Political posturing over East West Rail as Bedford Mayoral election …
Pre-election political posturing has seen both sides of the East West Rail (EWR) debate stir up speculation ahead of local and mayoral elections in Bedford tomorrow.
North East Bedfordshire MP, Richard Fuller (Conservatives) has been accused of trying to mislead the public with “opportunistic and irresponsible” comments, following a meeting with rail operators about East West Rail, while he has said that the announcement is “nothing new”.
Mr Fuller attended a meeting in Parliament with Govia Thameslink and Network Rail representatives – an opportunity for MPs to raise any rail-related issues within their constituencies and said he now has confirmation that East West Rail will require six tracks.
Following the meeting with Jenny Saunders, customer services director for Thameslink and Great Northern and Lucy McAuliffe, route director for Network Rail, Mr Fuller wrote on his Facebook page that they had “discussed implications in Bedford station for the London service” should East West Rail get the go ahead. ‘There will have to be six tracks,’ he wrote. ‘Heaven knows why some local politicians were pretending it could be four lines (!) – and some real problems in finding space for trains needed to maintain the reliability and frequency of the London service. We need answers from East West Rail.’
Clarifying his position yesterday (Tuesday), Mr Fuller told the Bedford Independent he is “sick and tired of pseudo railway engineers saying it’s possible to have four tracks.
It was always going to have to be six tracks north. “While I’d be very happy to be proved wrong, it’s upsetting for people whose houses are in jeopardy, that they have been given false hope.” Read: “No need to demolish Poets’ homes” says rail consultant’s report into East West Rail[1]
However, Network Rail was less unequivocal when we contacted them.
A spokesperson said: “We are working closely with East West Railway Company to develop the best possible outcome for the communities this route will serve.” The spokesperson also confirmed that track specification would be confirmed by EWR, not by Network Rail.
“Any announcements regarding specifics of the scheme will be issued by East West Railway Company,” they said. One of the councillors who lives within, and represents, a ward which could see homes demolished is Colleen Atkins (Labour, Harpur ward).
Misleading the public
She told the Bedford Independent, “Mr Fuller is either confused or is deliberately trying to mislead the public just when an election is taking place.
“There has never been any suggestion that six tracks were not required within a rebuilt Midland Station; additional platforms will clearly be needed for the East West Rail trains to stop at.
“However, because Thameslink trains terminate in Bedford, they obviously don’t need to run north of the station through the Poets area, so homes would not need to be demolished. “There is plenty of space for the EWR trains to continue to Cambridge on the existing four tracks north of the station, and no need at all to widen this area to six tracks.
“This is the ‘four track’ proposal. I am sure that residents will see through what is quite frankly an attempt to sway votes for the council elections.”
Cllr Colleen Atkins represents residents in the Poets area of Bedford
She said that she is strongly opposed to the demolition of homes in the Poets area, “This is a Conservative government scheme which has been dreadfully mismanaged.
What is desperately needed is for residents to know what the future holds as they are living in limbo,” she said. Ben Foley, Green Party councillor (Castle Ward), said: “If the report happens to be correct and there will be six tracks north of Bedford’s main station, that still doesn’t require demolitions of homes.
“There is already a wide enough strip of railway land north of Bromham Road to fit six tracks, and the Green thing to do is to fit the railway into that strip of land.”
Route still to be confirmed
East West Rail has yet to confirm the precise route the line between Bedford and Cambridge would take and the whole project has hung in the balance with successive Transport Ministers moving it on and off the agenda. Read: All East West Rail coverage[2]
EWR has confirmed that the finalised route will be announced “shortly” and issued the following statement regarding Mr Fuller’s comments.
“We recognise that lots of people have been patiently waiting for updates on the route, including on the tracking options at Bedford,” said a spokesperson. “More detailed proposals are being prepared and will be shared when the route update is announced, which will identify the preferred route between Bedford and Cambridge and provide updates on other sections of the line between Oxford and Bedford.
“This will provide a level of certainty around East West Rail that I know a lot of people have been asking for and will allow us to move forward with our plans to deliver a faster, more sustainable and affordable way to travel between Bedford, Milton Keynes, Cambridge and Oxford that improves the daily lives of people and businesses in our local community.” Mohammad Yasin, Labour MP for Bedford and Kempston, has also waded into the debate as Bedfordians across the Borough decide if EWR is a strong enough issue to sway their vote.
“Until the Government has officially announced the route alignment, we can’t know for certain what the final decision is on tracks or house demolitions.
“So, I think it is at best opportunistic and at worst irresponsible of Mr Fuller to cause further confusion around what is a very worrying issue for my constituents who have been left in limbo for years. “The issue isn’t about whether the track would need widening, but that the proposal put forward by Bedford Borough Council proved it was possible to do so in a way which did not require the compulsory purchase of homes in the Poets area. “I met with the Minister of Rail only a few weeks ago who refused to say whether the DFT and EWR had listened to our concerns on this issue and others around EWR such as environmental impact.
“Mr Fuller was in full support of the Tory manifesto promise to build EWR when he stood for election on that mandate in 2019.
“I have always been against the demolition of homes by Bedford station and said so formally in my 2019 consultation response so if that is what a six-track option entails, I will oppose the plans.”
Mike Barlow of BFARe
Campaigners against Route E were quick to share Mr Fuller’s post across social media and even paid to promote their post to a wide audience.
“Mayor Dave and Cllr Headley knew of the risk of the six-track option in July 2019 (documentary evidence available*) and chose not to share that with residents,” said Mike Barlow of the BFARe group, said Mike Barlow of BFARe told the Bedford Independent. “The fact is that Network Rail, the ORR and EWR have been saying six tracks are necessary since as far back as October 2018. (Documents available) “Unfortunately, rather than support residents’ concerns, they would rather relentlessly and blindly pursue their destructive Route E policy.
“They don’t have the humility to admit that a 7km shorter, straighter and flatter route south of Bedford would be better for Bedford residents, better for the environment and better for the future of the Borough – and wouldn’t mean 97 demolitions – 55 in Poets and Ashburnham.
“Now is the time for them to rescind their support of Route E and do the right thing for Bedford Borough and its residents.” Polling stations for Bedford Borough Local Council and Mayoral elections open tomorrow (4 May) at 7am and close at 10pm. Voters are required to take photographic ID this year.
You can find a list of acceptable ID here[3].
*By the time of going to print, BFARe had not shared the documents with the Bedford Independent.
References
- ^ “No need to demolish Poets’ homes” says rail consultant’s report into East West Rail (www.bedfordindependent.co.uk)
- ^ All East West Rail coverage (www.bedfordindependent.co.uk)
- ^ here (www.electoralcommission.org.uk)
- ^ (www.paypal.com)