East - West Rail update (Oxford to Bedford) - ongoing discussion

[whole diary]

[ChrisB]

One an hour at each currently....but that may well change. I suspect PRR^▸ (Princes Risborough) will become more important now that the service to MKC^▸ (Milton Keynes Central) is currently specced from MYB^▸ (London (Marylebone)).

[IndustryInsider]

That's probably a pretty good compromise.  Certainly Princes Risborough would be more useful for Aylesbury connections as well as a destination in its own right from Oxford than Haddenham & Thame Parkway is - especially given the good bus links on the Arriva 280 bus route make both Thame and Haddenham still attractive on the bus, especially off-peak.  That bus route doesn't serve Princes Risborough though, and if connections there for Aylesbury are good then the train will be quicker than the bus from Oxford to Aylesbury, especially in the peaks where that route is timed at around 90 minutes (60-65 minutes would be the time on a train with a sensible connection at Risborough).  Though end-to-end journey times will depend where exactly in Oxford/Aylesbury you want to be.

[ChrisB]

Chiltern think that the JR decision may happen 'in a few weeks', rather than months...

[IndustryInsider]

After a steady trickle of council funding announcements along the route, Oxford City Council are playing hard-ball and are the first authority to decline to give funding for the new link towards the ^50m contributions expected from council's along the route.  I hope (and expect) their position to change - even if it means contributing less than the ^4.7m they've been asked to.

http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/10799402._/

[ChrisB]

I hope the fares *From* Oxford Eastwards are upped to make their users aware of the non-participation of their council towards it! :-)

[Andrew1939 from West Oxon]

It should be remembered that Oxford City Council is a district council and is not a transport authority. The transport authority for Oxford City is Oxon County Council and Oxford Council Tax payers will be paying their share of the Oxon CC contribution. It should also be remembered that the original idea for East-West funding was by way of S106 contributions from developments along the East-West route that would benefit. New developments in Oxford will no doubt have paid substantial S106 contributions to Oxford City Council but probably for projects in the Oxford area. I do therefore have some sympathy with the City Council. Oxford will benefit in some way but in the same way as West Oxon will with the Parkway station improving west oxon transport options.

[ChrisB]

I have none. The same applies to Cherwell District Council, and they're stumping up their share!

[IndustryInsider]

BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) video report of the funding announcement of ^45m - which would have been the hoped for ^50m had Oxford City Council not declined funding:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-24912396

Slightly odd place for the reporter to stand, Thorpe Junction, Norwich, but never mind!   

[JayMac]

I like the Cambridge MP^▸ (Member of Parliament) talking about finding a route in Cambridge for East-West to reach the city. There was a route.

It's now got a guided busway built on it. 

[DidcotPunter]

Another small step forward:

http://www.thisisoxfordshire.co.uk/news/10865563.Government_backs_moves_to_reopen_old_Varsity_Line_link_to_Cambridge/?ref=mr

DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) backing study to find a suitable route between Bedford and Cambridge.

[ChrisB]

Hmmm - some inaccuracies as is normal for local press....

the East West Rail Consortium ^ made up of local authorities along the route including the county council, city council and Cherwell District Council

Errr....nope. Oxford City Council refused, on the premise that there's nowt in this for them (!)

The DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) says it is now developing proposals to extend this with the construction of a new railway line from Bedford to Cambridge as well as a new interchange station where it meets the East West line.

Not saying that is wrong, but at least wrongly described. THe new line would meet the line about to be constructed at....errrr....Bedford!

[IndustryInsider]

Errr....nope. Oxford City Council refused, on the premise that there's nowt in this for them (!)

They're still part of the consortium though aren't they?  Even if they declined funding.

The other isn't really a mistake either, as I think it refers to rebuilding Bedford St. Johns station on its original location where the junction for the line onwards to Cambridge is likely to be - that's at the south of the town and roughly a mile from Bedford Midland station.  Though I'd have thought any through trains to Cambridge would still want to go into Bedford Midland and reverse direction for interchange purposes, even if it add a few minutes to the journey time?

[ChrisB]

I seriously doubt they'll get much input if they're not stumping up the cash, do you?

THey don't mean 'meets the East West line' - that's the line they are talking about. They mean the north-south line?. And if you are right - then its a rebuild, not 'new'

[Electric train]

Lets not get all picky about wording in a press release, the words in it will have passed through the bladders of a couple of PR^▸ (Public Relations) types in the ministry and of the jurno and editor of the paper so will be quite diluted as a result; the good news is the scheme is moving forward   

[eightf48544]

Now East West's goer and the Oxford link at Bicester is happening, I just wish we could get Bourne End - Wycombe on the list for reopening to complete the Buck's Cross Links