever increasing flooding and people no longer supporting independent businesses and buying online… please support other local shops because once they’re gone they will never return”. An application has been lodged with Oxford City Council to open a convenience store at the premises. Baweja Superstore plans to open 7am-11pm (midnight on Fri/Sat).
Oxford City Council has authorised a contract to build 51 affordable homes on the Northfield Hostel site in Littlemore. The development comprising two four-storey buildings, which received planning permission in 2022, will be undertaken by contractors Equans. There will be 27 homes at council rent and 24 available for shared ownership. The plans also envisage a further 10 houses on the adjacent field, currently planned as a mix of affordable housing. The hostel, which once provided residential accommodation for a special school, was demolished last year. The land was released by Oxfordshire County Council to Oxford City Council in order to deliver affordable housing.
The Gardeners Arms on North Parade has closed once more, just 15 months after reopening under Morgan Pub Company. Founder Dick Morgan told Oxford Drinker: “It proved too small for our type of operation. It needs to be operated by someone living upstairs.”
The Children & Family Centre at the Leys has been reopened after a £900,000 refurbishment. The centre can now accommodate both family help/social work and staff from the Oxfordshire Hospital School, which previously shared St Nicholas School in Marston.

Work has begun on improvements to St Michael’s Street, making the pavement and road surface flush, marking out outdoor seating areas, and dividing up cycle parking. The Cornmarket end of the road has been pedestrianised since 2022. The works are funded by a £377,000 Government grant. Oxford City Council, which is delivering the scheme via its ODS company, says the narrow pavements were difficult for wheelchair users to navigate. The plans have been drawn up in consultation with disability groups. Construction is due to finish by the end of March, “in time for better weather during the Spring and Summer”. Cllr Alex Hollingsworth said the improvements would “reflect the street’s character while supporting local businesses”.
A new talk has been added to the Oxford Literary Festival’s LGBTQ+ programme following criticism of its decision to platform “gender critical” pundits Helen Joyce and Julie Bindel. Kate Kirkpatrick will talk to Constantine Sandis about his book Real Gender: A Defence of Trans Realities. The listing says the talk will “explore the factors that make the trans experience of gender as natural and unquestionable as that of non-trans people… the book is grounded in trans theory and contains many trans voices.” In a change to the original programme, the Joyce/Bindel event now includes “an additional 30 minutes for questions and answers with the speaker to allow the audience to engage with the debate”, as does the Kirkpatrick/Sandis talk. Both will be introduced by philosophy professor Gary Francione.

Oxfordshire Trading Standards has asked for the premises licence of Uni Food & Wine, opposite the rail station, to be revoked. In a November visit they found illegal tobacco snus on sale; illegal e-cigarettes, labelling and display offences; and cider stronger than the licence allowed. They also found that CCTV was not in operation as required; no panic button was installed; training records and the daily register were not available; and the required notice about tobacco sales to under-18s being illegal was not being displayed. Oxford City Council’s licensing panel will decide the matter and have set a deadline of 11 February for representations. Trading Standards have cited a series of prior incidents in support of their bid to revoke the licence – we illustrated these in our Bluesky thread. Perhaps the most arresting excerpt from the Trading Standards report is this:

“The sole member of staff working at the premises contacted Mr Lalpurwal [owner] at the start of the inspection. He was heard to say that Trading Standards were here and officers noted that Mr Lalpurwal replied ‘Oh my God’.”

