East West Railway (EWR) has released an updated proposal for a new Cambridgeshire railway line, which now accounts for the new Universal Resort near Bedford, and increased passenger demands.

The proposed route will connect Oxford, Milton Keynes, Bedford, and Cambridge.

EWR is a multi-billion pound project, connecting Cambridge and Oxford. According to the government, it is expected to generate £6.7 billion of economic growth across the region by 2050.

A consultation opened on Tuesday (14/04). It includes proposed details for a new entrance for Cambridge station on Clifton Road, step-free access to every platform, bike storage, as well as seating and lighting improvements. EWR has also proposed a new Cambridge East station, located in the new town of Cambourne, to reduce pressure on Cambridge station.

EWR CEO, David Hughes, said: “More frequent and higher-capacity trains alongside a new station at Cambridge East and a new entrance at Cambridge station, will help unlock housing, support new jobs and attract investment, while giving residents and businesses better connections to Bedford, Milton Keynes and Oxford and wider destinations across the country.”

A Cambridge student who travels home to Oxford by train told Varsity: “I am really excited about the prospect of a new railway line being opened up between Oxford and Cambridge. I kind of wish that it had come sooner, but it’s going to be fantastic.”

They added that they currently have to travel via “a three hour transfer through London to get home,” having to take three or four separate trains, while “the number of trains increases the likelihood that I am going to face cancellations and delays to get back”.

They continued: “Last time it took me about five hours because of delays on the train tracks,” noting that the new railway would enable them to go home faster.

Chair of the Oxford to Cambridge Supercluster Board, Dr Andy Williams, said the railway 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”.

The proposal includes providing four five-carriage trains per hour to travel across the whole route, with a fifth train running if demand requires it. The trains are set to be hybrid electric/battery-equipped, to support net zero goals and reduce emissions.

However, questions have been raised over the project’s impact on the environment, agricultural land, and communities.

William Harrold, of the Stop the Arc pressure group, which organises against development between Oxford and Cambridge, told the BBC that local people are “very worried about the effect of the construction on the rural road network”.

“Where are the 24/7 HGV routes going to be?” he continued.

Hughes commented: “East West Rail is about far more than a new railway – it’s about unlocking opportunities for people and places, supporting new homes and jobs, and making it easier, faster and greener to travel between some of the UK’s most dynamic destinations.”

He added: “We’ve listened carefully to feedback to shape these latest designs, which include plans to deliver benefits earlier through phased construction, improve accessibility, and support our net zero ambitions through innovative, lower-carbon technology.”

The consultation will last for eight weeks, closing on 9 June. The railway’s design will then be finalised, before a Development Consent Order is submitted in 2027 to get government consent to construct the railway.