Once upon a time there was an East-West railway linking Cambridge to Oxford. Nowadays, travellers wishing to make that journey have to travel via London, adding cost and time delay to the journey. The reinstatement of the direct link would be of immense benefit to the residents of Cambridge.
There have been moves afoot to reinstate the link, and earlier this year Network Rail announced that the new rail route from Oxford to Bedford has been approved. But that is where it stops – at least for now. The Campaign for Better Transport say that continuing support is needed to make sure that the economic, environmental and social case for the taking the route all the way through to Cambridge is heard. People in Cambridgeshire would then gain rail access to towns across Beds, Bucks and Berks all the way to Oxfordshire without going via London.
With this end in mind, volunteers from Railfuture East Anglia and Campaign for Better Transport are holding an event to highlight the importance of delivering the ‘missing link’ on the East West Rail project: Bedford to Cambridge. There will be a rally at 10.30am on Saturday 29th June at Priory Park. A group of walkers and cyclists will then depart at 11am along the Sustrans route to Sandy.
The organisers anticipate that key decision makers will wish to join public transport campaigners, commuter groups, environmental organisations and community groups to demonstrate the wide base of support for completing the route.
The event has a historic dimension too, since 2013 is the 50th anniversary of the Beeching Report. Dr Beeching recognised the importance of the University – or ‘Varsity’ – Line between Oxford and Cambridge, closed under Labour by Barbara Castle in 1968. Beeching would have approved of Network Rail’s announcement this January to build the western section of the route from Oxford to Aylesbury, Milton Keynes and Bedford by the end of 2017 with full electrification by 2019. Beyond Bedford the route of the original railway has been lost. If we don’t keep the pressure up for reinstating the route all the way to Cambridge, we could see the East West Rail project fall short.
Event organisers would be delighted and are encouraging many people to attend the rally or indeed to join them by walking or cycling onward to Sandy.
Campaign for Better Transport do not advocate that the new railway would follow the existing sustrans route. The walk next week is not on the old route because they want to see the tracks put back on the cycle path; and recognise the need for an optimum cross-country route balancing cost, environmental aspects, journey time, and social benefit.
If you want to take part in the event, full details and a registration form are available on their website.
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