The eight-week consultation by East West Railway Company will run from Tuesday to June 9, 2026, offering communities along the route a vital opportunity to have their say on the latest plans.

Their contributions will help shape the final design of the railway, before a Development Consent Order applicatiion for government backing is submitted in 2027.

The consultation launch follows a petition urging the Government to intervene in delays to the opening to passengers of the East West Rail line between Oxford and Milton Keynes.

READ MORE: Petition to force progress on East West Rail line

A dispute between train guards and drivers and East West Rail line operator Chiltern Railways has caused delays.

Only freight trains are running on the route which connects Oxford, Oxford Parkway, and Bicester to Milton Keynes.

Dave Richardson, of Railfuture (Image: Contributed)

Dave Richardson, a spokesman for campaign group Railfuture, said: “The Oxford-Bletchley-Milton Keynes section is complete but no passenger trains are running, while the Bletchley-Bedford section is operational but needs a major upgrade.

“The Bedford-Cambridge section is a long-term aim as parts of it will need to be built from scratch while some of it will use existing routes. It’s due to open in the 2030s.”

A series of public drop-in events will now be held across the route to provide opportunities to talk with experts from EWR Co to find out more about the updated proposals, ask questions and submit feedback.

David Hughes, CEO for East West Rail Company, said: “This consultation marks a major milestone for East West Rail as we move closer to delivering a once-in-a-generation project that will transform connectivity across the Oxford–Cambridge Growth Corridor.

“East West Rail is about far more than a new railway – it’s about unlocking opportunities for people and places, supporting new homes and jobs, and making it easier, faster and greener to travel between some of the UK’s most dynamic destinations.

“We’ve listened carefully to feedback to shape these latest designs, which include plans to deliver benefits earlier through phased construction, improve accessibility, and support our net zero ambitions through innovative, lower-carbon technology.

“I’d strongly encourage everyone along the route to take part in our last consultation.

“Your views are vital in helping us refine our plans and ensure East West Rail delivers lasting benefits for communities, businesses and the wider region for generations to come.”

One of the consultation events will be at the Kings Centre in Osney Mead, Oxford, on Tuesday, May 12, from 11am to 6pm.

The stickers, a reminder that ’20’s plenty,’ were offered by Oxfordshire County Council for free earlier this year to mark the county’s 275th 20mph scheme.

Since launching the 20mph programme in 2022, the council has been lowering speed limits through villages across Oxfordshire.

A Freedom of Information Request by this newspaper has revealed that 1,000 20mph stickers were bought by the council working out at a cost of £1.25 each.

The county council said: “No costs were incurred via promotion. Details of the postage costs are unknown at this time.”

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Oxfordshire County Council teamed up with the campaign group ’20 is Plenty for Us’ to distribute the stickers.

Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s cabinet member for transport management, praised the stickers and the reduced speed limits.

He said: “This is an incredible landmark and I want to thank all the parish and town councils who have been in touch with us, asking to make their residential streets safer and more pleasant places.

“Residents can now can visibly demonstrate their support by putting these stickers on their wheelie bins, to remind drivers that 20mph should be the norm in areas where people live.”

Another ten 20mph schemes are waiting to be implemented, which will take the total to 285.

Mr Gant added: “You are seven times more likely to survive if you are hit by a car driving at 20mph than if you are hit at 30mph.”

The popular documentary first landed on screens back in 2021, showcasing Jeremy Clarkson’s Diddly Squat Farm in Chadlington, Oxfordshire.

With four series now to date and a fifth expected to be released next month, demand for the farming programme is high among fans.

Diddly Squat is the core focus of the show, with farmhand Kaleb Cooper and Mr Clarkson’s girlfriend Lisa Hogan, among the faces featured throughout its run.

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Mr Clarkson’s acquisition of The Windmill pub in Asthall, now renamed The Farmer’s Dog following its 2024 opening, also featured in the most recent season.

Producer Andy Wilman, Mr Clarkson’s long-standing collaborator, said according to The Express: “You’ve got to remember this is Jeremy’s show, it’s not like mine and his or his and Richard’s, it’s his baby and if at the end of a series, he can think of something he wants to do for another series, then he’ll do it.

“You can’t have that thing where you have done one series too many and people say, ‘that’s b******* now, it’s a busted flush. So you have to discipline yourself to say, ‘we end this now while we still have an audience.’

“Every series we have is a bonus and we have to treat it like the Grand Tour, that every series we have is a bonus – and each time we’re thinking we’re in uncharted territory with the farming show. It’s the most joyous thing to edit.”