Around the county

Comments have opened for the proposed Botley West Solar Farm. The national Planning Inspectorate is asking all with an interest to lodge their details (so they can potentially speak at the examination) and any comments online. The deadline to register is 27 February, after which preparations will start for the full examination. The latter can take up to six months; then three months for the recommendation to be written up; then another three for the Secretary of State to decide, meaning that this could slip into 2026.
Work is to shortly begin on a private standalone 5G network (mobile private network), at Harwell Campus, with Vodafone as the provider. The work is part of England’s Connected Heartland (ECH), a 5G Innovation Region from Oxfordshire across to Cambridgeshire. Cllr Liz Leffman, leader of Oxfordshire County Council leader, said it would “help some of the most innovative businesses in the UK, based on the campus, to continue to thrive”. The Harwell campus is home to cutting-edge science orgnisations, including the European Space Agency’s Centre for Space Applications & Telecommunications. Works are also commencing on ECH's other project, 5G connectivity across East-West Rail's Bicester to Bletchley route, to be used by the on-train wifi service and also available to residents and rural businesses along the route.
Thames Valley Police's chief constable, Jason Hogg, has been suspended. Matthew Barber, Police & Crime Commissioner, said that the Independent Office of Police Conduct are investigating “allegations against the Chief Constable [which] would, if proven, amount to gross misconduct”. “The investigation involves concerns that the Chief Constable failed to adequately investigate allegations relating to the improper retention of sensitive police information… amounting to failure in duties & responsibilities and a lack of honesty & integrity. There is no criminal investigation.” Deputy Chief Constable Ben Snuggs has taken on responsibilities for now, with a Temporary Chief Constable to be appointed by the end of January.

University & research

Oxford University is asking students for feedback on how to tackle serious non-academic misconduct, “especially concerning free speech”. The consultation, which is being run by the Students’ Union, is considering a set of amendments to the university statutes. The Government’s Office for Students is requiring universities to update their regulations in order to protect students from harassment and sexual misconduct. The new conditions were announced in 2024; universities have until 1 August this year to comply. A first draft was criticised for casting its net too widely and “giving the University scope to impose discipline over an unknowable range of activities”. A proposal to ban activities that might “cause the University to suffer a material financial or non-financial loss” has been dropped.

Trains & buses

A new ‘orbital’ bus service starts next month, linking Redbridge Park & Ride, Oxford Science Park, Littlemore, Cowley, the John Radcliffe Hospital, and Thornhill Park & Ride, without the need to go via the city centre. The Stagecoach-operated 600 will run half-hourly, dropping down to hourly in the evening and on Sundays. Starting on 24 February, it’s one of a series of ‘Eastern Arc’ bus services originally planned to coincide with the upcoming traffic filters.
Witney is to get new express buses to Oxford. The S2 services in early morning and late evening will take around 35 minutes from Witney Market Square to Magdalen Street. The additional departures will run at 04.05, 04.35, 05.35 and 06.15 from Witney, and 20.10, 20.50, 21.35 and 02.00 from Oxford, again starting in late February.
CrossCountry’s additional trains are expected to be in service by May, which could potentially allow the Oxford–Birmingham service to return to half-hourly. 12 trains no longer required on the West Coast line are being redeployed to the CrossCounty fleet.

Layla Moran with the chair of the British Dental Association in Oxford, Sean Woodcock meeting Heidi Alexander, Charlie Maynard canvassing in Carterton (MP social media)

Oxfordshire politics

In this week's summary of constituency activities, our MPs are now in to their second week back after the festive break. The usual caveat, we round up what we've spotted, but it's a fraction of what the MPs do, as this summary from Calum Miller for last week shows.

