New image of Bletchley station upgrade released as East West Rail begins major public consultation

And they’ve included a new glimpse of how Bletchley station will look after its planned transformation to become a key interchange hub for the line.

The final plan has been ammended and accelerated to take into acccount the demand generated by the proposed new Universal Studios theme park and resort to be built at Stewartby and Kempston Hardwick.

It includes a full upgrade of the Marston Vale Line and new stations, with up to five EWR trains an hour to meet the demand. There will be hybrid electric/battery trains to support net zero goals.

"As a result (of the Universal Studio plan), the line is now proposed to be built in new delivery phases - replacing the previous connection stages - with new stations and sections of the railway opening as soon as they are ready, rather than waiting for the whole route to be completed.

After the public consultation, which can be viewed here, East West Rail will submit a Development Consent Order (DCO)to build the railway.

A spokesperson said: “This approach aims to bring forward better benefits to communities and passengers and accelerate the delivery of EWR in certain sections, allowing new communities to grow around the infrastructure in place, unlocking housing opportunities and drawing in more investment and businesses. It will also better align with getting high-capacity frequent services to the new Universal Resort earlier than previously anticipated.

“A core EWR service of four trains per hour across the whole route is now proposed, with an additional fifth train running at peak times or potentially all day, if required. This fifth train could be used to enable service extensions to and from locations on the wider rail network beyond the EWR route. Five-carriage trains, rather than four carriages, are also being proposed due to increased demand. ”   

Meanwhile, the plan is to build a new eastern entrance to Bletchley station to improve its connectivity with the surrounding area, make it easier for people to access the railway and local amenities, and support wider regeneration aspirations.

"A new eastern entrance would be conditional on securing third-party funding. To enable the station to meet anticipated future demand, a new larger ticket hall is proposed at the west of the station, which would include more cycle parking, blue badge parking bays, a new bus drop-off and new active travel routes and crossing points,” said the spokesperson,

The eastern entrance, combined with the proposed enhancements across the rest of the station, would reduce walking distance between EWR platforms and the town centre by 600 metres. These changes would transform the station into a key interchange hub enabling passengers to connect between EWR, the West Coast Main Line, and local services between Bletchley and Milton Keynes.

At Milton Keynes Central station, platform extension works to Platform 2A are proposed to accommodate the latest proposal of five-carriage trains to cater for an increase in anticipated demand from the planned Universal Resort.

However there is still no date from Chiltern Railways for the long-delayed opening of the MK to Oxford passenger line, which was completed 18 months ago.

Meanwhile, platforms at the new Winslow station along the route would also be extended by 24 metres to the west under the new plan, said the spokesperson.

They added: “Improvements on the Marston Vale Line will be accelerated. These upgrades will allow four trains an hour to run between Oxford and Stewartby by the early 2030s. Universal will start with shuttle buses from Milton Keynes, but by fast tracking this part of the project, EWR trains can serve the park within its first few years, ready for the rise in demand.

"Proposals to consolidate the current nine outdated and under-used stations into four modern, larger and better-located stations – at Woburn Sands, Ridgmont, Lidlington and Stewartby - support the planned provision of thousands of new homes across the region whilst maximising the once in a lifetime opportunity arising from the new Universal resort. “

Meanwhile, Bletchley West has been confirmed as the preferred location for a new Train Maintenance Depot (TMD) which will support the safe and reliable operation of services on East West Rail and is expected to create more than 100 full-time jobs.

The proposed site alongside Whaddon Road, west of Bletchley and north of Newton Longville, will play a vital role in keeping the railway running efficiently, says EWR.

"Bletchley West was chosen as the preferred location as it offers the best balance between operational efficiency and minimising environmental impacts. Two design layouts, both incorporating landscaping to reduce visual impact, are now being considered and engagement work with the local community and stakeholders will continue as the proposals are developed.”

David Hughes, CEO, East West Railway Company, said: “By bringing forward key elements of the railway and planning for increased demand, we are helping to ensure the infrastructure is in place to support future growth and opportunities for our communities. I encourage residents, businesses and stakeholders to take part in the consultation and share their views on our latest plans.”

Dr Andy Williams, Chair, Oxford-Cambridge Supercluster Board, said: "East West Rail will greatly improve connectivity between Oxford, Cambridge and the towns in between, stimulating the flow of talented people, innovation and investment needed to secure the UK's position as a global science supercluster.  It will boost business confidence in the region, providing opportunities to expand to other locations along the route, such as Bedford and Milton Keynes, and connecting a region of 3.5 million people ready to compete with other global superclusters like Silicon Valley.”

The consultation will run for eight weeks from April 14 to June 9, 2026. A series of public drop-in events are being held across the route to provide opportunities to meet the EWR Co team and find out more.  

The local events will take place as follows:

Monday 20th April, 6pm-8pm: Online webinar: https://shorturl.at/LdoK2

Saturday 25th April, 12pm-5pm: Summerlin Centre, 138 Station Road,Woburn Sands,, MK17 8SG

Wednesday 29th April, 2pm-7pm: Bletchley Masonic Centre263 Queensway, Fenny Stratford, MK2 2BZ

Wednesday 6th May, 2.30pm-4.30pm: Online webinar: https://shorturl.at/61gDs

Friday 15th May, 2pm-7pm: Longueville Hall, Whaddon Road, Newton Longville, MK17 OAT

Monday 18th May, 11am-6pm: Venture Conferencing, Christian Centre, Strudwick Drive, Oldbrook, MK6 2T

Tuesday 2nd June, 10am-12pm: Online webinar