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

[whole diary]

[Red Squirrel]

Transport & Works Act Order application made today:

https://www.eastwestrail.org.uk/2018/07/27/network-rail-applies-for-transport-and-works-act-order-for-east-west-rail/

The glacier creaks..!

[Noggin]

Transport & Works Act Order application made today:

https://www.eastwestrail.org.uk/2018/07/27/network-rail-applies-for-transport-and-works-act-order-for-east-west-rail/

I've not confirmed myself, but for those who may be interested, there were suggestions on WNXX^▸ (Stored Unserviceable, Mainline Locos HQ All Classes) that the project had been pruned - with short platforms, no bi-directional signalling and one or more stations missing. 

[Chris125]

I've not confirmed myself, but for those who may be interested, there were suggestions on WNXX^▸ (Stored Unserviceable, Mainline Locos HQ All Classes) that the project had been pruned - with short platforms, no bi-directional signalling and one or more stations missing. 

Sadly the details all there - aside from electrification being dropped they have also cut back platforms to only allow 4-car trains, and they won't be reinstating a second track between Calvert and Aylesbury. Through services beyond Aylesbury have also been dropped, with no work now planned for the Princes Risborough line.

[SandTEngineer]

..and so this bit really caught my eye in that document (my bolding).....

The East West Rail project is being built progressively in phases, and once complete will create a world class rail link between Cambridge and Oxford, connecting communities and businesses to create more jobs, more economic growth, and more sustainable housing.

...short platforms, short trains, no electrification, no modern spec signalling, etc. etc......  World class eh?

[Red Squirrel]

Meanwhile:

https://highwaysengland.co.uk/projects/oxford-to-cambridge-expressway/

[SandTEngineer]

Meanwhile:

https://highwaysengland.co.uk/projects/oxford-to-cambridge-expressway/

Cue huge environmental battle......

[Kempis]

For a critical view of the Highways England proposals, see George Monbiot's article in today's Guardian:

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/aug/22/project-britain-debate-oxford-cambridge-expressway

[didcotdean]

An oddity about the expressway route is that South Oxfordshire DC^▸ (Direct Current) favours one corridor (the one that by and large is outside SODC) whereas Vale of the White Horse DC favours the one most in SODC territory. However the councils are collocated in the same buildings, and share a common set of officials in planning.

[SandTEngineer]

For a critical view of the Highways England proposals, see George Monbiot's article in today's Guardian:

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/aug/22/project-britain-debate-oxford-cambridge-expressway

I tried to read that article quite objectively, but found it the end to be quite scary.......Total lack of any wider plan to support the outcome of the new road.  About what you expect from our so called, governments.

[didcotdean]

It is the uncertainty of the preferred course of the expressway that has stymied local and area planning for a couple of years now as no one knows how these are to plug in.

[grahame]

There are elements of this being an opinion piece ... however ... yes, scary

All the tendencies Flyvbjerg warned against are evident. Instead of asking “Do we need this scheme?”, the government agency Highways England, which is supposed to offer objective advice, opens its webpage with the heading “Why we need this scheme”. It claims, against the evidence, that the expressway will enhance the “attractiveness of the region” and “provide a healthy, natural environment, reducing congestion”. It is the kind of propaganda you would expect in a totalitarian state.

The National Infrastructure Commission, which also advises the government, ignores some issues altogether, such as how water for another million homes will be provided in a region where demand already exceeds supply. It makes glancing reference to another massive problem: the extra traffic the new road links will generate will exacerbate congestion on existing roads. Its answer? Expand them as well.

To this end, on 26 July the housing minister, Kit Malthouse, wrote to local authorities in the region, insisting that they submit proposals for building the million homes by 14 September. In seven weeks, during the parliamentary recess and the school holidays, they must propose new cities, some of which should house 150,000 people.

The government says it will announce which of three possible corridors for the expressway it will choose by the end of this summer. The choice will be made by the transport secretary alone, after which public consultation will commence. But once the corridor has been chosen, only the trivial issues remain.

[Red Squirrel]

There are elements of this being an opinion piece ...

Monbiot? Opinions? Say it isn't true...

Actually it was the Monbiot piece that drew my attention to this project; interestingly he doesn't mention East-West Rail (unless I missed it); presumably to do so would dilute his message that everything about the scheme was bad.

[SandTEngineer]

There are elements of this being an opinion piece ...

Monbiot? Opinions? Say it isn't true...

Actually it was the Monbiot piece that drew my attention to this project; interestingly he doesn't mention East-West Rail (unless I missed it); presumably to do so would dilute his message that everything about the scheme was bad.

Yes, but why then has the rail scheme been hugely downgraded from its original ambitions?

[grahame]

From Rail Magazine

The type of rolling stock to be used on East-West Rail will be decided at a later stage according to Rail Minister Jo Johnson.

Responding to Layla Moran (Liberal Democrat, Oxford West and Abingdon) written question asking if the government would make it policy to electrify the new railway between Oxford and Cambridge, Johnson also failed to mention whether the trains would be new or cascaded fleets.

Article continues

Perhaps cascaded class 139, but not letting that cat out of the bag yet?

[ChrisB]

Part of the de-scoping was the loss of electrifying the line - and little point until OXF^» (Oxford - next trains)-DID^» (Didcot Parkway - next trains) has been confirmed / done frankly