FULL COUNCIL 5 MAY 2021 ITEM 8 EAST WEST RAIL CONSULTATION Summary: For the Council to comment on the East West Rail consultation by the deadline of 9 June 2021. The documents out for consultation are extensive and the report attempts to outline the issues relevant to the Walton area. Councillors are encouraged to read the wider documentation in respect of these proposals. 1.0 EAST WEST RAIL – PUBLIC CONSULTATION 1.1 East West Rail has released non-statutory consultation which will run until 9 June 2021. The consultation focusses on the following five key issues: 1.2 This report will attempt to address the section of rail line that will impact Walton. 2.0 CONSULTATION DOCUMENTS 2.1 The consultation website and full list of consultation documents can be found by visiting - https://eastwestrail.co.uk/consultation. The Consultation report can be found by visiting: https://eastwestrail-production.s3.eu-west- 2.amazonaws.com/public/EAS060_ConDoc_310321_Digital_MASTER-1.pdf 3.0 EAST WEST 3.1 East West Rail’s proposals would connect communities between Oxford and Cambridge, improving parts of the existing rail network – and building a new section of line. Most relevant to Milton Keynes is Section B which covers Bletchley and the Marston Vale Line, and improvements to the existing infrastructure, stations, and level crossings. 3.2 Concept 1 and Concept 2 - Consultation document pages 110-119 Concept 1 - Retain existing service (in a modified form) and introduce limited- stop Oxford – Cambridge services alongside it, calling at Woburn Sands and Ridgmont. Concept 2 - Provide a more frequent, faster service with some new and relocated stations and improved community access. New or Relocated Stations - Consultation document pages 121-122 Should concept 2 shown above be chosen, it would mean the relocation of Woburn Sands station and the closures of Fenny Stratford station and Bow Brickhill station. Expansion of Bletchley station - Consultation document pages 130-131 Network Rail was granted permission to expand Bletchley station with two new platforms (for trains to and from Oxford), and to create a new footbridge to link the new platforms with the rest of the station. A range of improvements are being considered to ensure the station is fit for the future such as an eastern entrance to the station, altering or replacing the current footbridge, providing step free access to platform 6 and enlarging the car park etc. Additional Track – Fenny Stratford - Consultation document pages 131-132 An additional second track is required between Bletchley and Fenny Stratford to increase capacity in the area. Two options are being considered: • Building new bridges next to the existing bridges to carry the new tracks, or • Replacing the existing bridges with wider bridges that would carry both tracks. Closure of all level crossings on the Marston Vale Line - Consultation document pages 134-159 The EWR Project would increase the number of trains beyond what was previously planned, and level crossings will need to be closed to ensure a safe and reliable service. The level crossings of relevance to Milton Keynes include Fenny Stratford (Simpson Road), Bow Brickhill (V10 Brickhill Street), Browns Wood, Pony, and all existing level crossings at Woburn Sands. 4.0 WCC COMMENTS TO DATE 4.1 Councillor Adam Chapman-Ballard and resident Stuart Copeland have made the following comments which the Council is requested to discuss. The comments will help to promote discussion at the Council meeting so that a Council response can be formulated and submitted to East West Rail by the required deadline: Overall: EWR are pushing hard for Concept 2 (relocation of stations so that EWR serves Bletchley, Woburn Sands, Ridgmont, Lidlington, Stewartby and BSJ. This would involve Woburn Sands station moving 700m westward (towards us to serve SE:MK). This option seems to make sense with 10 stations into 5 and a station residents can walk to that would take them to Bedford in 25 mins or Oxford in 45. Caldecotte A5D rail bridge: Needs to handle 2 lines of rail traffic not just the 1 it has today. Either will be a new bridge entirely next to the existing bridge, or total replacement of existing bridge with a new wider one. Level crossings: There are 31 on the whole line and EWR considering closing ALL of them. Network Rail already has permission to close 11 of them and EWR are looking to replace these with 16 to 19 bridges/tunnels. Affected in our area and adjacent: V10 Brickhill Street (no permission yet); Browns Wood (no permission yet); Pony (no permission yet); Woodley’s Farm (permission granted); Fisherman's Path (permission granted); Woburn Sands (no permission yet). EWR has recognise that the V10 crossing is a vital traffic link but maintain that in any event