East West Rail Update and Petition
It’s good to see so many “No EWR Rail Here” signs going up around the village, on the road sides and in people’s front windows. Our MP Anthony Browne picked up on it in a facebook post here. It is also good to see the opposition to Option E growing fast in neighbouring villages.
Recent discussions with local district councillors imply that EWR Co’s next consultation “early in 2021” will include options very close to The Eversdens, Harlton, Haslingfield and Harston, even if the Cambourne station is to the north rather than the south. This position is supported by survey activity here reported by the public. Even if your home is not close to the edge of the village consider the effect on access roads. Here is an image of what the crossing of the A10 might look like, it would be a similar picture for other roads (if access is restored at all).
EWR Co. have confirmed the line will be freight capable and the EWR Consortium are on record as saying that the EWR represents a huge freight opportunity – see section 2.2 of this document. Here are some freight trains in the fens. The video and especially audio gives a feeling for what they are like. Contrast this with our recent baseline noise survey in a back garden in Harlton where, over a 24 hour period the loudest noise was birdsong.
Things are not looking good.
If you have not done so already please consider signing this petition it was started by CBRR just before the last consultation, but it is still the right question. It already has more signatures than the number of consultation responses that supported option E in the first place. Let’s push it much higher.
By signing this petition we are not dumping the problem on others north of Cambridge, we are asking government to look at more joined up solutions for everyone. The widely supported CBRR proposal is a great start.
If you have written to local politicians about EWR, please consider writing again.
Finally Cara from Bourn has drawn attention to this article on the nature of the consultation process we have in this country. Consider also that if you divide the estimated total cost of option E (£5.6Bn) by the current population between Bedford and Cambridge in today’s money it works out around £9,000 per household.
We have a right to be properly heard.
Dave
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Freight Routes – history records.
Instead of berating David Revell and William Harold about some clearly marked guesses and ideas for possible, not probable route options in Webinars, residents should take some responsibility for allowing this long saga to take place. I was staggered to hear yet again “I only just found out about this” and such like.
Way back the CHUMS decided, inter alia, to not have an upgraded freight route from Felixstowe to Nuneaton, instead installing guided busways on both mothballed rail routes into Cambridge.
Referring to my copies of the public enquiry documents I note that the inspector said he was aware of the plans for the East West Railway but he was persuaded that “other routes would be found, should the railway ever be built.
The East West Railway Consortium was in existence then as it is now, Cambridgeshire County Council and South Cambridgeshire District Council, were and are members of this “Consortium”, they even publish on their website a list of their “achievements” in the last few years. We are now suffering a selected route option E to be built and run by East West Railway Company, while the consortium has washed its hands of, quite frankly, this bloody mess and moved on to long dated less contentious matters, namely the East section of EWR. Good luck with that Norfolk and Suffolk.
Well, we are now going to be on one of “THE OTHER ROUTES”. Only a massive engagement with all parties above Parish level by everybody in all the villages will be able to stall this stupidity. You have been provided with all the information and contact details, will you now take the time to communicate your opinions on mass?
Cambridgeshire County Council and South Cambridgeshire District councils should be held responsible along with our MP, Mayor and Grant Chaps at the Transport department and all left in no uncertain terms how we feel. There is just time still.
Cambridge Approaches have done a remarkable job in a few short months in difficult circumstances, David Revell you have been outstanding and an example to us all of what is possible, I just fear it has been in vain.
P.S. Eversdens – great web site jammed packed with useful info in the EWR Project page.
From Cambridge Approaches comments pages
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NEVILLE JAMES COLE
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An interesting video to accompany the report.
What seems absent from the content of the ongoing discussions is the impact of
the Asia-Pacific trade agreement recently concluded. Freight volumes of imports,
containers, likely to substantially increase. These imports often mass market items
such as housewares and toys to stock supermarket shelves and online vendors.
Moving these goods will, literally, alter the physical landscape and the pleasure it
gives. The impact on domestic manufacturing, research, commerce etc of the arrival of such products should be on the agenda. Mega trade deals were at the
economic core of Brexit. With Asia-Pacific this may well end-up largely one way,
satisfying an underlying objective. Elected representatives should be aware and inform the public.
Neville James Cole
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Tom Lindley
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Good honest article ….. more baseline noise this weekend ….. Tom
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