East-West Rail (EWR): Consultation updates [not speculation]

[Nottingham59]

The EWR station building also serves the ECML platforms. The Southbound ECML platform is visible in the drawing as being almost the full width of the page. (I assume the ECML platforms will be sized for 12-car trains so >240m long.)

Where are the car parks?

 

[zwk500]

Where are the car parks?

Probably somewhere in the big white space...

 

[InTheEastMids]

It looks like there are stairs down from the EWR platforms to the ECML platforms?

It looks like this view is towards the North East and there is apparently a walkway on the east side of the ECML (perhaps both sides), plus an open plaza on the west side with drop-off/bus stops etc. I don't think the bridge pillars will allow the ECML platforms to go under the road.

What could create a few headaches as the concept design shows a second bridge on the road to the west of the ECML, that's not in any of the (Recent) Google Earth/Drone footage. It won't look great if the first thing that happens after the road opens is an announcement about disruption whilst another bridge is added back in.

 

[swt_passenger]

The EWR station building also serves the ECML platforms. The Southbound ECML platform is visible in the drawing as being almost the full width of the page. (I assume the ECML platforms will be sized for 12-car trains so >240m long.)

I think the councillor’s statement has rather clouded the issue. He would probably have better to say it would be a split level station, as the drawing fairly clearly shows.

 

[Magdalia]

councillor Adam Zerny

Thanks for posting this. For information, Adam Zerny is the leader of Central Bedfordshire council.

The EWR station building also serves the ECML platforms. The Southbound ECML platform is visible in the drawing as being almost the full width of the page. (I assume the ECML platforms will be sized for 12-car trains so >240m long.)

It looks like this view is towards the North East

Something to show north would be useful!

The ECML platforms appear to be staggered. I would be surprised if they were not 240m which is what's needed for a 12 car class 700.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 19 Nov 2025 ==

Warning this will probably fall victim to the dreaded automerge!

This morning East West Rail have published their "You said we did" response to the November 2024-January 2025 consultation, which is here:

East West Rail | You Said We Did

The You Said, We Did report shares how feedback from our latest consultation has helped shape key decisions. Find out more and read the report here.

eastwestrail.co.uk

Between November 2024 and January 2025, we ran our third non-statutory consultation, inviting feedback from communities, landowners and stakeholders on our emerging proposals. We received over 6,200 responses containing more than 90,000 individual pieces of feedback. In May 2025, we published a summary of how the consultation was delivered and the themes from the feedback which you shared with us. Now, in our You Said, We Did – Autumn Update, we’re sharing how that feedback has helped shape key decisions. This is part of an ongoing process as we continue to refine our plans. Not every proposal is included just yet, as some areas are still being developed through further surveys and assessments. We’ll keep you updated as our engagement and consultation programme continues.

The BBC News website has separate reports for Cambridge and Bedford. I guess these cover the points highlighted by East West Rail in News Releases.

Cambridge East station one of new East West Rail proposals

The company behind the project say its proposed design updates follow public consultations.

www.bbc.co.uk

A Cambridge East station is one of several new design updates proposed by the company behind East West Rail.

The project aims to connect Cambridge and Oxford, via Bedford, Milton Keynes and Bicester.

Other proposals include a new eastern entrance for Cambridge station, locating Cambourne station closer to the town and a mined tunnel for Bourne Airfield.

Universal Studios to be served by new East West Rail station

More trains will help cater for people wanting to travel to the theme park, a rail company says.

www.bbc.co.uk

A new railway station is set to be built to serve the proposed Universal Studios UK theme park.

The station in Stewartby, Bedfordshire, will be part of the East West Rail (EWR) line, which aims to connect Oxford to Cambridge, via Milton Keynes and Bedford.

East West Rail Company (EWR Co) said it made 80 new design changes after public consultation.

Its plans include the redevelopment of Bedford railway station, reducing the number of stations on the Marston Vale Line and bringing forward plans to build a new station at Tempsford.

There is a lot to read, but I haven't found the whole thing in a pdf yet, which would be handy for searching.

