East West Rail: Residents in Great Eversden raise concerns

East West Rail is currently under construction in a number of areas

Residents living near the proposed route of East West Rail have raised concerns about the £5bn railway line.

Last month, details of the section between Bedford and Cambridge were confirmed.

At a drop-in event in Great Eversden, South Cambridgeshire, issues over the environment, the visual impact and whether it would improve transport were brought up.

East West Rail (EWR) said the line was "a once-in-a-generation opportunity".

The route announced will include new stations at Tempsford and Cambourne, and enter Cambridge via the south of the city.

It was the final section of line which will connect Oxford and Cambridge.

EWR held the event in the village about six miles (9.7km) south-west of Cambridge on Thursday to meet residents, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

'Less environmentally friendly'

Stephen Mallinson said he was still not sure the line should go ahead after going to the drop-in event

One of those who spoke to EWR representatives was Stephen Mallinson, who said he had concerns that under the plans there would be viaducts built near Great Eversden.

He said these would be an "eyesore" and he wanted to know more about how this would be mitigated.

Mr Mallinson said: "I am concerned that East West Rail has chosen a route that is less environmentally friendly, more expensive and will take longer to build than the alternative."

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Residents at the event also questioned why the northern route into the Cambridge had not been chosen and whether the line could be used for more freight to take lorries off the A14.

The environmental impact of the scheme was raised by those at the event, and whether it would improve public transport for those not living near one of the new or existing stations.

The proposed section between Bedford and Cambridge shows three new railway stations to be built by EWR, or rebuilt in the case of Bedford St Johns

An EWR spokesperson said approaching Cambridge from the south "reduces congestion" and gives access to to the Cambridge Biomedical Campus and Addenbrooke's Hospital.

The spokesperson said EWR had been "looking really hard" at ways to reduce the number of viaducts and embankments on the line and that it was working to reduce "the impact on local communities and local roads as much as possible".

Regarding freight, the spokesperson said EWR would be a "predominantly" passenger railway, but there would be two new freight paths per day in either direction along the route.

They added: "With better public transport, new connections and interchanges, less time spent in traffic and less carbon emitted from congestion, EWR will improve the quality of life for people living between Cambourne and Cambridge."