Transport Insights

Rail magazine reports that the rail minister has blamed the “unexpected” general election nearly two years ago as the main reason behind the failure to begin passenger services on the first phase of East West Rail (EWR).

Lord (Peter) Hendy did indeed use this excuse in a letter to Callum Anderson, Labour MP for Buckingham and Bletchley on 31 March.

There are several reasons why EWR services have not begun, but the primary one is that the commercial negotiation with Chiltern was interrupted by the unexpected General Election of July 2024 and was thus very protracted.

In fact, the excuse was rolled out slightly earlier as part of an ongoing series of parliamentary questions and answers that reveal that ministers still do not have a clue when services will run on what is officially called Connection Stage 1, from Oxford to Milton Keynes / Bletchley, where test trains first ran in October 2024.

On 25 March, transport minister Keir Mather told Tory MP Joe Robertson:

The Department continues to work closely with Chiltern Railways and other partners to confirm a start date for the first EWR services between Oxford and Milton Keynes. For passenger services to commence, trains will need to have been modified and fully tested, and driver training will need to have been completed. Winslow station also needs to be fully handed over, and future staffing arrangements also remain to be agreed. Appointment of Chiltern Railways as operator was delayed by the General Election in July 2024, and consequently they were not appointed until March 2025.

As an excuse, it’s pretty feeble, but at least there were no leaves on the line.

By way of a follow-up, Tory shadow transport secretary Richard Holden asked for an estimate of the date by which trains for those services will be modified and fully tested.

The answer from Mather was not hopeful:

Chiltern subleases the trains that will be used on East West Rail from West Midlands Trains. The operators continue to work jointly with the train owner and the industry supply chain on the schedule for the final modifications which are expected to be delivered and tested in the coming months.

Another Tory, Jerome Mayhew, asked when Winslow station will be fully handed over and  future staffing arrangements will be agreed. Again, Mather was unable to say anything positive:

Chiltern is continuing to work closely with its partners and the Department to conclude the remaining train, infrastructure and staff issues and a start date for the first East West Rail services will be announced as soon as it is possible to do so.

We can’t tell you when we might have an answer is not a great look.