RAIL users in West Oxfordshire will soon have one less aspect of their journeys to worry about thanks to platform extensions on the Cotswold Line.

Network Rail will be carrying out work at six stations on the line from November, with Hanborough, Charlbury and Kingham to follow in December.

The extensions will prepare local stations for Great Western Railway's (GWR) new Intercity Express Trains, allowing more doors to open at each destination.

It should see commuters wave goodbye to a familiar problem, with customers forced to frantically change carriages at their stop due to short platforms.

Oxfordshire County Councillor Liam Walker, who represents Long Hanborough, said: "These improvements are long overdue at Hanborough Station.

"Lots of commuters and visitors will be aware of the challenge of ensuring you are on the right carriage where the doors will open at Hanborough.

"The biggest problem is having to bolt down the carriage when you get off the train."

"The extension to the platform is another step in improvements that will be coming to the station in the years to come.

"The County Council will continue to work with Network Rail, GWR and the Government on pushing for improvements to this station and the Cotswold Line."

Network Rail has said it will work ‘as quickly as possible’ to complete the work, which will take place at the three West Oxfordshire stations on Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

The number of people using Hanborough station soared from 76,580 in 2006/07 to 238,580 in 2016/17 despite competition from Oxford Parkway station, which opened in 2015.

This figure is likely to rise in the coming years, with several housing developments being built nearby including a 169-home site in Long Hanborough.

Mr Walker called for infrastructure improvements to meet the demand of the area's rising population, such as an alignment of bus and train timetables.

The county council has previously looked into constructing a park and ride at Eynsham to alleviate traffic problems on the A40.

Mr Walker said: "People need to have other viable transport options and this is on top of other improvements to come.

"We're a long way from where we need to be."