Bedford’s mayor has warned the town could face significant disruption during the construction of East West Rail, as the project’s promoters defended the benefits of the route through the borough.
Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), mayor Tom Wootton said Bedford could become a “building site for a long time” as work progresses on the scheme.
“What worries me, and annoys me, is that the local population just don’t get it that it’s going to be a really, really horrid, torrid time for a very long time,” he said.
He also questioned the decision to route the line through the town.
Route criticism
Read: More than 1,000 responses submitted as East West Rail consultation reaches halfway stage
“They went around every other town. Why are they coming through the middle of ours? I haven’t had a straight answer.
“What is the benefit coming through the middle of town when you could have had a parkway station demolish nobody’s house, had a blooming great big car park and been a lot better off.
“I think Route E will probably be built, but the taxpayers are having their leg lifted when there are shorter, quicker, easier to build routes [elsewhere].
“The reality is that the government is spending billions of pounds [sic] on something we never asked for.
“I have a feeling in about four or five years’ time the government will be open-eyed and go ‘what the devil are we doing?’
“‘We’ve just spent a billion pounds [sic] connecting Bedford by dual carriageway to Cambridge, which will be the opening next year. ‘Why are we building them a train as well?’”
However, East West Rail said the chosen route would deliver the best connectivity and economic benefits for the town.
Read: EWR car park confusion blamed on council communications, says Bedford & Kempston MP
“Modern transport hub”
A spokesperson said the project would transform Bedford station into a “modern transport hub” and improve access to jobs, leisure and onward connections to destinations including Luton Airport, Nottingham and Derby.
“We recognise that delivering a major infrastructure project inevitably brings both construction activity and associated traffic movements that need to be carefully managed and sensitively planned,” the spokesperson said.
“We are working with the council, hospital trust and local stakeholders in Bedford to develop a clear strategy for the sequencing and phasing of works to minimise disruption as much as possible, and to maintain access routes throughout the duration of works.
“A Code of Construction Practice (CoCP), supported by a range of management plans, will set out clear and enforceable measures covering construction traffic management, access arrangements, environmental protection, and controls on construction activity.”
The company also pointed to an independent report commissioned by Bedford Borough Council, which found the choice of route alignment was “sound” and identified no faults in the decision-making process.
By John Guinn
Local Democracy Reporter
