East West Rail between Oxford and Cambridge must be completed in full
Rail campaigners are warning that the full East West Rail scheme is at risk, following comments by Grant Shapps. The Secretary of State for Transport has repeated his doubts that East West Rail will be completed in full. Whilst approving a new dual carriageway to run from the A1 to near to Cambridge, he dismissed claims that the road scheme is not needed as it runs along the same corridor as the proposed East West Rail. "This rather looks like Mr Shapps is softening us up for a future cancellation announcement." said Ian Brown, Railfuture's policy director. "The government has a track record of halting rail schemes halfway through - just look at the Great Western Electrification, HS2 Eastern leg or parts of Northern Powerhouse Rail. They mustn't be allowed to do this yet again with East West Rail."
The new dual carriageway is the A428 from Black Cat Roundabout to Caxton Gibbet.
"There needs to be a much more ambitious case for the railway line." said Chris Page, Railfuture chair. "Electrify it, use it for freight services as well, relieving local roads and reducing the cost of pothole repairs .Then run proper regional services on it such as Swindon to Ipswich and Oxford to Leicester and recognise that a railway is essential to support the extra housing needed in the area". He went on to say "It can be a diversionary route as well - let's have less of those dreaded rail replacement buses."
Sources:
https://www.newcivilengineer.com/latest/green-light-for-950m-missing-link-between-bedford-and-cambridge-19-08-2022/
https://news.railbusinessdaily.com/east-west-rails-uncertainty-and-lack-of-detail/
Ox-Cam Rail Campaign
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