 

[weeklycommuter]

This is the latest press release from the Government on East West Rail issued today 19 November 2025. I quote the key points which include an increase in train frequency, four new stations replacing existing stations on the Marston Vale Line, new station entrances at Bletchley (I assume the new Eastern entrance), Bedford and Cambridge (the new Eastern entrance) and a new Cambridge East Station.

East West Rail unveils next phase for Oxford-Cambridge growth

East West Rail confirms next phase of construction, boosting Oxford-Cambridge links with more frequent trains, new stations and major economic growth.

www.gov.uk

Press release
East West Rail unveils next phase for Oxford-Cambridge growth
East West Rail confirms next phase of construction, boosting Oxford-Cambridge links with more frequent trains, new stations and major economic growth.
From: Department for Transport
Published 19 November 2025

• more frequent trains on the horizon for millions of passengers between Oxford and Cambridge as multibillion pound East West Rail project confirms next steps
• new rail station set to help serve upcoming Universal theme park in Bedford, as well as improvements planned for several existing stations
• new route delivers on the government’s Plan for Change, unlocking £6.7 billion of regional economic growth and delivering up to 100,000 new homes

Millions of people across the Oxford to Cambridge corridor are set to benefit from more frequent trains as the East West Railway Company (EWR Co) has revealed the next steps for the second phase of the project today (19 November 2025).

As one of Britain’s largest transport projects, East West Rail forms a cornerstone of the government’s Plan for Change, unlocking £6.7 billion of regional economic growth by 2050, enabling up to 100,000 new homes and supporting tens of thousands of new jobs along the route.

Following extensive consultation with local communities, the multi-billion-pound project has confirmed it is exploring a series of transformative plans including increasing the proposed frequency of trains from 3 or 4 to up to 5 per hour.

These enhancements could provide up to 70% more seating across the route, easing overcrowding and speeding up boarding, as well as cutting average waiting times, improving service resilience and creating a smoother, more reliable passenger experience.

Several other improvements across the route have also been confirmed, including new station entrances at Bletchley, Cambridge and Bedford, as well as four brand-new stations along the Marston Vale Line – the first significant investment since the 1960s.

With the current stations on the Marston Vale Line seeing some of the lowest usage in the country, the new stations will better serve local communities by providing faster, more frequent services, as well as helping to serve the upcoming Universal theme park.

A new station at Stewartby has been confirmed to not only serve the growing needs of the community but will ensure vital connectivity for the multi-billion-pound attraction, which is set to add almost £50 billion to the economy by 2055 and expected to welcome over 8.5 million visitors in its opening year alone.

Other plans include 7 new stations, and the use of cutting-edge hybrid battery-electric trains to deliver faster, greener services along the partially electrified route while keeping costs down.

As well as a new eastern entrance at Cambridge Central, set to significantly improve access to the surrounding communities, EWR Co’s plans also include a new Cambridge East station, designed to drive major economic growth and reduce congestion for the area.

By unlocking a connection via the newly upgraded Newmarket Line, the station will offer faster, more reliable journeys as well as providing direct links to Norwich, Felixstowe and Ipswich, opening up opportunities for businesses and local development.

 

[Bletchleyite]

So that's the 5 station option confirmed, then...always thought it was a foregone conclusion!

 

[The exile]

so how many passengers per hour? A few hundred? Not going to drive transformation.

OK - so this is a bit of an exaggeration - but at a certain critical point it only takes the addition of 1 person in 1 car to turn heavy traffic into gridlock (I don’t mean by driving badly or causing an accident - simply by being there and being the last straw) In the same way the removal of 1 can be transformative. In reality of course, traffic is elastic and so it takes more than 1….

 

[itfcfan]

The full update from East West Rail can be found here, split into 7 sections:

https://eastwestrail.co.uk/you-said-we-did/you-said-we-did-report

 

[PLY2AYS]

OK - so this is a bit of an exaggeration - but at a certain critical point it only takes the addition of 1 person in 1 car to turn heavy traffic into gridlock (I don’t mean by driving badly or causing an accident - simply by being there and being the last straw) In the same way the removal of 1 can be transformative. In reality of course, traffic is elastic and so it takes more than 1….

Trains would have to run at all for that to have any effect… hopefully some movement on that very soon.

Appreciate @weeklycommuter for the update!

