A stretch of the East West Rail line in Buckinghamshire has been completed, but passenger services remain absent. The project, linking Oxford to Milton Keynes, was finished in 2024, yet no trains carry passengers. Local residents hear freight trains at night but cannot use the new station at Winslow. The long-promised services have been delayed repeatedly, with no clear start date.
Delays and Frustrations
The East West Rail project has been touted by ministers for over a decade as a key transport link for the Oxford-Cambridge growth corridor, intended to boost housing, jobs, and economic growth. Chancellor Rachel Reeves highlighted it in January 2025, expecting passenger trains to start soon. However, services failed to begin, and the planned start was pushed to autumn 2025 and then to the end of 2025. Now, no target is offered.
Callum Anderson, MP for Buckingham and Bletchley, expressed frustration: "People can see it and hear it but they can't use it." He urged against speculation but acknowledged the lack of progress. Many believe a dispute over whether two-carriage trains require guards is the main issue, though the Department for Transport (DfT) and the RMT union deny this. Chiltern Railways had planned driver-only operations, opposed by unions.
Explanations and Excuses
In a letter, Rail Minister Peter Hendy cited the unexpected July 2024 general election as interrupting contract negotiations. He mentioned that trains need modification, driver training, and the Winslow station handover, with staffing arrangements still to be agreed. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander stated Chiltern is pursuing rolling stock modifications, station completion, and staffing.
Independent councillor Diana Blamires, representing Winslow residents, called the DfT's reasoning "nonsense, pathetic, laughable." She noted that 4,500 people are stuck without trains, relying on buses. "People moved here for jobs and now they are really struggling," she said. Olly Glover, Liberal Democrat MP for Didcot and Wantage, labeled the election excuse "ridiculous" and blamed the RMT dispute, accusing the government of having no plan.
Project Background
The East West Rail project, though less ambitious than HS2, has faced delays. East West Railway Ltd, set up by Chris Grayling, handed over the line in 2024. Network Rail completed construction at Winslow station, but Chiltern Railways cites unspecified problems, including an emergency exit issue that has been resolved. Chiltern stated the station is in testing and commissioning, with work still to finish on trains, the station, and operating arrangements.
The DfT said it is supporting Chiltern as they work with unions to start services. An RMT spokesperson denied that the dispute is the main cause, blaming years of indecision and rising costs. The union opposes driver-only operation, insisting on a second safety-critical person onboard. The longer-term Oxford-Cambridge line faces further consultations for later phases, with potential delays due to the Universal Studios theme park in Bedford.
Hendy's letter suggested that the creation of Great British Railways, including nationalisation of Chiltern, might simplify future changes. Locals fear the wait for a train in Winslow could continue for some time.
