Hundreds of residents have heard directly from the Mayor of Bedford Borough Tom Wootton and senior council officers, as part of the Council’s engagement on the planned East West Rail link.
The eighth and final meeting was held last Thursday at St Mark’s Church Hall in Brickhill, attended by more than 70 people.
It followed a series of meetings held by the Council at venues across Bedford Borough over the last seven months, including in Bedford, Wilden, Wyboston, Clapham and Roxton.
East West Rail is a scheme putting Bedford at the centre of a cross-country rail link from Oxford to Cambridge, built around the Marston Vale Line which currently runs from Bedford to Bletchley. The project is being led by The East West Rail Company, but Bedford Borough Council has been holding multiple public meetings since July as part of our commitment to transparency and public engagement.
Mayor Tom said; “The turnout we’ve had at all of these meetings over the last eight months has shown how much people want to be a part of this process – they want to be able to ask questions, challenge assumptions, and have as much information as we can provide them with.
“My job as Mayor, and our job as the Council, is to ensure that individuals, communities, and businesses are a part of that process, and to try to convince The East West Rail Company to listen to them. They will be the ones who feel the benefit, and they will be the ones who pay the price if we don’t get this right.
“That is why we commissioned the reports which were published last month, evaluating eight potential routes against 13 distinct criteria, encompassing various factors such as environmental considerations, potential demolitions, car parking provisions, and alignment with the Local Plan 2040. It’s not just about asking people for their opinions; we’re here to give them the best possible information.
“We are told that East West Rail will hold the first of two statutory public consultation on their proposals, which is expected to take place in June 2024.”