East West Railway Company (EWR Co) has launched its latest consultation which includes updated proposals for the new railway. Key design updates include an accelerated construction programme to deliver the benefits of the railway to communities earlier and the delivery of up to five trains an hour.  

The latest details are part of East West Rail’s last route-wide consultation on the project, which will connect Oxford, Milton Keynes, Bedford and Cambridge before a  Development Consent Order (DCO) application to build the railway is submitted in 2027. 

These proposals now take into account the plans for the Universal Resort near Bedford and reflect the expected increase in passenger demand along the line and include provision for a station at Stewartby to serve the theme park.  

As a result, EWR is now proposed to be built in new delivery phases* - replacing the previous connection stages – with new stations and sections of the railway opening as soon as they are ready, rather than waiting for the whole route to be completed. 

This approach aims to bring forward better benefits to communities and passengers and accelerate the delivery of EWR in certain sections, allowing new communities to grow around the infrastructure in place, unlocking housing opportunities and drawing in more investment and businesses. It will also better align with getting high-capacity frequent services to the new Universal Resort earlier than previously anticipated. 

A core EWR service of four trains per hour across the whole route is now proposed, with an additional fifth train running at peak times or potentially all day, if required. This fifth train could be used to enable service extensions to and from locations on the wider rail network beyond the EWR route. Five-carriage trains, rather than four carriages, are also proposed due to increased demand.     

Latest proposals: 

David Hughes, CEO, East West Railway Company, said: “These updated proposals mark a major step forward for East West Rail to help ensure communities see the benefits of the project sooner as we finalise the design. Faster delivery, more frequent services and new stations will help unlock housing, support new jobs and attract investment, while giving residents and businesses better connections between Oxford, Milton Keynes, Bedford and Cambridge.  

“By bringing forward key elements of the railway and planning for increased demand, we are helping to ensure the infrastructure is in place to support future growth and opportunities for our communities. I encourage residents, businesses and stakeholders to take part in the consultation and share their views on our latest plans.”  

Rail Minister, Lord Peter Hendy, said: “East West Rail will unlock the potential of the Oxford-Cambridge Growth Corridor, providing greater connectivity across the region and delivering on our Plan for Change mission to drive economic growth, jobs and homes. This consultation reflects continuing progress on the final design for this critical railway and another step forward to delivering the benefits of this project to a multitude of individuals, local communities and businesses.” 

Gidon Freeman, Vice-President, External Affairs, Universal Destinations and Experiences, said: “One of the reasons we selected our site for a new entertainment resort complex featuring a world class theme park is its central location and excellent transport links. East West Rail can further improve that connectivity – its proposed station by Universal would enhance guest and team member arrival with a new link to our resort from across the Ox-Cam Corridor.”   

Dr Andy Williams, Chair, Oxford-Cambridge Supercluster Board, said: ”East West Rail will greatly improve connectivity between Oxford, Cambridge and the towns in between, stimulating the flow of talented people, innovation and investment needed to secure the UK’s position as a global science supercluster. It will boost business confidence in the region, providing opportunities to expand to other locations along the route, such as Bedford and Milton Keynes, and connecting a region of 3.5 million people ready to compete with other global superclusters like Silicon Valley.” 

Feedback from the consultation will be taken into account as designs for the railway are finalised ready for the submission of a Development Consent Order in 2027. 

The consultation will run for eight weeks from April 14 to June 9, 2026. A series of public drop-in events are being held across the route to provide opportunities to meet the EWR Co team and find out more about the updated proposals*. 

For more information about the consultation and how to get involved, please visit the consultation page, contact EWR Co’s helpdesk at [email protected] or call 0330 134 0067.    

Feedback must be received by 23:59 on 9 June 2026.