Consortium submits TWAO letter of support

The East West Rail Consortium has submitted its letter of support as part of the TWAO process for the Western Section.

We would like to thank all those who took the time to give their support during the recent period of representation.

The Consortium’s submission, which you can read it here, is strongly supportive of the overall strategic case underpinning East West Rail Phase 2 and the principle of the proposal submitted under the Transport and Works Act.

In the letter, Consortium chairman, Cllr Mark Shaw, tells the Secretary of State: “East West Rail provides an attractive, viable alternative to the car through the restoration of the mothballed section of the railway, enabling fast and frequent scheduled rail services which by improving connectivity, will support the delivery of planned growth.

“It will encourage people to switch from car to rail which is consistent with the need to deliver growth with reduced environmental impact.  Such an outcome underpinned the work of the NIC – for whom realising the economic potential of the corridor in ways that enable a ‘net betterment’ to the corridor as a whole was a key consideration.”

The Consortium’s support is conditional on:

• Continued recognition of the improvements proposed for the section of the route between Bletchley and Bedford as being integral elements of the works for East West Rail Phase 2
• Commitment to the inclusion of the Bletchley Station Eastern Entrance within the works for East West Rail Phase 2
• Continued commitment to deliver improvements to the Claydon Junction to Aylesbury section of the route as an integral element of East West Rail Phase 2
• Commitment to ensure that train services operating over East West Rail Phase 2 support the Consortium’s strategic objective of developing, on the opening of HS2, through services on the Northampton – Milton Keynes – Bletchley – Aylesbury – High Wycombe – Old Oak Common axis
• Commitment to ensure that train services operating over East West Rail Phase 2 support the Consortium’s strategic objective of services continuing through Oxford Station and onto Didcot Parkway.
• Commitment to ensuring that the infrastructure delivered under Phase 2 is capable of further investment in support of additional freight