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East West Rail announces electrification plans and details of next month’s public consultation




A public consultation on the latest plans and designs for East West Rail will launch on Monday, 14 November, it has been announced.

The 10-week non-statutory consultation will run from 14 November to 24 January 2025 and will give communities along the route the chance to have their say on the latest plans.

The consultation launches in November
The consultation launches in November

The East West Railway Company (EWR Co) has also confirmed its preference for green traction power in the form of discontinuous electrification with hybrid battery-electric trains, after the Chancellor confirmed government support for the project in yesterday’s Budget.

EWR Co says that as well as the environmental benefits such as reducing carbon emissions, discontinuous electrification would mean overhead lines would only need to be installed along some sections of the route.

The company says this would “significantly reduce disruption” during construction and “potentially decrease visual impacts in more sensitive locations along the new railway”.

They say this option would also cost less than full electrification, reducing the need to alter current structures and requiring less land for things such as mast foundations.

As well as electrification, EWR Co says the consultation will provide latest designs and information on East West Rail, including:

- A new railway between Bedford and Cambridge

- East West Rail’s planned approach into Cambridge

- Cambridge Station

- Cambridge South station

- Proposed service patterns

- Reducing environmental impacts and our commitment to biodiversity net gain

David Hughes, CEO, EWR Co, said: “We’re excited to confirm our plans for electrification, which support our environmental goals by delivering sustainable low carbon journeys and supporting the UK's transition to an overall net zero carbon economy.

“This consultation is a pivotal moment in our journey to create a railway that truly serves the needs of our communities and delivers sustainable growth for the region and the whole country by improving access to jobs, education and public services.

“East West Rail represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to connect communities across the Oxford-Cambridge region. We invite everyone to take part in our consultation and share their feedback on our proposals to create a positive legacy for future generations who will live and work in the area.”

Consultation events will be held at various locations along the entire proposed route, including some weekend dates and online events, to widen opportunities for people to attend. A Virtual Consultation Room will also be available, where all the information shown at the public events can be accessed online in a virtual room.

Dates and venues in the Cambridge area include:

- 22 November (2pm-7pm) - Shelford Rugby Club, Cambridge Road, Great Shelford

- 3 December (2pm-7pm) - Cambridge Belfry, Back Lane, Great Cambourne, Cambourne

- 10 December (2pm-7pm) - Comberton Village Hall, Village Hall, Green End, Comberton

- 7 January (2pm-7pm) - St Neots Town Football Club, Kester Way, St Neots

- 18 January (12pm-5pm) - The Clayton Hotel, Station Road, Cambridge

- 21 January (2pm-7pm) - St Andrews Church, Cherry Hinton, Coldhams Lane, Cambridge

For those unable to attend in person, all consultation materials will be available online, with multiple ways to provide feedback.

East West Rail, which will connect Oxford to Cambridge, is intended to form a crucial part of boosting the Oxford Cambridge Arc. It will be delivered in three stages, Oxford-Milton Keynes, Oxford-Bedford and Oxford-Cambridge.

A statutory consultation was due to start in June, but was delayed because of the General Election.

This latest consultation runs over the Christmas and New Year holiday period, but to ensure that communities have ample opportunity to engage with the project and shape its development, the consultation period runs for an additional two weeks and concludes on 24 January.




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