While blue chip businesses including KPMG, Silverstone and Colworth Park, have given their backing to the government’s East West Rail project, local homeowners are still in limbo over whether their homes will be demolished as part of the scheme.
In a new report by the East West Main Line Partnership (EWMLP), businesses, universities and science and innovation parks say that East West Rail will provide a crucial boost to the UK economy.
This was echoed by Bedford’s portfolio holder for rail, Cllr Michael Headley (Lib Dem, Putnoe), who said: “The railway line is an important opportunity for Bedford Borough – socially, economically and environmentally.
“It will generate new jobs and provide a boost to the local economy, whilst offering substantial environmental benefits by replacing thousands of road journeys with a much more sustainable form of transport.”
The report, ‘Building Better Connections: the business imperative for East West Rail‘, was commissioned by WEMLP, a grouping of local authorities, local enterprise partnerships and other bodies which has campaigned for East West Rail for nearly three decades.
Among those contributing to the report was Professor Alistair Fitt, Chair, Arc Universities Group. “Remote working may have found a place, but it is no substitute for the physical colocation of researchers and students,” he said.
“So many of our great breakthroughs, including the Covid vaccines, are built on social interaction.”
Green light
Despite the former Transport Secretary casting doubt over the future of the project, East West Rail has been given the green light by the new Prime Minister, as set out in the government’s recently published Growth Plan.
Commenting on the report, EWR’s CEO, Beth West, said: “At EWR we believe that local people living and working in the communities in and around Oxford, Milton Keynes, Bedford and Cambridge, deserve reliable, sustainable and affordable public transport that links them to their jobs, families and friends.
“We are delighted at the prospect of delivering the benefits of this fantastic new line for hundreds of thousands of people.”
Delays on the line
But while the go-ahead was generally welcomed, Bedford’s MP, councillors and campaigners have criticised EWR’s delays in confirming whether the line will require four or six tracks.
“We continue to strongly oppose the unnecessary proposals for extra lines and the unacceptable continued uncertainty for local residents,” Cllr Michael Headley.
“We will continue to fight for electrification of the line from day one.”
Mohammad Yasin MP (Labour) said his constituents need clarity over the future of their homes.
“Whilst East West Rail have welcomed their inclusion as one of the Government’s proposed rail projects, local residents remain in limbo as to whether their homes will be demolished or protected under EWR’s proposed route.
“We were told we would have the results of EWR’s consultation last year, yet to this day we have no idea what EWR will propose. This is an appalling way to treat residents,” he said.
In limbo
Ben Foley, Green Party councillor (Castle Ward), also waded in. “It is good news that the uncertainty sown by the former Transport Secretary has been ended, but it shows the extent of the Conservative chaos that the future of EWR was put into doubt so recently, only for its future to be confirmed and plans accelerated now.
“However, it is vital that acceleration does not mean a shortcut on consultation. We need to have the right design for the right stations in Bedford, and for the various issues of minimising adverse impacts to be dealt with properly.”
Mike Barlow, from the campaign group BFARe, said: “EWR seem determined to push ahead at all costs.
“They claim to be cleaner and reduce pollution and journey times – yet they did no comparative carbon study at route selection, we have repeatedly asked them for the details of the environmental study, which they claim to have published, but can’t seem to point us to it.
“A recent FoI request revealed that they haven’t even considered what the ticket prices might be – so how can they build a business case without a top line?
“If it is going to go ahead – it should be on the more logical, shorter, straighter, flatter route with fewer demolitions and lower carbon and environmental impact.”
Tom Wootton, the Conservative mayoral candidate, told the Bedford Independent: “The Chief Exec [of EWR] speaks with forked tongue regarding the benefits to everybody apart from anybody who lives near the line.
“This is a black day for democracy when they have done so little to listen to the views of local people. She is so misguided to put her trust into our current Mayor thinking he speaks for the people.
“I have yet to see a business case that makes sense no matter how much EWR and the Local Lib Dems spin it.”
We contacted Richard Fuller, MP for NE Bedfordshire, for a comment but did not respond in time for our deadline.
