Dear editor,
RE: East West Rail has “hit the buffers” says local MP
I was surprised by the suggestion that East West Rail has ‘little political support’.
The East West Main Line Partnership, which I chair, is made up of local authorities and local enterprise partnerships in the region and developed the original case for the project.
Our members continue to strongly support delivery of East West Rail in full – while understandably also representing their constituents over the precise location and specification of the route and seeking to minimise any disruption it may cause during construction and operation.
The sub-national transport body England’s Economic Heartland (EEH) – which is overseen by the region’s political leaders – also places the highest priority on East West Rail’s delivery.
It is the flagship scheme of EEH’s regional transport strategy, which advises government on infrastructure priorities in the region required to drive economic growth (EEH is clear that investment in other infrastructure – such as the A428 Black Cat to Caxton Gibbet and a solution for the A1 south of Huntingdon – is also required).
East West Rail will unlock new opportunities for residents and businesses, whether that be access to jobs and labour, or simply the ability to enjoy a day out by train.
It will drive future innovation by linking the region’s science and technology clusters and be a catalyst for UK economic growth, prosperity and international competitiveness.
It’s not just the local authorities who need certainty on East West Rail’s delivery in full: the businesses we have spoken to from across Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire all tell us that East West Rail cannot be built soon enough.
Cllr Steven Broadbent
Chair, East West Main Line Partnership
Conservative Councillor, Ridgeway East, Buckinghamshire County Council
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