they will close it. There are 4 options to maintain cross railroad traffic. We should respond to the consultation to choose a sensible option for here, which will add pressure to the SEMK planning. Option 3 seems to be the most sensible (option 3 is “cars under, rail over) whereas option 2 is (“rail under, cars over”). Bow Brickhill (page 145 of the consultation document): Option 1: Bow Brickhill option 1 would involve a new road from Station Road roundabout to the south of the railway, to the Water Mill roundabout on Caldecotte Lake Drive. The new bridge over the railway would be to the west of the existing level crossing. Option 2: Bow Brickhill option 2 would provide a new road between Station Road and Tillbrook roundabout. There would be a new junction on Station Road, and a new exit would be added to Tillbrook roundabout. The new road bridge would go over the railway to the east of the existing roundabout. Option 3: Bow Brickhill option 3 would provide a new road between Station Road and Tillbrook roundabout. There would be a new junction on Station Road, and a new exit would be added to Tillbrook roundabout. The new railway would be on a bridge over that new road, to the east of the existing level crossing. Option 4: Bow Brickhill option 4 would provide a new road bridge over the railway immediately adjacent to the existing level crossing. Changes would need to be made to the junction between Brickhill Street and Caldecotte Lake Drive and the junction between Brickhill Street and Station Road. This could mean closing V10 Bow Brickhill Road for a period. Options 3 or 4 provides a strategic crossing to continue the V10 to the A5 roundabout. Browns Wood (page 149): EWR acknowledge that it is a foot crossing today and that SEMK might include V11 extension options. They say if V11 extension is given a more solid footing they will incorporate into their designs. WCC should push hard for this in SEMK to influence the EWR modelling. As it stands, this will remain as a pedestrian only crossing. Option 1 - stairs only overbridge (no accessibility) Option 2 - ramp and stairs overbridge Option 3 - underpass connecting from the middle of Holst Crescent and under the allotments, which will impact plotholders there but provide most mobility and future connectivity. Option 3 would feel appropriate for an urban extension. Pony (page 152 - connects OFP to bridleways south of the rail line.) This will remain as a pedestrian/bridleway only crossing. Option 1 - ramped bridge in existing site of crossing Option 2 - ramped bridge but slightly more east (away from properties) than it is today. Option 3 - underpass (at horse rider height), from the back of Davenport Lane, passing under the end of Beethoven Close and under the rail line. Option 3 would feel appropriate for an urban extension. Woodley's Farm: This is a private crossing and will be closed with no other solutions. Woburn Sands (page 155) Option 1 - WS existing level crossing closed, and a new road ("Woodley's Farm Road") built as a bridge over the line in the same place as Woodley's Farm existing crossing, which accommodates the newly relocated WS station, and emerges north out onto Newport Road, beyond Frosts towards the Wavendon Arms. South, it connects most of the way through WS towards the Swan on the West side. In addition, this option creates a footbridge over the railway line where the existing level crossing is. This option would make the north part of Woburn Sands a dead end as North South access over the line would begin at the underpass in the middle of the town. No impact for Walton here. Option 2 - pedestrian bridge in the same location as the existing Woodley's Farm crossing but leaving the existing Woburn Sands level crossing in place but having it closed for around 40 minutes per hour due to train movements. It would seem sensible to build the option 2 bridge, alongside the moved station as per the SE:MK movement framework. From the options published, it seems that consultation between Milton Keynes Council and EWR have not taken place in sufficient detail, and our interests are not being served by MKC. 4.2 Councillor Adam Chapman-Ballard attended a consultation event and had raised the following matters: • EWR options looked like they had not consulted with or listened to MKC, e.g., the BB crossing needing allocated land. • EWR did not appreciate the strategic nature of the V10. • EWR were solving crossings in silos and had not truly considered SEMK in a strategic context. EWR responded with the following: • The starting point is the closure of all level crossings (road, foot, horse) which is in line with a UK wide task as they represent the highest risk on the rail network. • EWR believe they will be building at least 16 bridges and 2 new stations.