The East West Railway Company has unveiled a revised proposal for a new railway line in Cambridgeshire, part of a massive £6 billion project. The new railway line will connect Oxford, Milton Keynes, Bedford, and Cambridge, and will be constructed in phased stages, with new stations and sections opening as soon as completed, according to major media reports. The railway line will deliver up to five trains per hour, with the core service delivering four five-carriage trains per hour throughout the entire route and an additional fifth train during peak periods or all day if necessary, major media reports indicate.
Hybrid electric and battery-equipped trains are scheduled to run along the railway to cut emissions and support net-zero objectives, though the specific mechanisms for emission reduction remain unclear. A new entrance to Cambridge Station is proposed to make access more straightforward and deliver step-free access to all platforms. The new Cambridge East Station is planned near Cambridge City Airport to link the wider region through an improved Newmarket line and ease pressure on Cambridge Station, major media reports.
A new position on the north side of St Neots Road for the Cambourne station has been suggested to enable greater development close to the station. Engineering modifications have been proposed to lower the railway height between Bourne Brook and Harlton by six metres, according to major media. A green bridge will be constructed over the railway on the A603 Cambridge Road, and the length of the tunnel commencing at Harlton Road has been extended from 700m to 940m.
The updated plans factor in the new Universal Resort near Bedford and anticipated heightened passenger demand. A station at Stewartby has been planned to serve the Universal Resort theme park. Network Rail highlighted the regional economic context, noting that the Oxford–Cambridge region generates over £143 billion a year and supports around two million jobs.
The region's potential is held back by poor east–west transport links, with many rail journeys requiring travel via London. An eight-week consultation into the project is currently underway from April 14 until June 9, with public drop-in events, major media reports. Once permission is granted, work will officially begin in 2027, with Cambridge station estimated to be up and running by mid-2030, though the exact timeline for other phased construction stages remains unspecified.
Fulbourn could become the location for a train care centre where trains can be stored, according to major media, but detailed plans for its capacity and operational scope are unknown. Specific growth opportunities, such as new housing developments and business attractions expected from the railway line, have not been outlined.