Preferred route for Bedford to Cambridge section of East West Rail line announced

The Government has announced its preferred route for the central section of the East West Rail line.

The route between Bedford and Cambridge would go via St Neots and Cambourne, and was picked by the East West Rail Company (EWRC) following a public consultation.

Two new stations, one for Tempsford or St Neots and one for Cambourne, would be built.

The line would connect the 'western section' between Oxford and Bedford, and Aylesbury to Milton Keynes, and the ‘eastern section’ into Suffolk and Norfolk.

The government will make a final decision on whether to take the project forward in the next few weeks, and if the plans are given the go ahead, the new line could be finished by the mid 2020s.

“Of the five route options we consulted on, people were really positive about the one we have chosen. The line would bring people closer to opportunities for jobs and homes and bring friends and family closer together," Simon Blanchflower from the East West Rail Company said.

"There is still a lot of work to be done, including further consultations and engagement with local communities. Today is an important milestone for everyone living and working in the Arc, and for us at the East West Railway Company, marks the beginning of a really exciting new phase.”