East West Rail project (Oxford – Cambridge)
Oxford – Cambridge, UK · 2018–2030s (Connection Stage 1: services by 2025; Stages 2 & 3: services by early 2030s) · £5.7bn - £6.6bn (estimated total, 2023 prices)
The judgement call
Account action unavailableThe project's strategic need and business case have been subject to scrutiny and changes in government approach, such as the cancellation of the Oxford-Cambridge Expressway. - Emphasis on supporting economic growth and housing development in the region, with plans for expansion in Cambridge. - Continuous capture of lessons learned from planning and construction phases to inform future stages.
Key engineering challenges
Achieving an efficient timetable for the central section due to existing constraints. - Managing environmental issues including air pollution, noise, flooding, and sustainable use of materials. - Integrating new rail links into existing infrastructure and communities, navigating complex land acquisition and stakeholder engagement.
Project facts
- Client / owner
- Department for Transport (DfT), East West Railway Company (EWR Co)
- Lead contractor
- VolkerWessels (Phase 2)
- Lead designers
- Mott MacDonald and WSP (MWJV) (Principal Designer), AtkinsRéalis (design and coordination)
- Project type
- new build
- Scale
- Three connection stages; 130 miles of transport connections; connects Oxford, Milton Keynes, Bedford, Cambridge
- Disciplines
- civil; structural; systems; environmental; planning; project management
- Standards & frameworks
- CDM Regulations
Sources: National Audit Office (Dec 2023, https://www.nao.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/investigation-into-the-east-west-rail-project.pdf); New Civil Engineer (Aug 2025, https://www.newcivilengineer.com/latest/east-west-rail-stages-2-and-3-being-re-baselined-20-08-2025/); VolkerWessels (https://www.volkerwessels.co.uk/en/projects/east-west-rail-phase-2); Mott MacDonald (Feb 2025, https://www.mottmac.com/en-us/news/mott-macdonald-and-wsp-appointed-as-construction-design-and-management-principal-designer-for-east-west-rail/); AtkinsRéalis (https://www.atkinsrealis.com/en/projects/east-west-rail)