Chiltern Railways has been named as the operator for the first phase of East West Rail when services start later this year.

The section of East West Rail between Oxford and Milton Keynes will serve six stations and link Oxford and Milton Keynes for the first time in nearly 60 years, with the government aiming for trains to be powered with greener traction and using hybrid battery-electric trains.

To reopen the line involved laying 70km of new track, constructing 17 new bridges, and installing a modern signalling system.

At Winslow, a new station will reconnect the town to the rail network for the first time since the 1960s.

Trains will also stop at Oxford Parkway, Bicester Village and Bletchley station.

A 10-week consultation period was held recently into plans for the second and third stages of East West Rail, with a planned opening to Bedford from 2030 and Cambridge from the mid-2030s.

The initial opening of the line will create almost 100 new jobs at Chiltern, but when it is fully open, it will generate 6.7 billion of growth per year in Oxford-Cambridge by 2050, bolstering the thriving life science cluster, and supporting up to 28,000 jobs in Cambridge alone.

The first train over the line after it was completed between Oxford and Milton Keynes took place on 21st October 2024.

“Appointing Chiltern Railways to run the first East West Rail services is one of the crucial last steps in getting the line up and running later this year and means local people in the area are closer to experiencing the benefits of this transformative project. This milestone demonstrates that we are serious about unlocking the potential of the Oxford-Cambridge Growth Corridor, providing greater connectivity across the region and delivering on our Plan for Change mission to drive economic growth.”

Rail Minister Peter, Lord Hendy