The Oxford-Cambridge Growth Corridor, with Milton Keynes at its centre, is home to a wealth of companies at the cutting edge of technology and innovation. But, in the past, inadequate east-west transport connectivity has prevented the Corridor from achieving its full wealth-creating potential.
Geographically, the distance between Oxford and Cambridge is comparable to a journey around San Francisco Bay - home to the booming Silicon Valley tech cluster.¹ But road or rail travel between the two cities has, until now, taken more than two hours, with train journeys requiring changes in central London.
Transport connectivity drives tech clusters - and regional prosperity
Relationships, collaborations, supply chains and employment opportunities are the things that power globally competitive industry clusters - driving innovation, productivity and regional prosperity. And they're all enabled by efficient transport connections. So improving links between the tech hubs of Oxford, Milton Keynes and Cambridge is expected to have a transformational effect on economic performance. According to the Oxford to Cambridge Partnership, the 'agglomeration benefits' of improving transport connections across the Corridor could add £50 billion to regional GVA (gross value added) by the end of the 2020s.
East West Rail - the regional benefits
East West Rail is a state-of-the-art revival of the Varsity Line, which closed in 1967. When all phases are completed, it will reduce the travel time between Oxford and Cambridge to just 1 1/2 hours, via destinations including Milton Keynes and Bletchley. Because the line intersects with key north-south rail routes - the East Coast Main Line, Midland Main Line and West Coast Main Line - it will also transform the region's connectivity to the rest of the UK.
As well as driving business collaborations, innovation and investment, East West Rail will enable shorter, more comfortable commutes between key locations including Oxford, Milton Keynes and Cambridge - creating new employment opportunities and expanding skilled labour pools to support business growth.
With the ambition of becoming an operationally net zero carbon railway, East West Rail exemplifies the region's commitment to sustainable development. By offering an efficient and attractive alternative to road travel, the new line is projected to reduce traffic volumes and congestion, as well as CO2 emissions.
Bletchley, Milton Keynes - a Vital UK Rail Hub
Bletchley - the town within Milton Keynes famed as the birthplace of modern computing - we'll be a key node in East West Rail. In fact, it will become a vital UK rail hub, with East West Rail and the West Coast Main Line intersecting at Bletchley Station.
Not only will the line transform connections from Milton Keynes and Bletchley to cities and towns across the Oxford-Cambridge corridor. It will also enable direct, faster connections to West Coast Main Line destinations including London Birmingham and Manchester - further enhancing the appeal of Milton Keynes and Bletchley as business destinations.
East West Rail - the Milton Keynes growth opportunity
In contrast with the space-constrained cities of Oxford and Cambridge, Milton Keynes was planned and designed from the start to accommodate both business and population growth. By improving transport connections between the cities, East West Rail will make Milton Keynes an even more attractive location for the scale-up of tech businesses. And it will make the city a viable, as well as desirable, place to live for people working elsewhere in the Corridor.
From 2026, the first phase of East West Rail became operational, reducing rail journey times between Oxford and Milton Keynes to just 45 minutes. For expanding, Oxford-based businesses, it opens up an exciting location opportunity - Milton Keynes' benefits include a larger tech workforce, improved connectivity, and high-quality, cost-effective commercial properties. For workers, the prospect is equally compelling - to live in a city that’s ‘better by design’, with a superb quality of life and substantially lower costs, while enjoying a comfortable, sustainable commute.
Contact Invest Milton Keynes to find out more.