 

[jfowkes]

Still going for discontinuous electrification then. In my opinion, a decision that will turn out to be a mistake in the future. It will make it harder for freight to transition away from diesel and make rolling stock and operating costs higher than they could be.

 

[Bletchleyite]

The full update from East West Rail can be found here, split into 7 sections:

https://eastwestrail.co.uk/you-said-we-did/you-said-we-did-report

Thanks for that link. I do note that the feedback I put in regarding needing high quality cycle and footpath routes connecting existing locations to the new stations has been taken on board, particularly Ridgmont.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 19 Nov 2025 ==

Still going for discontinuous electrification then. In my opinion, a decision that will turn out to be a mistake in the future. It will make it harder for freight to transition away from diesel and make rolling stock and operating costs higher than they could be.

Agreed. Just get the wires up!

 

[InTheEastMids]

This is the latest press release from the Government on East West Rail issued today 19 November 2025. I quote the key points which include an increase in train frequency, four new stations replacing existing stations on the Marston Vale Line, new station entrances at Bletchley (I assume the new Eastern entrance), Bedford and Cambridge (the new Eastern entrance) and a new Cambridge East Station.

A link to the detail on EWR website:

https://eastwestrail.co.uk/you-said-we-did/you-said-we-did-report

Quite a lot of updates and a lot of stuff not being drawn attention to, especially changes around Bedford station.

General:
Up to 5tph, and looking to increase train lengths to 5 carriages
"We're exploring opportunities to extend services from the wider rail network onto EWR to minimise the need for additional EWR trains, depots and stabling"
They do not explicitly say what they mean there, so that's an opportunity for loads of speculation
Discontinuous electrification with battery trains

Oxford: design proceeding on the basis that Cowley services will return
Bicester: Height restricted bridge/underpass will be constructed
Bedford: Further consultation on Bedford in 2026 as the changes are clearly quite significant, although they are keeping to existing 6-tracking plan and property acquisitions North of Bedford.
"we are considering the introduction of an up-fast platform which would improve interchange between train services east and west as well as north and south"; relocation of multi storey car park, western entrance additional property acquisitions on Ashburnham Road to facilitate construction

They will open Tempsford ECML ahead of EWR.

Cambridge East station is subject to funding and looks like it will be where the railway crosses Coldhams Lane. They will be twin tracking the Newmarket branch (don't know if they mean the whole thing) and retaining the turnback siding at Cherry Hinton. Taken with the "wider rail network" comment above, it does make me wonder if the plan is now to extend some EWR trains to Newmarket and beyond.

 

[lachlan]

I also still struggle with why Bedford St John's is needed when it's so close to Midland, yet there's nothing in the much longer gap between Bletchley and Woburn Sands.

I can see it being used as an alternative to the main station given the college and hospital are nearby. Perhaps even some short journeys between the two, given the increase in frequency that EWR will bring

 

[Bletchleyite]

Moved my reply to the parallel speculative thread which is a better place for discussion of if they've got things wrong here:

East-West Rail (EWR) full route Oxford to Cambridge speculation

Moderator note: Split from https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/east-west-rail-ewr-countdown-to-entry-into-service.275902/ It won't be long before our Government display interest again in investment made in the Oxford-Cambridge arc, and will need re-reminding that we still struggle to run a...

www.railforums.co.uk

 

[Trainbike46]

It's mostly used as an alternative now for fare-dodging purposes.



I very much doubt that. People don't take standalone train journeys of about 600m, though I suppose a few might make a connection if already on the railway as an alternative to a taxi. To be fair there are Merseyrail stations that are similarly close, but given what's being closed at the other end due to being too close...

Genuine short rail journeys might not be very common, but they do happen for various reasons.

Personally I have done Belfast Lanyon Place to Belfast Great Victoria Street/Belfast grand central by train. I've also done Edinburgh Haymarket to Edinburgh Gateway by train. Neither of those was just to take the train, they genuinely made sense for where I was coming from and going to.

A more common example is likely a journey like Liverpool James Street - Birkenhead Hamilton Square. Not very far, but certainly a genuine journey people make by rail.

I suspect the reason for keeping St John's but closing Fenny Stratford is related to (i) passenger numbers and (ii) expected increase in passenger numbers driven by the hospital and the college at the former, while the latter has no equivalent.

