Bedford Borough Council hosted a meeting with East-West Rail (EWR) on 19 May 2023 to discuss important topics related to the ongoing development of the rail project.
As part of Mayor Tom Wootton’s commitment to keeping local residents informed and involved in discussions around EWR, the Council published a record of these discussions on the afternoon of Wednesday 12 July 2023.
At the meeting, EWR emphasised that as an extension of the Department for Transport, the final decisions on the new railway rest with governmental ministers, but stated that their commitment was to create jobs, expand communities, draw people to Bedford, and provide easy and reliable transport, with a focus on offering an affordable, fast, and environmentally friendly service.
One of the key points of discussion was the track options east of Bedford. EWR presented the routes they had assessed north of Bedford, and the re-check they had carried out on potential southern routes, before reconfirming their preference for a route from Bedford to Cambridge running through the north of the Borough.
Mayor Tom Wootton said, “In that meeting I made my views abundantly clear and continue to reiterate my stance on East West Rail. These meetings represent a marked improvement, in which we’re able to go in there and fight for the needs of residents, giving them a voice at the table in a way that they didn’t have previously.
“We will continue to publish a record of these meetings. Our priority is having a constructive dialogue with EWR, in which we can ask the important questions that local people really want to know about the answers to.”
Despite differences in opinion, the meeting concluded on positive terms, with both parties respecting each other's positions and committing to further discussions on technical aspects and alternative route details.
If you would like to view the record of the meeting, you can do so on the Bedford Borough Council website.