The government has approved the long-awaited reopening of the Oxford Cowley rail branch line, marking a major milestone in plans to transform the Oxford-Cambridge corridor into what ministers call “Europe’s Silicon Valley.”
The £155 million scheme — part of a wider £500 million investment package announced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves — will be jointly funded by the Treasury (£120 million) and private stakeholders led by the Ellison Institute of Technology Oxford, which will contribute a further £35 million.
The new rail line, closed to passengers for more than 60 years, will link south Oxford and the Oxford Science Park directly with central Oxford and London Marylebone, improving connectivity for thousands of workers and researchers.
The Ellison Institute, founded by Oracle billionaire Larry Ellison, will design and build one of two new stations at Littlemore, adjacent to its expanding Oxford campus — a 2 million sq ft complex expected to host up to 7,000 people when it opens in 2027.
The institute plans to invest £10 billion over the next decade in science and technology programmes, with a focus on tackling global challenges such as health, food security and climate change.
The project forms part of Reeves’ strategy to accelerate growth along the Oxford-Cambridge arc, a region she described as “a hub for globally renowned science and technology” but one that has suffered from “years of underinvestment in public transport, housing and infrastructure.”
“These investments lay the foundations for thousands of skilled jobs and pioneering research that will benefit working people across the country,” Reeves said.
Alongside the Cowley line reopening, the Treasury will commit £400 million in seed funding for affordable housing, local infrastructure and business expansion in Cambridge.
The Ellison Institute of Technology Oxford, designed by Lord Foster of Thames Bank’s architecture practice, is at the heart of the government’s ambition to turn the corridor into a world-class science cluster.
The institute is positioning itself as a global hub for AI, biotech and sustainability research, and will act as a catalyst for collaboration between academia and industry.
Lisa Flashner, Chief Operating Officer of the institute, said the new rail connection would be key to recruiting and retaining top global talent.
“The new line will help us attract world-class scientists and facilitate closer collaboration between the Ellison Institute and Oxford University,” she said.
Lord Vallance, Minister for Science and a former GSK executive, said the Oxford-Cambridge corridor had all the ingredients to become “the UK’s answer to Silicon Valley or the Boston Cluster.”
“This region is where world-class innovation meets economic growth — and projects like this will ensure that potential is realised.”
The announcement comes as the government faces mounting pressure to rebuild growth momentum ahead of next month’s Budget.
Talks are ongoing between London and Washington over drug pricing and trade tariffs, after several multinational pharma companies paused UK investment due to regulatory uncertainty.
By tying infrastructure development to private-sector innovation, Reeves aims to send a signal that the UK remains open to science-led growth and international collaboration.
Read more:
Oxford rail link to reopen as £10bn tech campus fuels ‘Europe’s Silicon Valley’ vision
