Businesses want work on new railway fast-tracked

Industry leaders have called for the construction of the new railway line linking Oxford and Cambridge to be fast-tracked.

Several businesses have urged the government to start work on the East West Rail (EWR) during this Parliament, which aims to create a "crown jewel" of European science and innovation in the sub-region.

EWR would create a new direct railway line between the two university cities, via Milton Keynes and Bedford.

However, businesses are concerned that the development consent order (DCO) - which lets the government build infrastructure - is not due to be submitted until 2027.

Trains are already running between Oxford and Bicester, and the government has promised trains between Bedford and Oxford by 2030.

But completing the line all the way to Cambridge will take much longer.

The report by the Oxford-Cambridge Supercluster Board has urged Chancellor Rachel Reeves to move more quickly to propel growth in the so-called "high-tech corridor" by speeding up the building of infrastructure and homes.

The board is backed by 46 organisations including universities, listed companies, and global investors such as AstraZeneca, GSK, Airbus, the Ellison Institute of Technology, Aveva, Bidwells, Leonardo, Silverstone and Darktrace.

Starting construction in this five-year Parliament would provide the certainty investors needed, said the report.

Firms are worried it will take 18 months for the DCO to be approved.

They have called on the government to fast-track the examination and decision phase and provide clear timelines to ensure construction begins sooner.

The Oxford-Cambridge Supercluster Board previously said the region could add billions of pounds to the economy.

Proposals to link up Oxford and Cambridge will add up to £78bn to the UK economy by 2035, the chancellor has claimed.

A Department of Travel spokesperson said: "East West Rail is more than a railway – it's a catalyst for growth, more jobs, and opportunity, and this project will make rail travel faster and greener for millions of passengers."

The spokesperson said EWR Co - the company set up to deliver the project - was considering ways it could speed up the delivery of the scheme.

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