Frustrated residents in the Buckinghamshire town of Winslow are setting up an Action Group, as there appears to be no end in sight to the deadlock which is preventing scheduled passenger trains running between Oxford, Bletchley and Milton Keynes.

The restored section of line between Bicester and Bletchley was completed in 2024 and approved by ORR inspectors in October of that year, but so far the only trains have been freight workings and test runs, apart from one or two passenger charters.

The continuing delay has been blamed on a dispute between Chiltern Railways, which was nominated as the operator last year, and the RMT, which is opposing plans to run driver-only trains. 

A proposal to lengthen the platforms at Winslow to deal with the longer trains which will be needed when a new Universal theme park opens south of Bedford has also been mentioned as a further cause of delay, but East West Rail Co. maintains that platform extensions could be built while the station remains open, and it is true that no closures were needed while platforms were extended for 12-car Thameslink trains at local stations between London and Bedford about 15 years ago.

The MP for Buckingham and Bletchley Callum Anderson is hosting a Parliamentary reception on 13 April with East West Rail, where he said he ‘will once again call on Government and the rail industry to work together to deliver what we all want: trains running between Oxford, Bicester, Winslow, Bletchley and Milton Keynes as soon as possible’.

He raised the problem during Transport Questions in the House of Commons on 26 March, when transport secretary Heidi Alexander replied: ‘I sympathise with the frustration of local residents. I am as keen as they are, and as I know my hon. Friend is, to see services start on that section of infrastructure. I know discussions continue between Chiltern and the trade unions on operational arrangements and the preparatory works to trains and stations. I assure him that, as soon as we have a start date, he will be the first to know.’

Meanwhile, people in Winslow are forming their own Action Group, led by town councillor Diana Blamires. She said: ‘Never mind rolling stock, it has become laughing stock. No one involved has shown any signs of getting this sorted. Residents are fed up. It’s very lucrative to have ‘fake’ trains rattling through the day and night but there are consequences for the people here. It is catastrophic that people have moved to Winslow or any of these places between Milton Keynes and Oxford, thinking it’s a great place to get the train.’

EWR external affairs director Natalie Wheble said: ‘Chiltern had hoped to begin services in December 2025 and they are currently working closely with the Department of Transport and industry colleagues with the aim of introducing services as soon as possible.

‘To meet increasing demand for passenger services, we recently announced our intention to increase the frequency of  services and also to extend the number of carriages on each train. Any work to extend platforms at Winslow would not affect the introduction of Chiltern’s new services and work to extend the platforms could be carried out whilst the station is operational.’

The RMT has denied that its DOO dispute is the cause of the delay. The union said: ‘It is simply inaccurate to blame delays to East West Rail on our dispute when the project has been held back for years by indecision, rising costs and unresolved planning issues.’

Chiltern Railways is to be renationalised on 20 September. The operator said: ‘Significant progress has been made, including the hiring and training of 44 train drivers, the creation of a new colleague facility at Bletchley, and the fit out of a new modern station with step-free access at Winslow.

‘However, there is work still to finish to prepare the trains, on Winslow station and on the operating arrangements for the new route. We are continuing our work on these areas in conjunction with industry colleagues and will provide updates as soon as we are able to.’

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