A £1.3 billion railway connecting Oxford and Milton Keynes has remained dormant for more than twelve months following its completion, despite being intended to carry passengers by now.
The route, which represents the first direct rail connection between the two cities in over six decades, was finished in October 2024 and transferred to Network Rail by year’s end.
Yet no passenger trains have travelled along the tracks. The only service currently operating is a single daily freight train.
The link forms part of the broader East West Rail project, which aims to eventually connect Oxford with Cambridge through Milton Keynes and Bedford.
The delays stem from two distinct problems. Chiltern Railways, the franchise holder for the route, has attributed the holdup partly to an ongoing disagreement with the RMT union, which insists that guards must be present on services to operate the doors.
However, the train operator has also acknowledged that preparations for the rolling stock remain incomplete. The company stated there is “still work to finish to prepare the trains” alongside necessary “operational adjustments” before services can commence.
No passenger has travelled along the new tracks
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PA
These adjustments are understood to involve synchronising the timetable with the west coast mainline, which the new route briefly utilises to link the two cities.
Eddie Dempsey, the RMT general secretary, has defended the union’s position, previously telling the BBC: “A guaranteed safety critical second person on board a train service is essential for performing a range of functions and responding appropriately to potentially dangerous incidents.”
He added: “It is important we establish with any employer an agreed method of dispatching the train with the necessary safety-critical skills and duties incorporated within the role of the second onboard crew member.”
Shadow transport secretary Richard Holden has attacked the government over the stalled project. “This project, the bulk of which was delivered under the Conservatives, was supposed to be operational by now,” he said.
He accused Labour of having “no plan” for rail improvements, adding they are “too weak to tackle their union paymasters who stand in the way of improvements at every turn”.
Chiltern Railways has emphasised that substantial progress has been achieved since being named as the operator in March. The company has recruited and trained 44 drivers, established new staff facilities at Bletchley, and fitted out a modern station at Winslow featuring step-free access.
Nevertheless, the operator acknowledged that further work remains on train readiness, Winslow station, and operating arrangements for the route.
“Train readiness includes rebranding and operational adjustments, as is standard practice to align with the needs of introducing services on a new route,” the company stated.
Chiltern Railways said it continues working with Government, unions and industry partners, promising updates when available.
