six hours ago

Image supply, Ben Schofield/BBC

Image caption,

A consultation about a proposed route of the East West Rail line closed in June 2021

A company group has mentioned the proposed East-West Rail line will bring investment to the complete area, not just areas on the route.

Information in the Price range revealed the route of the hyperlink amongst Bedford and Cambridge will be confirmed in Could.

Hilary Chipping, the Chief Executive of the South East Midlands Nearby Enterprise Partnership (SEMLEP), mentioned it was “certainly excellent news”.

But MP Richard Fuller mentioned the program was “out of date and requirements a refresh”.

The £5bn East-West Rail project aims to connect Oxford and Cambridge, by means of Bletchley close to Milton Keynes and Bedford.

Ms Chipping mentioned: “East-West Rail will provide such financial possibilities to this location.”

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Hilary Chipping from SEMLEP believes East West Rail will be superior for investment in the area

She mentioned the route would imply Cambridge firms could expand to areas like Milton Keynes and Bedford.

Ms Chipping believes the improvement would aid hyperlink towns such as Northampton and Corby with the rest of the area.

Without having the new rail line “roads will come to be a lot more congested and firms may well appear elsewhere”, she mentioned.

“It really is about linking neighborhood communities and linking firms and opening up abilities and talent to encourage that financial development and inward investment.”

Image supply, Ben Schofield/BBC

Image caption,

MP Richard Fuller believes neighborhood transportation should really be prioritised more than East-West Rail

But Richard Fuller, Conservative MP for North East Bedfordshire, mentioned he does not consider the announcement was superior for his constituents.

“However once more we have no company case for East-West Rail,” he mentioned, accusing the Treasury of becoming “led by the nose” in to the announcement.

The MP mentioned the proposal was poor for the atmosphere and “out of touch with modern day travel specifications”.

‘Sustainable and affordable’

He known as for “new plans focused on neighborhood transportation”, saying East-West Rail was “letting down the men and women whose homes and residences are at threat from this railway.

“Let’s see the numbers and then let’s see if the case genuinely stacks up,” he mentioned.

He described the route as “controversial” and “environmentally brutal”, adding he was functioning with MPs and other neighborhood politicians to uncover options.

Image supply, Stuart Ratcliffe/BBC

Image caption,

A new station is becoming constructed at Bletchley in Buckinghamshire

The East-West Railway Corporation mentioned 71% of neighborhood residents surveyed help a transport connection amongst Oxford and Cambridge.

Beth West, chief executive of East-West Rail, mentioned: “The government’s route update announcement that is set for Could will offer a level of certainty that I know a lot of men and women have been waiting for.

“It will allow us to press ahead with our plans and provide a more rapidly, a lot more sustainable and economical way to travel that meets neighborhood requirements and improves every day lives.”