Stretching the commuter belt to include Bath, Bristol, Banbury and Oxford, “the biggest timetable change on the network since 1976” will come into force on December 15, says Great Western Railways (GWR).
Electrification of the Great Western main line between London and South Wales has been expensive and delayed, but the £5 billion project will also upgrade signals and introduce new trains and more express services.
Journeys to and from the Unesco World Heritage city of Bath, the university cities of Oxford and Bristol, and the Oxfordshire market town of Banbury will all be faster.
The Oxford-London commute will take from just 44 minutes. Bristol will take from an hour and eight minutes from Bristol Parkway station north of the city centre, with trains to Bristol Temple Meads in the centre taking from an hour and 19 minutes. Paddington to Bath Spa is cut to an hour and 14 minutes.
“The changes turn a barely bearable London commute into a very do-able option,” says Charlie Taylor, a partner at Knight Frank in Bath. “With Crossrail arriving in Paddington, getting to your office quickly once you’ve arrived also makes a big difference.”
Estate agents believe the faster journeys will appeal to buyers not ready to give up city life, even if they are priced out of London.
An annual season ticket from Bristol Parkway or Temple Meads comes in at £12,788; Bath Spa £10,968; Oxford £6,120 per year, and Banbury £6,840.
None of these figures include the inevitable New Year price hike.
https://www.homesandproperty.co.uk/property-news/buying/london-commuter-homes-bath-bristol-oxford-fast-electric-trains-a135236.html