 

[Robin Edwards]

If I am going to Bletchley/MKC, I'll always chose St Johns over Midland as parking is so much easier and cheaper. I'm interested in how fare dodging is a thing when the current trains have conductors selling tickets?

 

[DarloRich]

I'm interested in how fare dodging is a thing when the current trains have conductors selling tickets?

it is a pay on challenge railway

 

[camflyer]

The addition of a Cambridge East station is interesting. Makes sense in terms of redevelopment of the airport site and capacity constraints at Cambridge "Central" but would that mean through services running further down the line to Newmarket, Bury and Ipswich?

 

[Royston Vasey]

Cambridge East is getting quite a lot of attention in the local news and rail user groups. It would serve a community at the airport site that doesn't really exist yet, and yet doesn’t serve Cherry Hinton or Fulbourn. There are also good local bus routes through that area, although not directly Fulbourn or Cherry Hinton down Coldhams Lane past the airport to Cambridge, but it doesnt mean there can't be if the houses were built. It seems like a probably better solved by a Stagecoach bus if enough houses do get built there. The community there needs more connectivity to Cambridge, rather than Newmarket Bury Ipswich. And that's not really an EWR problem, is it?

The lack of a station between Cambridge and Newmarket is a big gap though. Ideally you'd reopen Cherry Hinton, but that's probably impossible now due to sell off of buildings and residential developments on the site.

Has the airport actually been earmarked for closure? I know Marshalls seem to be downsizing all over their business, the civil refit business is gone and the airport's military maintenance and refit activity is not what it was.

Does EWR even have a remit to make proposals for Cambridge to Ipswich service? Are they claiming some great untapped market for Oxford to Ipswich? Or a great demand for the Harwich boat train from Milton Keynes?

 

[DarloRich]

the local station news has gone down badly - local Facebook groups not happy!

 

[camflyer]

the local station news has gone down badly - local Facebook groups not happy!

When are local Facebook groups happy about anything?

I'm only really interest in the Cambourne to Cambridge section and all of the new proposals here look sensible, especially the eastern access to Cambridge station which has been needed for years.

Looking at the revised plan, Cambridge East would still be a turnback but at least it would be easier for people coming from further down the Newmarket-Ipswich line to change there for EWR than Central. Plus it says any Cambridge East station would need third party funding.

 

[DarloRich]

When are local Facebook groups happy about anything?

unhappy is an under statement! Livid might be better.

I'm only really interest in the Cambourne to Cambridge section and all of the new proposals here look sensible, especially the eastern access to Cambridge station which has been needed for years.

I am only interested in the Bedford > Bletchley section. If they are going to close my station I hope they bulldoze half of Bedfordshire & Cambridgeshire!

 

[InTheEastMids]

The addition of a Cambridge East station is interesting. Makes sense in terms of redevelopment of the airport site and capacity constraints at Cambridge "Central" but would that mean through services running further down the line to Newmarket, Bury and Ipswich?

I think they are alluding to it, as they say Cambridge Central can't accommodate , so if you have 4tph coming to/from EWR, then perhaps the idea is 2tph terminate at Cambridge East and reverse at Cherry Hinton, and 2tph go further East which removes the Anglia services from Ipswich that terminate there.

Does EWR even have a remit to make proposals for Cambridge to Ipswich service? Are they claiming some great untapped market for Oxford to Ipswich? Or a great demand for the Harwich boat train from Milton Keynes?

It's the same as many railway routes including Thameslink, Liz Line, Birmingham cross-city and XC, the demand isn't really end-end, but overlapping shorter journeys where it is sensible from an operational perspective to merge journeys. However, I doubt they will want to create another Norwich-Liverpool service, so I wouldn't expect to see something like Harwich to Bristol, but you might get Ipswich to Stewartby (where I think there's a turnback planned?), then Cambridge East to Cowley. And obviously running what are currently Cambridge terminators (from Ipswich and Norwich) through to Stewartby reduces the number of longer dwells from terminating services.

There is/was a separate thread for more speculation about through routes.

Plus it says any Cambridge East station would need third party funding.

