The Oxford–Cambridge Arc or Oxford–Cambridge Growth Corridor (formerly the Cambridge – Milton Keynes – Oxford corridor) is a notional arc of agricultural and urban land at about radius of London, in south central England. It runs between the British university cities of Oxford and Cambridge via Milton Keynes and other settlements in Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshire and Oxfordshire, at the northern rim of the London commuter belt. It is significant only in economic geography, with little physical geography in common.

The original Oxford to Cambridge (O2C) Arc initiative was launched in 2003 by three English regional development agencies (RDAs), EEDA, EMDA and SEEDA. The aim of the initiative is to promote and accelerate the development of the unique set of educational, research and business assets and activities that characterise the area and in doing so, create an "arc of innovation and entrepreneurial activity that would, in time, be 'best in the field'".

In November 2017, a report for the National Infrastructure Commission (NIC) noted that, "in 2014, the Gross Value Added (GVA) of the "corridor" was £90.5bn (2011 prices); by doubling housebuilding rates in the area, and delivering East West Rail and the Oxford–Cambridge Expressway, this [would] increase by £163bn to a GVA of £250bn". In February 2021, the Government announced plans to develop the concept further, In January 2025, Chancellor Rachel Reeves confirmed funding for the BedfordCambridge section of the railway, stating her view that the "Oxford–Cambridge Growth Corridor" has the potential to become "Europe's Silicon Valley".

Industry and infrastructure <span class="anchor" id="Industry"></span>

The Arc is a major centre of the UK's high tech manufacturing and research industries. It is serviced by four international airports (Stansted, Luton, Heathrow and Birmingham), all located just outside the Arc itself. Cranfield Airport, Cambridge Airport and London Oxford Airport take executive jets. Cambridge Airport is an important centre for aircraft maintenance.

Other major industries include agriculture, tourism, construction, entertainment, education, retail and finance. Commuting and business travel within the arc is relatively difficult in the absence of east–west infrastructure. The route resumes as an expressway between the A1 and the M1 (at Junction 13).

Future

In 2017, the National Infrastructure Commission projected that the Arc will become host to major hi-tech industrial developments and will need to provide one million new homes by 2050, with Milton Keynes alone doubling in population to 500,000.

To facilitate this development (and wider national infrastructure needs for outer orbital routes around London), two major projects are underway or were planned. Engineering work to extend East West Rail from Bicester to the West Coast Main Line at (Milton Keynes) was completed in 2024 and services are expected to start in 2025; work to upgrade the BletchleyBedford section has begun; onward extension to Cambridge is in detailed planning.

Detailed route options planning began on the Oxford-Milton Keynes phase that was to complete the Oxford-Cambridge Expressway (linking the A34 south of Oxford with the A14 near Cambridge). However, in March 2021, the government cancelled this phase of the Expressway (though construction of the last remaining phase of the M11A1M1 element continues). The paper identifies the arc as an economic powerhouse with three significant issues that need to be resolved: the natural environment and climate change; connectivity and infrastructure; and the availability of homes where they are most needed. The private University of Buckingham also lies within the Arc.

Demographics

The Arc is one of the most ethnically diverse regions of the UK. Bedford, roughly central to the Arc and with a population of 100,000, is home to native speakers of over 100 languages, a figure which rivals London, Birmingham, Leeds and Manchester. The Arc has the fastest growing population of any of the similar regions within the UK; several of the major towns and cities, most notably Bicester and Milton Keynes, are set to double in size over the coming few decades, and others, such as Cambourne, have been built from scratch since the late 1990s.

Politically, the Arc is largely a Conservative stronghold, with only the urban constituencies returning Liberal Democrat or Labour MPs.

Transport

The region is well served by major radial routes from London (the M40, M1, A1(M) and M11 motorways, and the West Coast Main Line, the Midland Main Line and the East Coast Main Line railways). However, routes around the arc are poor, with a disjointed and overloaded road network. and a fragmentary railway line (remnants of the former Varsity Line).

A twice-hourly express bus service, route X5, is operated by Stagecoach UK Buses from Oxford as far as Bedford but, with a rural service providing the BedfordCambridge link, it takes almost five hours to travel the between the university cities.

In November 2017, in its report on the Arc, the NIC called for the railway line between Bicester and Bletchley to be reopened by 2023 and a new route between Bedford and Cambridge to be operational by 2030, and for the development and construction of a new grade separated dual carriageway between the M1 and Oxford by 2030, as part of a new OxfordCambridge Expressway. , the route through Bedford to Cambridge is still in detailed planning but the Minister has cast doubt on whether earlier commitments will be honoured and construction proceed.

Major settlements

<!-- "Major" means at least 10,000 population -->

Oxfordshire

  • Oxford †‡
  • Kidlington
  • Didcot
  • Abingdon-on-Thames
  • Bicester †‡
  • Banbury

Buckinghamshire

  • Buckingham ‡
  • Milton Keynes †‡* <!-- Bletchley is part of Milton Keynes -->
  • Aylesbury († via spur)

<!-- Winslow † population too low as of 2019 to count as "major" -->

Bedfordshire

<!-- * Cranfield population too low as of 2019 to count as "major" -->

  • Ampthill
  • Flitwick
  • Kempston *
  • Bedford †‡*
  • Sandy (possibly † from )
  • Biggleswade

Cambridgeshire

  • Cambourne †*
  • Cambridge †*
  • Huntingdon
  • St Ives
  • St Neots * (possibly † from )

Northamptonshire

  • Brackley
  • Corby
  • Daventry
  • Kettering
  • Northampton
  • Rushden
  • Wellingborough

‡ Places served by X5 route. Since August 2020, the service terminates at Bedford. Passengers for Cambridge must transfer to a rural multi-stop service,<br>

† Places planned to be served by East West Rail. , plans for Sandy/Tempsford/St Neots services via EWR have not been detailed.<br>

<nowiki>*</nowiki> Places that were planned to be served by the Oxford Cambridge Expressway. In March 2021, the then Government cancelled the link between the M1 and the A34 across the M40 without a precise route being declared. is undecided. Locations shown above with an asterisk are on the A421/A428 (M1 to M11/A14) route, which is already expressway standard.

See also

Notes

References

  • England's Economic Heartland - "the sub-national transport body for the region stretching from Swindon and Oxfordshire across to Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire"