what is the east-west railway?
The East-West rail link is being built by the EWRC to connect Bedford and Cambridge via St. Neots and Cambourne. This involves building two new stations in Tempsford / St. Neots and Cambourne. This line is the final stage of the Oxford-Cambridge arc.
Construction on the second part of the line from Bicester to Bedford is looking to be finalised by 2023, ready to set in motion a 2030 completion for the Bedford to Oxford rail line.
Of the five route options we consulted on, people were really positive about the one we have chosen...The line would bring people closer to opportunities for jobs and homes and bring friends and family closer together
oxford-cambridge rail link gets £110m investment.
In 2016 the government announced funding of £110m for an east-west rail link between Oxford and Cambridge. Using part of the varsity line this connects Milton Keynes, Aylesbury and Bedford to the longer route. Similar to HS2 London to Birmingham, this route works from east to west to connect large cities with a simple rail line allwoing for faster commutes and transport rotues saving fuel costs and travel times.
east-west rail link routes.
- Oxford to Milton Keynes, with trains stopping at Oxford Parkway, Bicester, Winslow and Bletchley
- Oxford to Bedford, with trains stopping at Oxford Parkway, Bicester, Winslow, Bletchley, Woburn Sands and Ridgmont
- Milton Keynes to Aylesbury, with trains stopping at Bletchley, Winslow and Aylesbury Vale Parkway
The following diagram from network rail outlines the various phases of the project.
potential benefits of east-west rail.
faster and cheaper travel.
East-West rail is poised to provide quicker, cheaper and more reliable alternatives to current options. The new lines will be optimised for efficient travel.
a boost for local economy.
New connections link distant areas to open up commutable routes and local businesses to a wider variety of customers. During the build of the new routes a plethora of jobs will be required to complete the planning and delivery of the project. Even after completion, someone has to run the railway so expect jobs long into the future.
