Campaigners in Aylesbury are calling for a section of the former Great Central main line to be upgraded to passenger standards, so that their town will be connected to East West Rail.

The Aylesbury Action Group says the Aylesbury spur from Claydon Junction is not merely a proposal for a future railway, but 18km of ‘shovel-ready’ infrastructure that remains the ‘vital missing link’ in the East West Rail project.

Although this section is being restored it will be suitable only for freight trains, leaving the 90,000 people who live in Aylesbury effectively cut off from Milton Keynes, while future upgrades would cost more than simply relaying the track to passenger standards now.

The campaigners say that to reach Milton Keynes by rail, Aylesbury residents are forced into a 142km detour through London Marylebone and Euston, turning a potential 15-minute direct shuttle into a three-hour marathon that costs a family of three more than £300 during peak hours.

Action Group spokesman Amari Carey told Railnews: ‘My physical audit of Aylesbury Vale Parkway has confirmed that the ground is prepared and technical assets are already powered and operational. This proves that the government has already invested heavily in the readiness of this line. By including Aylesbury and Aylesbury Vale Parkway in this link, we aren’t just laying tracks; we are removing a massive “London Tax” on our town.

‘We would be opening up education and jobs in the “Brain Belt” of Milton Keynes and Cambridge for the next generation, finally utilizing the active infrastructure that taxpayers have already funded.

‘We are not asking for a miracle. We are asking the government to stop ignoring the assets we already have and to close the 11-mile gap that is holding Aylesbury back from the East West Rail main line.’

East West Railway Company external affairs director Natalie Wheble said: ‘We are aware of the strength of feeling in Aylesbury and the wider Buckinghamshire area about a connection from Aylesbury to East West Rail. We have explored the option of an Aylesbury spur, but this option was taken out of scope in January 2025.

‘However, during the construction of the Bicester to Bletchley section of line, East West Rail did put in place passive provision so the line could be added to the network at a later date and the alignment to Aylesbury is also protected to allow for a potential future reopening, should funding come forward.’

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