East West Railway Company has received recognition for its "carbon management" in infrastructure although its trains are not yet running.
The building of the long awaited £1.3bn East West Rail line from Oxford has been recognised for being environmentally friendly.
Rail Minister Lord Peter Hendy said earlier this month said trains from Oxford to Milton Keynes are being lined up to appear in the December rail timetable.
But the Department of Transport confirmed this was just a provisionary timetable.
The PAS 2080 certification acknowledges efforts in carbon management and reduction across the whole lifecycle of infrastructure projects, comes after an extensive two-phase audit programme.
The PAS 2080 standard is a framework for managing and reducing carbon emissions in infrastructure projects.
It applies to all stages, from design and procurement to construction, operation, and maintenance.
The start of services has been delayed by a dispute with rail unions about whether guards should be required for the new services.
East West Railway Company confirmed that infrastructure for the section between Bicester and Bletchley was handed over to Network Rail in December 2024 following the completion of construction.
Chiltern Railways, which was named as the operator of the first stage between Oxford and Milton Keynes in March 2025, said "significant progress" has already been made in preparing for the launch.
Tristan Lincoln-Gordon, head of environment at East West Railway Company, said: "Achieving PAS 2080 certification is an important step for us, showing that we're managing carbon in a consistent and structured way throughout project delivery and into our supply chain."
The company formally committed to the Construction Leadership Council's "Five Client Carbon Commitments".
Throughout ongoing design efforts, East West Railway Company said it remains committed to working closely with industry and supply chain partners to support low carbon outcomes across the programme.
Millions of pounds of funding has been allocated to create a new entrance at a railway station on the East West Rail route, which will eventually link Oxford and Cambridge.
The Government has put forward £17m to support construction of an eastern entrance to Bletchley station, on top of a commitment of up to £5m from Milton Keynes City Council in Buckinghamshire.
It will create a direct gateway between the station and Bletchley's main high street, improving access for passengers and supporting businesses.
