Residents of Winslow are frustrated a new railway station completed over a year ago has still not opened.

A local councillor said it had been due to open in the Buckinghamshire town in December 2025 but there had been a "comedy of errors", including a row over who will control the opening and closing of carriage doors.

Diana Blamires, who sits on the town council, said the local community was "obviously furious" and "it makes Winslow station a laughing stock".

In a statement, Chiltern Railways - responsible for operating services between Oxford and Milton Keynes - said no date for the opening had yet been confirmed.

Blamires said: "Now we are told there are no trains and the rolling stock has gone elsewhere.

"And next the platforms are going to have to be rebuilt to make them longer because of Universal Studios coming to the area."

Winslow resident Andy Dyke said the station always came up in conversations between locals.

He said: "It is frustrating for the town."

Natalie Wheble, from the East West Rail project (EWR), told a transport meeting at Buckinghamshire Council longer trains were needed because of the expected increased demand generated by the Universal theme park, due to be built near Bedford.

She said EWR expected to run five-car trains rather than the previously planned four, which meant its plans had changed.

A spokesperson for EWR added: "This uplift in capacity has led to a review of all infrastructure requirements and in the case of Winslow station, a decision has been taken to extend the platforms, so it can accommodate the use of longer trains.

"Any work to extend platforms at Winslow would not affect the introduction of Chiltern's new services."

They said that in March last year, the government had announced that Chiltern Railways would be the operator of services connecting Oxford and Milton Keynes.

"Since then, Chiltern has been working closely with the Department of Transport and industry colleagues with the aim of introducing services on the new line as soon as possible."

No trains to Barnstaple or Okehampton for at least another week

A wheelchair user who took part in a 48-hour challenge to travel from Wiltshire to London on public transport said "more action" was needed to improve facilities.

Chris Davis, 60, from Melksham, completed the journey as part of a Spinal Injuries Association campaign to raise awareness of the barriers disabled passengers face.

"What should have been a straightforward trip became a series of accessibility failures," Davis said, after he encountered a broken down lift and tried to get a taxi which was not big enough for his wheelchair.

The Department for Transport said it was "determined" to make travel easier for everyone, including by improving step-free access at stations.

"Real life accounts like these show just how difficult it can be to travel with a disability," a spokesperson for the department said.

They added that the government had earmarked £280m to improve station access and passenger assistance, while also creating "tough new accessibility standards for buses and taxi drivers".

Davis was one of six people with spinal cord injuries who planned and completed a journey to London using at least two forms of public transport as part of the challenge.

He travelled from Melksham to London Paddington before he ended his journey at Trafalgar Square.

Davis used trains and buses on his journey to London and tried to use a black taxi to get home. However, he had to change his plans and get a train because his wheelchair would not fit in the taxi.

"Better taxi access would make the biggest difference," he said.

Emma Strain, Transport for London's (TfL's) director of customer, said being able to get around London safely and comfortably was "crucial for everyone to be able to live their lives fully".

Black cabs are legally required to take wheelchair users and Strain said all licensed London black taxis have been made to be wheelchair-accessible.

Davis said he felt "vulnerable" after arriving at London's Liverpool Street station to find a broken down lift. After asking for help, he was taken to use a goods lift.

"It wasn't particularly nice," he said. "Those kind of things can be quite challenging."

In response, Strain said TfL understood the "frustration and inconvenience" its passengers experience when there is no step-free access.

'It's getting better'

Davis said with lots of planning and a back-up plan, travelling on public transport as a wheelchair user "can be done".

"Facilities are improving, it's a bit slow, but it is getting better," he said.

"We can keep talking about these challenges, but someone somewhere needs to actually take action on improving facilities.

"I would absolutely do it again - the more involvement the disabled community has in that process the better," he added.

The Spinal Injuries Association campaign was funded by funded by the Motability Foundation.

Both charities said disabled passengers have "dramatically different" experiences on public transport and explained they are committed to "supporting robust evidence that highlights where barriers persist and what action is needed to address these."

Unless Condition 14.1 applies, if you are using a Season Ticket, daily Zonal Ticket, or another area based Ticket such as a concessionary pass, ranger, or rover, in conjunction with another Ticket and the last station at which one Ticket is valid and the first station that the other Ticket is valid are the same, then the train does not need to Call at that station for your combination to be valid.

Some Tickets specifically exclude their use in conjunction with other Tickets. This will be made clear in the terms and conditions when buying such Tickets.

