22.11.17
Chancellor accepts East West Rail targets and strengthens plans with extra cash
Chancellor Philip Hammond has confirmed the government’s commitment to completing the western section of East West Rail by 2024 and will commit new money to developing proposals for new stations, services and routes across the region.
The National Infrastructure Commission recently published a report looking at the Cambridge-Milton Keynes-Oxford growth corridor that recommended the DfT pressed ahead with East West Rail’s initial phase, as well as invest in developing “as soon as possible” detailed plans for both the next phase and for a new Oxford-Cambridge Expressway.
Delivering his Autumn Budget statement today, Hammond accepted these suggestions.
“Last week the National Infrastructure Commission published their report on the Cambridge-Milton Keynes-Oxford corridor,” he told MPs. “Today we back their vision and commit to building up to one million homes by 2050, completing the road and rail infrastructure to support them.”
In the Budget document, the Treasury formally commits to the suggested 2024 deadline for the western section to allow services between Oxford and Bedford and Aylesbury and Milton Keynes. It also confirms that the new East West Rail Alliance company will accelerate the delivery of the central section of the scheme between Bedford and Cambridge, aiming for completion “by the mid-2020s” by leveraging private investment.
In partnership with local stakeholders, the government is also committing £5m to develop plans for Cambridge South station – the follow-up to the recently finished Cambridge North – and is starting a study on the enhancements needed to accommodate future rail growth across Cambridgeshire.
As a first step towards opening a station at Cowley, it will also provide £300,000 to co-fund a study of opportunities for new stations, services and routes across the Oxfordshire rail corridor.
Despite the new money announced today, the document's fine print clarifies that while £5m will be invested this year and £135m the next, no money has seemingly been allocated for the scheme in 2019-20 or 2020-21.
Andy Free, head of engineering assurance at East West Rail Alliance, recently spoke to RTM about the plans for the western section phase 2.
(Top image c. Richard Gray, EMPICS Entertainment)