The Oxford Cowley Branch Line is set to reopen by 2030 after its closure in 1963. The move is part of a multi-million-pound investment by the government aimed at turning the region into Europe’s ‘Silicon Valley,’ reported Rail Minister Lord Peter Hendy.

Cowley is an industrial district that hosts Plant Oxford, a BMW-owned facility and the city’s largest industrial employer, providing jobs for over 4,300 people.

After more than 60 years of being used only by freight traffic going to and from the BMW Mini Plant, the authorities’ goal is to resume passenger services connecting Oxford to Cambridge. The line is set to receive a major revamp before it opens to the public.

The government has promised to invest £120m in the project, as well as developing two new stations at Oxford Littlemore and Oxford Cowley, in the south-eastern part of Oxford. The funding is part of a £500m strategy to improve local infrastructure and allow locals to easily travel around the city.

Part of the scheme is also linking some of the city’s main innovation areas, including the Science Park and the Business Park. The line aims to provide a service every 30 minutes connecting the two new stations with the city centre in 10 minutes. Moreover, there are also plans to expand the network to London Marylebone.