Today East West Rail Consortium are launching the next stage of public consultation on the East West Rail Project. The comments and ideas received will feed into the design, construction and operation of this once in a generation opportunity to provide frequent, fast and reliable rail links for communities between Oxford, Milton Keynes, Bedford and Cambridge, connecting people with the things that matter most to them.
Key areas of focus for the consultation include:
• How to improve Oxford Station and its supporting infrastructure - including Oxford Parkway and Bicester Village stations
• Options for avoiding lengthy periods of delays at the London Road level crossing, Bicester
• How to ensure that communities around Bletchley and the Marston Vale Line get the most from East West Rail
• Options for new stations at Bedford, to support regeneration in the town centre, as well as at Bedford St Johns and their supporting infrastructure
• Five route alignment options for the section of East West Rail between Bedford and Cambridge, with an emerging preference for alignments via Cambourne North
• Opportunities to improve the experience for customers such as better facilities both at stations and onboard the train
EWR are passionate about developing a railway that best serves people living and working between Oxford, Milton Keynes, Bedford and Cambridge, so please get involved with the consultation and help them create the right railway for your community, to connect you with the things that really matter.
Please visit their website to learn more about their proposals, where you will find information on each section of the consultation, including a full list of documents and maps.
Consultation website
Ways to find out more
Your views are important and will help them to design the best possible services that meet everyone’s needs. There are lots of different ways you can find out more and get involved in this consultation, including:
• A library of consultation documents and interactive maps
• Virtual consultation rooms – open from 12 April 2021 until 9 June 2021
• Online public events – they are holding fourteen online events for communities right the way from Oxford to Cambridge starting on Tuesday 13 April. There will be two lots of six events covering geographical areas along the route as well as two Customer Experience and Railway Operations events. The full schedule of public events is available on their website
• Live chat events open to the public – a series of ten, two-hour live chat sessions will be held via the virtual consultation rooms starting on Tuesday 13 April. Participants will be able to discuss key topics directly with members of the project team. The full schedule of live chat events is available on their website
• You can also call or email the team for more information by emailing [email protected] or by calling 0330 134 0067
• A hard copy of the Consultation Summary document will be landing on the doormats of everyone within the consultation zone over the next week or so
• More information about the consultation and these events can be found on the East West Rail website
How to respond to this consultation
You can share your views using the online feedback form available on our website at www.eastwestrail.co.uk, by emailing your comments to us at [email protected] or writing to us via FREEPOST East West Rail.
Alternatively, you can request a paper copy of the feedback form to be sent to you online at www.eastwestrail.co.uk, by emailing us at [email protected] or by calling us on 0330 134 0067.
The closing date for the consultation is 9 June 2021.