A new station at Stewartby has been confirmed which, DfT stated, could add almost £50bn to the economy by 2055 and expected to welcome over 8.5 million visitors in its opening year.

Other plans include 7 new stations, and the use of hybrid battery-electric trains to deliver faster, greener services along the partially electrified route while keeping costs down.

This news was followed by plans for a new station at Cambridge East – subject to third-party funding – have been formally added to the scope of East West Rail.

As well as a new eastern entrance at Cambridge Central, EWR Co’s plans also include a new Cambridge East station, designed to drive major economic growth and reduce congestion for the area.

More than 80 design changes have been made following public feedback from last consultation, with changes to focus on providing modern and accessible stations with increased capacity.

UK transport secretary Heidi Alexander said: “East West Rail is more than a railway – it’s a catalyst for growth, more jobs and opportunity, and this project will make rail travel faster, greener and more reliable for millions of passengers.

“By investing in modern infrastructure, we’re laying the foundations for long-term prosperity in one of the UK’s most dynamic regions while ensuring that the UK has a rail network passengers can be proud of.”