Botley Road to reopen on 20 September

Network Rail has confirmed Botley Road in Oxford will reopen to traffic on Sunday 20 September 2026. This follows additional work needed to replace part of the gas network beneath the road after three minor gas leaks were discovered during excavation works.

The road had previously been due to reopen at the end of August. Network Rail agreed to accommodate essential work by SGN to replace a section of ageing gas infrastructure alongside the completion of the remaining construction work. SGN’s work is due to finish on 8 August, after which Network Rail will complete the final stages of the project.

Councillor Gareth Epps, Cabinet Member for Transport, said: “Residents and businesses have endured the closure of Botley Road for far too long, so we welcome the clarity on reopening. We will now consider our programme for the traffic filter trial and will announce the start date at the earliest opportunity once we have absolute certainty.”

Network Rail has said it will continue to provide updates as work progresses towards the reopening date. Further information is available on the Network Rail website.