A total of 5,374 responses were received to our 2026 consultation, we can now confirm.
The final route-wide consultation ran from 14 April to 9th June 2026 and included 16 events - both in-person and online – where people were able to share their views on a wide range of issues relating to the railway.
The responses have been collated and are being considered as East West Rail continues to develop its proposals and work towards finalising the design of the railway.
A summary report of the key themes raised during the consultation is due to be published on our website this autumn.
We are also working towards submitting a Development Consent Order (DCO) application to the Planning Inspectorate in 2027. The DCO is the statutory planning process required to secure consent to build and operate the railway.
If the application is accepted for examination, it will be published and at that point, people will be able to register to take part in the examination. This will provide a further opportunity for members of the public and other interested parties to have their say on the project.
David Hughes, CEO, East West Railway Company, said: “I’d like to thank everyone who took the time to attend our consultation events and share their views with us - we really value this feedback to help us shape the future of East West Rail.
“We now look forward to sharing our consultation summary and will continue to use this feedback to help finalise our design before we submit a Development Consent Order next year to build this vital railway to improve connectivity and boost economic growth across the region.”