Budget 2023: East West Rail to open up area says business group

A consultation about a proposed route of the East West Rail line closed in June 2021

A business group has said the proposed East West Rail line will bring investment to the whole region, not just places on the route.

Details in the Budget revealed the route of the link between Bedford and Cambridge will be confirmed in May.

Hilary Chipping, the Chief Executive of the South East Midlands Local Enterprise Partnership (SEMLEP), said it was "absolutely great news".

But MP Richard Fuller said the plan was "out of date and needs a refresh".

The £5bn East West Rail project aims to connect Oxford and Cambridge, via Bletchley near Milton Keynes and Bedford.

Ms Chipping said: "East West Rail will deliver such economic opportunities to this area."

Hilary Chipping from SEMLEP believes East West Rail will be good for investment in the region

She said the route would mean Cambridge businesses could expand to places like Milton Keynes and Bedford.

Ms Chipping believes the development would help link towns such as Northampton and Corby with the rest of the region.

Without the new rail line "roads will become more congested and businesses might look elsewhere", she said.

"It's about linking local communities and linking businesses and opening up skills and talent to encourage that economic growth and inward investment."

MP Richard Fuller believes local transportation should be prioritised over East-West Rail

But Richard Fuller, Conservative MP for North East Bedfordshire, said he does not think the announcement was good for his constituents.

"Yet again we have no business case for East-West Rail," he said, accusing the Treasury of being "led by the nose" in to the announcement.

The MP said the proposal was bad for the environment and "out of touch with modern travel requirements".

'Sustainable and affordable'

He called for "new plans focused on local transportation", saying East-West Rail was "letting down the people whose houses and homes are at risk from this railway.

"Let's see the numbers and then let's see if the case really stacks up," he said.

He described the route as "controversial" and "environmentally brutal", adding he was working with MPs and other local politicians to find alternatives.

A new station is being built at Bletchley in Buckinghamshire

The East-West Railway Company said 71% of local residents surveyed support a transport connection between Oxford and Cambridge.

Beth West, chief executive of East West Rail, said: "The government's route update announcement that is set for May will provide a level of certainty that I know a lot of people have been waiting for.

"It will enable us to press ahead with our plans and deliver a faster, more sustainable and affordable way to travel that meets local needs and improves daily lives."