The rebranding of Bicester Town Station caused a furore among residents.

But while there is still anger at the new name, the opening of the Bicester Village Station, set for October 26, should be warmly welcomed.

Chiltern Railways hopes the rebuilt station will encourage more commuters and visitors to ditch the car and use rail services to and from Bicester, Oxford and London.

And businesses hope the revamped service, which will connect the town to London Marylebone, will help bring more people, and custom, into the town centre.

The timing of the opening means the town might be able to avoid the usual influx of cars as Christmas shoppers hunt for bargains.

Added to the predicted opening of the new Bicester park-and-ride, the town could see a transport revolution – and at a time which could be argued it is most needed. Bicester is rapidly expanding, with the eco-town and other developments, as is Bicester Village is also growing.

With the forecast of a huge increase in in the number of residents, local authorities and transport bosses need to ensure the infrastructure is there so the town is not overwhelmed.

Residents will remember well the congestion chaos in the past, not least the gridlock on Black Friday 2014, the last Friday in November in which shops slash prices before Christmas.

If both new transport projects come to fruition on time, it paves the way for what everyone hopes will be a calmer Christmas.

This transport boon is not just for visitors but also for workers trying to head out of town and into the city.

The introduction of 13,000 new homes under the Garden City status has been a cause for concern, amongst some residents but with improvements lined up to tackle the extra cars, commuters and congestion, we can, hopefully, breath a sigh of relief.