Perhaps Cambridge hope to get it funded by S106 contributions from the redevelopment of the airport, which is directly adjacent to the proposed site,
That contribution would be harder to get for a station further from the site.

 

[Magdalia]

Has the airport actually been earmarked for closure? I know Marshalls seem to be downsizing all over their business, the civil refit business is gone and the airport's military maintenance and refit activity is not what it was.

Marshalls had planned to move to Cranfield, but that was cancelled earlier this year. Marshalls are still expected to move out, see here:

Cambridge land could be key to Marshall's financial recovery

A report says the Cambridge-based aerospace firm has been "firefighting on several fronts".

www.bbc.co.uk

An aerospace company has been in "financial distress" after a year of "firefighting on several fronts", according to an investor report written by Equity Development.

The latest accounts for Marshall Group of Cambridge reported a £120.1m loss for the year ending December 2024, as the firm prepared to leave its airport site.

Founded in 1909, Marshall planned to relocate to Cranfield University's base in Bedfordshire, but the move was deemed "no longer affordable".

Dominic Perry, European aerospace editor with flightGlobal, said the early retirement of the RAF's Hercules c130s had particularly affected Marshall.

The airport land will have houses built on it, lots of them.

Reports suggested that property could be key to Marshall's recovery.

The company previously sold land for the Marleigh estate, developed with The Hill Group, and owns about 460 acres at Cambridge Airport.

The land was estimated to be worth up to £250m.

The plan was to build 7,000 homes on the airport land - and Marshall intended to leave the site by 2028 - despite not yet having a new home for their operations.

Perhaps Cambridge hope to get it funded by S106 contributions from the redevelopment of the airport, which is directly adjacent to the proposed site,
That contribution would be harder to get for a station further from the site.

I suspect that the EWR reference to needing other funding for Cambridge East is an allusion to this.

 

[RUK]

Does EWR even have a remit to make proposals for Cambridge to Ipswich service?

Yes - the bit of EWR that hasn’t been built yet is the Central section of EWR. The parts East of Cambridge on already-existing infrastructure are the Eastern section of EWR.

 

[Magdalia]

Yes - the bit of EWR that hasn’t been built yet is the Central section of EWR. The parts East of Cambridge on already-existing infrastructure are the Eastern section of EWR.

East West Rail is three parts: connection stage 1 is Oxford-Bletchley, connection stage 2 is Bletchley-Bedford, and connection stage 3 is Bedford-Cambridge.

The number of mentions of Ipswich in the 2024 technical report, a document of 467 pages, is zero.

 

[Royston Vasey]

East West Rail is three parts: connection stage 1 is Oxford-Bletchley, connection stage 2 is Bletchley-Bedford, and connection stage 3 is Bedford-Cambridge.

The number of mentions of Ipswich in the 2024 technical report, a document of 467 pages, is zero.

Yes - the bit of EWR that hasn’t been built yet is the Central section of EWR. The parts East of Cambridge on already-existing infrastructure are the Eastern section of EWR.

I too have never seen any previous mention beyond Cambridge in any EWR documents.

Don't get me wrong, I am all for integrated planning and strategy, but any (further) eastern section should be focused on Ely and Norwich, not Newmarket and Ipswich. That said, if they really just need a glorified carriage sidings, it's great that they plan to serve a growing community.

 

[JamesT]

East West Rail is three parts: connection stage 1 is Oxford-Bletchley, connection stage 2 is Bletchley-Bedford, and connection stage 3 is Bedford-Cambridge.

The number of mentions of Ipswich in the 2024 technical report, a document of 467 pages, is zero.

That may be what they talk about now, but previously there were three geographic sections: https://www.eastwestrail.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/EWR-ES-Final-COS-v1.4-3.pdf

The route comprises three distinct sections as follows:
• Western Section (Oxford to Bedford/Aylesbury to Milton Keynes);
• Central Section (Bedford to Cambridge); and
• Eastern Section (Cambridge to Norwich/Ipswich and beyond), which is the subject of this study.

 

[Magdalia]

That may be what they talk about now, but previously there were three geographic sections: https://www.eastwestrail.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/EWR-ES-Final-COS-v1.4-3.pdf

2017 is a very long time ago!