Reinstated by 7pm; unfortunate for would-be passengers who had already altered their plans, and for the taxi drivers who weren’t ultimately engaged to cover The Railway’s staff shortage.

Due to flooding between Exeter St Davids and Crediton the line is closed. Disruption is expected until the end of the day on 16/02/26.
Train services between Exeter St Davids and Barnstaple have been suspended.
Customer Advice
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What has happened?
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Flooding brought on by Storm Chandra and subsequent rain on saturated ground has meant that the Exeter to Barnstaple line has been closed.
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The flood water has not receded, and much of the surrounding area is under water. Further forecast rain means that the line will remain closed until the end of the day on Monday 16th February at the earliest.

Due to flooding between Liskeard and Looe the line is closed.

Train services running to and from these stations have been suspended. Disruption is expected until the end of the day on 16/02/26.

19:43 Swindon to Westbury due 20:25

19:43 Swindon to Westbury due 20:25 has been delayed at Swindon and is now 5 minutes late.
This is due to a late running train being in front of this one.

20:38 Westbury to Swindon due 21:23
21:34 Swindon to Westbury due 22:16

21:34 Swindon to Westbury due 22:16 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.

From Rail Business Daily

Detailed plans have been published for ‘Mini Switzerland’, a national transport demonstrator soon to be launched in the Hope Valley.

The new report sets out a fully worked-up blueprint for creating a Swiss-style integrated public transport network in the Peak District, where hourly buses and trains are carefully timed to connect, tickets work across all modes, and the whole system operates as one joined-up network.

The project represents an opportunity for the East Midlands to demonstrate national leadership in rural mobility, by hosting the UK’s first real-world demonstrator of fully integrated bus and rail services outside of a major city.

Italy says railways hit by 'serious sabotage' as Winter Olympics begin



Suspected attacks on northern Italy's railway network have led to severe travel disruption in the region, the authorities say, as thousands gathered for the start of the Winter Olympic Games.

Police reported three separate incidents involving damage to railway lines that they believe are connected to the Games. A fire hit rail infrastructure between Bologna and Venice, triggering delays of up to two-and-a-half hours, and police later found severed cables and an explosive device in locations nearby.

The Ministry of Transport called the incidents an act of "serious sabotage", which they said mirrored vandalism during the Paris Olympics in 2024.

Police said a track switch was set alight near Pesaro, on the Adriatic coast. Several hours later, police discovered severed electric cables near Bologna, along with a rudimentary explosive device left by a track nearby.

Bologna's rail station is a major transport hub, linking cities in the north and south, and east to west lines.

"These actions of unprecedented seriousness do not in any way tarnish Italy's image in the world, an image that the Games will make even more compelling and positive," said Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister Matteo Salvini.

A police spokesperson earlier said that they were investigating the incidents and that no one had claimed responsibility.

Salvini compared the events to the Paris Summer Olympics, when saboteurs damaged France's high speed rail network. "There are similarities in action and timing to the French incident," he told AFP.

Bologna's high speed, state-owned railway had to temporarily close, but traffic was returning to normal by Saturday afternoon.

The opening ceremony of the Games took place on Friday evening in Milan, in Cortina in northeastern Italy and two other locations. Milan and Cortina are both reachable by train from Venice. Events are spread over hundreds of miles of northern Italy, in locations including the Alps and Dolomite mountains.

South Devon MP starts petition after A379 Slapton coastal road collapse


Part of the A379 Slapton Line near Torcross, Devon, collapsed during stormy weather on Monday night

Thousands have signed a petition calling for more government support for those affected by storm damage to a coastal road.

Caroline Voaden, Liberal Democrat MP for South Devon, set up the petition following the partial collapse of the A379 Slapton Line near Torcross, which has caused disruption in the area. As of 09:30 GMT on Saturday, more than 9,500 people had signed the petition, which calls for help for "communities affected by coastal erosion in Start Bay".

The government said it was aware the storm damage was a "big shock" to residents and that it was working with the county council to determine its "next steps". A government spokesperson said: "We are providing over £443m for roads maintenance in the area over the next four years, along with £667m across the UK into protecting communities from the sea."

The road is set to remain shut for an extended period after an estimated tens of millions of pounds of damage was caused.

County council leader Julian Brazil apologised after he suggested the road might not be repaired, which sparked angry comments from residents.

Voaden said the response to the petition showed the "strength of feeling about the crisis" and how worried people in the community were. "Communities affected by coastal erosion at Start Bay are the canary in the coalmine in our fight against climate change," she added. "The government must treat this issue with the seriousness and urgency it deserves."

(BBC news article continues)