COMMENT www.businessmk.co.uk www.businessinbedfordshire.co.uk www.business-northants.co.uk April 2019 17 READERS of this column will recall entire route between Oxford and that I have written previously about Theo Chalmers Cambridge. So when it comes to government plans to develop the investing in our road network, we Theo Chalmers is already-funded East-West rail link, managing director of www.urbaneden.org www.vervepr.co.uk need to ensure that it complements, restoring the old Varsity Line between Verve Public Relations and e: [email protected] rather than competes with, our Oxford and Cambridge via Bletchley, chair of Urban Eden. Tel: 01908 275271 investment in rail and digital and to build a new East West connectivity. Expressway linking the cities by a “We urgently need to invest in our fast, new, road designed for longer road network to look after our existing distance journeys, as opposed to hop- Doubts are growing over roads better and to invest in support of on, hop-off local traffics. planned growth. And we need to On balance, these have seemed a invest in improved connections good thing. However a recent column to/from the East West Rail services. in New Civil Engineer , based partly East-West connectivity What we need is an integrated and co- upon the government’s National ordinated approach to identifying Infrastructure Commission’s Annual transport investment priorities, one Monitoring Report 2019 and its necessary consents. On September 12 Meanwhile the National of propriety and respect for all that that connects people and places with perhaps more revealing annex, 2018, the government announced that Infrastructure Commission appears to makes Milton Keynes different by opportunities and services.” appears to add some very serious it had selected Corridor B - the central want to blame the government before proceeding with its Plan:MK and He does not mention that the East doubts to the already niggling doubts corridor following the route of East the whole scheme goes badly wrong. other crass and misjudged West Expressway has no reserved cast elsewhere. West Rail - as the area for the “There have been no requirements infill/demolish/densify/degreen routes so developers are quickly All this proposed expansion of road Expressway, with options passing to made of local authorities to develop initiatives. filling every last plot - often on and rail links is predicated by this HM either the east or west of Oxford. A long-term transport strategies to While the western section of the appeal. Nor that it is within the Treasury-dictated wish, expressed as connectivity study to support this is complement strategic east-west East West Rail line between Oxford Highways’ England thinking to make the government’s overwhelming being led by England’s Economic connections and enable the and Bedford is under construction, part of the Expressway route near desire to flood this region with a Heartland. It will examine how development of the arc’s towns and nothing appears to be moving over the Milton Keynes a single carriageway. million new homes: “The government communities not directly on the route cities, nor has government moved to severe problems expected at level It is possible that they will attempt supports the National Infrastructure of the new road will be able to benefit establish pipelines of long term crossings such as those at Woburn to rebrand parts of existing roads such Commission’s ambition to build up to from it.” infrastructure projects, conditional Sands and Bow Brickhill, which will as the A421 as the East West one million high quality homes in the Oxford is a medieval city that has upon housing delivery milestones,” it never handle the increased rail traffic. Expressway. Some Expressway that arc by 2050 to maximise its economic long set its Cotswold-stone heart claims. “The commission would Others in positions of influence are will be. This makes claims of shaving potential [my italics].” against all engine-powered forms of welcome a clearer timeline from both beginning to issue warnings too. 40 minutes off the journey time Thus; “The government is the car and severely punishes all those central government and local partners Martin Tugwell, programme director between Oxford and Cambridge via accelerating development work, who would dare to use one. On for the decisions required to develop at England’s Economic Heartland Milton Keynes beyond unlikely. completing option selection and January 28, Oxford City Council voted more housing in the arc in recently wrote: “The earliest that the Perhaps the current Brexit ‘snafu’ detailed design work on the ‘missing unanimously to oppose the East West combination with transport schemes.” proposed ‘expressway’ could open is has awoken citizens to how utterly link’ elements of the Expressway Expressway after substantial lobbying Other local partners may well be some ten years after the next stage of appalling and inefficient government between the M1 and Oxford, which and briefing of its councillors by the holding out but Milton Keynes East West Rail and some five years can be and this is just more self- would be open by 2030, subject to luddite No Expressway Alliance. Council appears to have lost any sense after we will see rail services over the generated evidence. Cheerio..