East West rail boss to step down

By Nicky Godding

17 April 2024

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Beth West East West Rail

Best West, the CEO of East West Rail, the nationally significant railway project which aims to deliver much-needed transport connections for communities between Oxford and Cambridge, is stepping down.

Beth said: “When I started at EWR Co, it wasn’t even clear if government would back the project. We now have clear government support, a real focus on what we’re doing, why we’re doing it and who we’re building it for. As the company moves into a new phase, I’ve reflected that now is the time for me to move on, with EWR Co ready for the future whilst I’m ready for a new challenge.”

Neil Sachdev, Chair of EWR Co, said: “Beth’s tenure at EWR Co has been a defining time for the company. I’m sorry to see her go, and I want to thank Beth for the exceptional work that she has led over the past two years with us. I wish her the very best for the future.”

The past two years have been ones of significant progress at East West Railway Company. With Beth at the helm, the team has secured central government support for the continued development of EWR as a driver of UK economic growth, defined the preferred route for EWR and delivered critical design development, in preparation for the first stage of statutory consultation in summer 2024.

It has also established Local Opportunity Plans with £15 million of funding to support wider economic growth around new EWR stations and unlocked £240 million in funding to accelerate delivery of the Marston Vale Line upgrades.

It has also competed track infrastructure for the route between Oxford and Bletchley, on time and below budget, which will enable services to begin, as planned, from 2025.

Neil Sachdev, Chair of EWR Co, said: “Beth’s tenure at EWR Co has been a defining time for the company. I’m sorry to see her go, and I want to thank Beth for the exceptional work that she has led over the past two years with us. I wish her the very best for the future.”

Huw Merriman, Rail Minister, said: “Beth has been instrumental in bringing fresh perspective to East West Rail – a major project that will transform rail journeys for millions of people between Oxford and Cambridge.

“Beth has overseen significant developments during her time as CEO and rightly kept the communities this railway will serve at the heart of the project throughout. I thank Beth for providing such a meaningful contribution over the past two years and wish her all the best for the future.”

Beth will remain as interim CEO of EWR Co until the end of May and will continue to be available to support the transition to a new permanent CEO until the end of July.

The permanent chief executive will be announced in due course.

By Nicky Godding

Nicky Godding is editor of The Business Magazine. Before her journalism career, she worked mainly in public relations moving into writing when she was invited to launch Retail Watch, a publication covering retail and real estate across Europe.

After some years of constant travelling, she tucked away her passport and concentrated on business writing, co-founding a successful regional business magazine. She has interviewed some of the UK’s most successful entrepreneurs who have built multi-million-pound businesses and reported on many science and technology firsts.

She reports on the region’s thriving business economy from start-ups, family businesses and multi-million-pound corporations, to the professionals that support their growth and the institutions that educate the next generation of business leaders.