The team behind East West Rail has revealed a significant rethink of the Oxford–Cambridge route, with a much larger and more ambitious station-building programme now at the heart of the £7bn scheme.
More than 80 design changes have been added as the project moves towards its Development Consent Order, reshaping the service pattern, expanding station provision and introducing new access points across the line. The most dramatic shift affects the Marston Vale Line, where nine ageing stations are set to be replaced by four larger, modern facilities.
One of these is a completely new station at Stewartby, positioned to support the proposed Universal Studios theme park. The other three consolidated stations at Woburn Sands, Ridgmont and Lidlington will take the place of nine existing low-use stops, forming a more streamlined and efficient set of interchanges.
Key new and updated stations include:
• Cambridge East – a new station near Cambridge Airport, now within the project scope and dependent on third-party funding.
• Cambourne (EWR) – unchanged in location but now one of five stations serving the wider Cambridge area.
• Stewartby (new) – serving Universal Studios’ proposed visitor resort.
• Three new consolidated Marston Vale Line stations – replacing nine smaller stops.
• Tempsford (new) – with an added southern entrance to support government-backed new town plans, and a fast-tracked East Coast Main Line phase.
• Cambridge station – a new eastern entrance with an active travel hub and enhanced walking and cycling connections.
• Bletchley station – a proposed eastern entrance improving town-centre and bus interchange access, subject to external funding.
Cambridge sees the most substantial expansion, with the new Cambridge East station easing mounting pressure on the city’s busy main station and opening up new growth opportunities. The long-planned eastern entrance at Cambridge station also forms part of the redesign.
Bletchley is in line for its own eastern entrance, improving integration with the town centre. In Oxford, adjustments have been made to support the reinstatement of the Cowley Branch Line, which will unlock capacity at Oxford station and allow East West Rail to operate its full timetable.
Further east, the planned southern entrance at Tempsford will link directly with the government’s new town proposals, while ministers have instructed East West Rail Company and Network Rail to accelerate the East Coast Main Line phase in response to future development pressures.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said the project represents far more than a new railway, describing it as a catalyst for growth, jobs and long-term regional opportunity. She added that modern infrastructure investment would help create a greener and more reliable network for millions of passengers.
A further round of consultation is expected in the New Year, ahead of a full DCO submission planned for late spring or early summer.
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