Asked by: Richard Fuller (Conservative - North Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent estimate she has made of the cost per kilometre of East West Rail from Bedford to Cambridge.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Capital cost estimates for Connection Stages 2 (Oxford-Bedford) and 3 (Oxford-Cambridge) routes were published by East West Rail Company in 2024. Final costs for the project will be driven by scope and design choices.
Asked by: Richard Fuller (Conservative - North Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what her planned timetable is for the construction of a railway station at Tempsford.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
East West Rail Company has set out details of its proposals for a new station at Tempsford as part of East West Rail in its autumn announcement in November 2025. The Government and East West Rail Company have committed to bring forward the delivery of a new station at Tempsford to introduce services on the East Coast Main Line to the area ahead of the full East West Rail scheme opening and design work is progressing on this.
Asked by: Richard Fuller (Conservative - North Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what agreement has been made between East West Rail and Universal Destinations and Experiences on the development timeline of East West Rail during the construction of the Universal Theme Park in Bedfordshire.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Universal’s plans for a theme park near Stewartby represents a significant local and national opportunity for economic growth. Following Government approval of the theme park in April 2025, EWR Co is working alongside Universal and key stakeholders to help integrate their proposals for the theme park with the railway and maximise the potential of both.
Asked by: Richard Fuller (Conservative - North Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether a decision has been made on the type of power or traction to be used on East West Rail.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
In its autumn announcement in November 2025, EWR Co set out proposals for the discontinuous (partial) electrification of the line which can deliver net zero services with hybrid battery-electric trains.