Sean Woodcock, MP for Banbury, has been out on the doorsteps in Banbury in the frost. He met Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander, and celebrated both Labour's increase in funds to fix potholes and local councillors work to fix potholes on National Pothole Day (nope, us neither), and made constituents aware of cold weather payments. Out and about in his constituency, he has been meeting local farmers, and visiting the Cropredy Bridge battlefield site. He supported Labour's Renters Rights bill. In the cut and thrust of party politics, he criticised Kemi Badenoch, warning she'd cut the state pension.
Oxford East MP and cabinet member Anneliese Dodds’ socials indicate a focus on front-bench matters this week.
Henley & Thame’s Freddie van Mierlo has penned an article in Parliament News about improving rural cycling, having last week called for an increase in the Active Travel budget. The cause célèbre in his constituency is a cycleway from Thame to the nearest railway station at Haddenham, just 2.5 miles away but on dangerous roads. The article is a must-read for anyone interested in active travel (we might have some readers that fit that description…?). He spoke in a debate on violence against women and girls, and joined the APPG for less survivable cancers. In the context of SEND in Oxfordshire, he asked the Speaker to make time for a debate on ADHD, sharing a colleague's article on being an MP with ADHD, and 'raised the alarm' on ADHD treatment in Oxfordshire. He backed a proposal for a UK EU Youth Mobility Scheme in Parliament.
Oxford West & Abingdon's Layla Moran is hiring for a Policy and communications caseworker. She met the chair of the British Dental Association in Oxford, and visited St John's Dental Practice to discuss access to NHS dentists. She also met Oxford Friends of the Earth, committing to work in Parliament to ensure the government acts on climate change. She talked about access to medical cannabis oil.
Olly Glover (Didcot & Wantage) shared this advice from a national fuel poverty charity on staying warm and safe at home given the extremely cold weather. In Parliament he asked the Home Secretary about anti social behaviour, asking what was being done to improve community policing in Didcot, Wantage and Wallingford. He supported the LibDems’ call this week for a customs union with the EU. He visited Didcot Girls School, meeting Citizenship GCSE students – maybe a future Didcot MP was among them? He too supported the EU youth mobility scheme bill. In an interview with TalkTV he spoke about the need to support Ukraine, using seized Russian assets to do so. He joined a general call to raise awareness on Less Survivable Cancers Week.
Charlie Maynard, MP for Witney, has been focusing on the Water Bill. He railed against Labour rejecting an amendment, saying the consequences would be that consumers, not creditors, fund debts of bankrupt water companies: he was not happy. (This video is a summary of the week on the water bill.) He has been out canvassing in Carterton for the Town Council by-elections. He visited Hailey Primary School and discussed school funding and SEND.
Bicester & Woodstock MP Calum Miller was on BBC Question Time last night, with Nadine Dorries and Chris Bryant. Here's a clip covering adult social care. He signposted constituents to services available to support them in cold weather.

Dates for your diary

Banbury Town Council have published their full annual events calendar. From the Banbury Show to the Canal Festival, find it here and mark your diaries.

This weekend

Extinction Rebellion choir launch, Headington, Saturday 18th January. All welcome: songs are taught by ear, so reading music is not a requirement. Hazel Dawe, choir leader, explains: “Campaigning about the Climate isn’t all chants and placards. We bring our voices to the streets to draw attention to the Climate Emergency.” The Clarion movement has a long tradition of radical choir singing, so we couldn’t not tell you about this. Details: hazeldawe5@gmail.com.

Oxford’s independent media

The Oxford Drinker visits the lost pubs of Jericho; and asks, in a challenging market for pubs, will Oxford buck the trend?
Morris Oxford looks at Oxford commas and missing letters on shop signs, which gives us an opportunity to recount our favourite ever instalment of Lost Consonants: “Andrew Lloyd Webber writes another hit musical.”
The Oxford Sausage writes about the fabulous Sheldon tapestry map of Oxford; also, don't miss a tale about a South Oxford house made of paper.
Ox in a Box reviews the Cowley Road's Spiced Roots, “one of Oxford's best kept secrets”.
Little Explorers have rounded up the best January adventures with the kids.
Muddy Stilettos rounds up cheap eats in and around Oxfordshire.
The Oxfordshire History Centre looks at the history of film in Oxford.

Notes from Clarion HQ

The editorial team have spent too many hours on trains and buses this week, so we enjoyed this look into the workings of the Oxford Tube by famed transport YouTuber, Geoff Marshall. There’s a look inside the control room and the repair shop.

On a related subject, we also found this top-secret video of Network Rail’s Botley Road control room. See you next week.