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Thursday, March 28, 2024

Public consultation launched for second phase of East West Rail

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Network Rail has launched a public consultation into plans for the second phase of the East West Rail project.

Phase 2 of the project focuses on the route from Bicester to Bedford, and Milton Keynes to Aylesbury Vale and Princes Risborough.

Scheduled for completion by March 2019, plans include a new station at Winslow, two new platforms at Bletchley, 18 new overbrEast-West rail mapidges, 22 new footbridges/subways and work at 97 crossings.

Phase one of the project’s Western Section is close to completion. In October, Chiltern Railways and Network Rail will complete a new rail link between Oxford Parkway and London Marylebone.

The project has involved the construction of a new spur line connecting the Bicester Town to Oxford line to the Chiltern main line.

Martin Frobisher, Network Rail route managing director, said: “I am really pleased to have delivered phase one of East-West Rail. A new service from Oxford to Marylebone, from late October, will be a great new option for people travelling to and from the capital.

“As our attention now turns to the future, we want to hear your views in order to properly understand what’s needed for the next phase of this scheme.”

Network Rail said it hopes to submit an application to the Secretary of State next summer.

 

 

3 COMMENTS

  1. Plans for the development of rail services over a region are all well and good. In fact I support the Chiltern Railways initiative to construct the chord at Bicester so as to provide a London Marylebone – Oxford service and thus offer an alternative route to Oxford from both the capital and Bicester (with its connections).

    Another case is extending this line eastwards to provide a connection to Cambridge, which quite frankly is not accetable at all.

    The Transpennine routes have been put on “pause(!!)” so as to be re-assessed.
    The economic necessity, and thus benefit, of improving all the Transpennine routes( Liverpool to Newcastle, Scarborough, Hull and Cleethorpes) is such that under NO circumstances is it acceptable for the “varsity” route to take preference. The traffic between Oxford and Cambridge is really limited to the “Oxbridge Dons” passing from one college to another to have their sumptuous dinners. It certainly is not comparable to the value of the container traffic from Liverpool to Humberside – this of much more value to the country.

  2. I am a cynic where British bureaucracy is concerned. Has anyone ever heard of the Long Grass, into which anything requiring Action is kicked? Public Consultation eh? Well, it saves anything remotely resembling construction being done for – on past experience – years!! But (sigh!) we shall see, shan’t we; who knows I might be wrong – this time!

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