Network Rail announced that major signalling and track upgrades under East West Rail phase 2 can begin next year, if the plans submitted to the Secretary of State for Transport to construct phase 2 of the project between Bicester and Bedford are approved.
East West Rail phase 2 proposes major track and signalling upgrades between Bicester, Bedford, Aylesbury and Milton Keynes, including the reinstatement of a ‘mothballed’ section of railway between Bletchley and Claydon Junction.
The proposed works will see major improvements to local travel, with the phased introduction of new rail journeys between Oxford and Milton Keynes, Oxford and Bedford, Milton Keynes and Aylesbury.
Construction of phase 2 is subject to permission through a Transport and Works Act Order (TWAO), which if granted by government could allow major works to begin as soon as 2019.
“The submission of the Transport and Works Act Order is a culmination of four years of work developing the scheme and follows three positive rounds of community consultation, where we’ve continually refined our proposal based on the views of the community and planning experts,” Colin Murphy, head of consenting and environment for Network Rail, East West Rail project said.
East West Rail phase 2 is part of the wider East West Rail scheme to connect Cambridge to Oxford. The Western Section (phase 1), which operates services between Oxford and Bicester was completed in December 2016. The Western Section (phase 2) proposes to extend services from Oxford to Bedford and Milton Keynes to Aylesbury. The Central Section (phase 3) will see the full reconnection from Cambridge to Oxford, and the proposal is currently in development.
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