East-West rail

[Mojo]

The Government has responded to the epetition calling for the reopening of the East-West rail link between Oxford and Cambridge, primarily the section between Bicester Town & Bletchley.

http://www.pm.gov.uk/output/Page15235.asp

The proposal to operate train services between Oxford and Cambridge (and in the East of England) has existed for some time and is currently being promoted by a consortium of Local Authorities plus the relevant Regional Assemblies and Regional Development Agencies. The promoters often refer to it as the "East - West Rail scheme".

The Department for Transport (DfT) is in regular contact with the promoters and is aware that business case development suggests that opening the route between Oxford and Milton Keynes / Bedford could have a value for money case. The capital cost of the scheme is estimated at around £200m and, as part of their studies, the promoters are considering how funding could be provided through developer contributions. Re-opening the route between Bedford and Cambridge would be more costly and difficult as some of the land has been sold and developed for other uses. The promoters are therefore concentrating on the western section of the route between Oxford and Bedford.

The Rail White Paper published in July 2007 made clear that the Government's current priority is to focus investment on improving the existing rail network by providing more capacity for passengers and freight rather than re-opening disused lines and stations. The DfT therefore supports the promoters' efforts to secure private sector funding for the East - West Rail scheme and will monitor developments going forward.

 

[me123]

That seems to me like a very good service is opening uponce again, and I'm sure it'll make those journeys much easier, as I'd imagine a lot of people want to make journeys along that line quite a lot. It's a shame that the DfT are reluctanct to finance it, though.

 

[O L Leigh]

The service died on it's @rse before the line closed the first time, so I'm still to be convinced of it's merits.

Then again, the Government response doesn't read much like a ringing endorsement. Like me, it seems like they aren't entirely sold on the scheme. Basically you could sum up their position by saying that they're up to their ears with improving the network as it stands and aren't getting themselves involved at this stage but, if the promoters want to go ahead and press on with the project, they'll be monitoring things.

Straight back to the bottom of the pile.

O L Leigh

 

[Metroland]

I'm convinced of it because you have a new city of 250,000 that wasn't there when the line closed with congested road links either side to high growth areas like Bedford and areas with high value jobs like Cambridge and Oxford. Looks like the latter will benefit a lot, they are are doubling the Cotswold line as well.

 

[David Sinnett]

So what are the rules about track ownership? If the local authorities want it can't they get together and finance it themselves and then claim their money back from track access charges? Does NR or Railtrack or whatever theyre called today have to own all the track?