Thank you for the article referencing the success of the ‘Borders Railway’ in Scotland likened to East West Rail, however, I would like to point out that there are massive differences between the two schemes as I’m getting dizzy with all EWR Co spin and misleading PR statements.
Read: East West Rail shares success of Borders Railway but critics say comparison is misleading
For a start, as mentioned in your article, the proposed EWRCo line is approx three miles longer but the ‘Borders’ journey ‘end-to-end’ is much longer (and probably more realistic).
The EWRCo proposed CS3 section Bedford to Cambridge, supposedly designed for passengers to freely move from home to work, has only 4 stations – Bedford-Tempsford-Cambourne-Cambridege planned (a distinct lack of flexibility) whereas the ‘Borders’ line has a much more ‘user-friendly’ 10 stations, over a shorter distance encouraging greater usage.
It was much easier to build this ‘Borders’ line as they used the existing Waverley line (closed by Beeching in the 1960’s), not taking a circuitous route causing carnage to Bedford Town, demolishing homes, destroying open countryside and farmland especially when we are told that food production will need to double in the next 25 years!
Previous correspondents have already voiced that there are more environmentally friendly, flatter, less costly, and less harmful routes, all ignored,
At the recent Transport Select Committee meeting the concentration was all about ‘unlocking growth’, not where is the money coming from.
The ‘growth they want to unlock is to explode the population of Tempsford Village currently circa 600 pop. to some 44,000 ‘as they need homes to expand Cambridge’s expected workforce requirements’.
If we reckon that of the 44,000 some 20,000 will want to use the train from Tempsford to Cambridge on a daily basis how long will the train need to be?
I think the passengers will still be getting on as the driver goes through Cambourne!! and that is not allowing for the 14 that originally boarded the train in Bedford!
Rail fares are high enough as it is but by the time this line might be in operation EWRCo will have to find a ‘rail operator’ to run the line and show a profit for their investors (highly unlikely) providing the rail staff are not on strike, there are no leaves on the track etc.
And as there is no ‘business case’ after four years I think I will take up mining to hopefully find the bottom of this pit that EWRCo, the DfT and Treasury are pouring all this money into.
Gordon Johnston
Staploe Rd,
Wyboston
