Frequently Asked Questions

Interested in learning more about East West Rail and got questions? Hopefully we can answer them below!

    East West Railway Company are creating a new railway connection between Oxford and Cambridge.


    The East West Rail project (EWR) will serve  communities between Oxford and Cambridge providing quick and accessible journeys , easing pressure on local roads and increasing connectivity across the entire area. EWR will bring people and businesses closer to the things that matter including jobs, education,  homes, friends and family. Our role at East West Railway Company is to oversee the delivery of the project by making sure it’s completed quicker than before, safely and with cost-efficiencies.

    We were initially set up by the Department for Transport in 2018 to challenge existing plans and provide fresh thinking. Since then, we've overseen the beginning of construction between Bicester and Bletchley which has been carried out by the East West Rail Alliance.

    We've also advanced planning along other sections of the line, providing the joined-up approach which is needed to deliver a project of this size and connect the many communities we serve.

    To read more about our role in the  EWR project, please visit the About Us section on our website. 

    You can also learn more about how we're delivering EWR over three connection stages.

    Our role at East West Railway Company is to integrate the project, and make sure a full service between Oxford and Cambridge can be delivered. To achieve this, we're responsible for planning the section of the East West Rail project between Bletchley and Cambridge, while overseeing construction of the section between Bicester and Bletchley.

    We work with a range of partners to help with the successful delivery of the project. They include:

    • Department for Transport
    • Network Rail
    • East West Rail Alliance
    • East West Main Line Partnership

    For more information about these organisations, and their relationship with us and the East West Rail project, please see our project delivery guide

    The next consultation we hold will be the statutory consultation, and we are aiming to hold this in 2022.

    We are currently reviewing all of the feedback we received to the 2021 non-statutory consultation and as you can imagine, that takes time. Once we have finished reviewing and responding to the feedback we received, we will then be in a position to announce the dates for the statutory consultation.

    We’re currently reviewing the feedback we received to our 2021 non-statutory consultation. Once we've done this, we’ll confirm which route the railway will follow. Then we can share more detail on which areas will be affected.

    We’ll always do our best to avoid impacting people and the adverse effects in residential and existing communities. As the project progresses, we’ll speak directly to individual landowners and occupiers. At this point, no homes or land are currently subject to any compulsory purchase orders.

    We’ll consult on our final proposals during a round of statutory public consultations. After these, we’ll apply to the Secretary of State for Transport for a Development Consent Order (DCO). Once approved, we’ll be given the appropriate  authority for compulsory purchases should they be required.
     
    Our preference will always be to enter into voluntary agreements, and only use approved authority for compulsory purchase as a last resort to acquire the land needed for the project.

    You can read more about our approach to land and landowners here.

    We aim to collaborate with businesses who have the same passion for customers as we do. Organisations who are innovative, bold and can be trusted to deliver. We’re also dedicated to ensuring local businesses and suppliers can benefit from the design and construction of East West Rail.

    Want to find out about new contract opportunities? Our chosen e-tendering system is Delta. You can register to be kept up to date with new contract opportunities as they become available.

    All procurement opportunities and contract awards above £25,000 will be posted on Contracts Finder. 

    Our newsletter is the best way to get up-to-date information on our latest news, events, consultations and the project overall. You can sign up for it here

    You may also be interested in our Community Hub where you can share stories, comment on the latest developments and make use of our green space mapping tool.

    Thanks for your interest in becoming a part of our team.  You can find all of our vacancies on careers page. 
     
    We were founded on a range of values which we work to breathe life into our project and our company culture – being open, bold, trusted, focusing on our customers and having fun. We’re incredibly proud of the people who make our company what it is.  

    As we continue to develop plans for the new railway, we’re increasing our workforce and there will be more jobs available that local people from our local communities and beyond can apply for in the next few months.  

    East West Rail (EWR) will be a new, environmentally sustainable way to travel across the region connecting communities between Oxford and Cambridge. We plan to deliver a net zero carbon railway in-line with the UK’s commitment to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

    We’re committed to the long-term sustainability of EWR by building a railway which delivers reduced emissions including carbon, NOx (Nitrogen Oxides) and particulates.

    We’re dedicated to minimising any impact the new railway will have on air quality. As the project develops, we’ll assess changes in NOx, PM2.5 and PM10, as part of the Environmental Assessment submitted alongside the Development Consent Order (DCO).

    You can read more on our approach to the environment on our environment sustainability page.