Have your say on plans to transform east-west rail services

Friday 30 Jun 2017

Have your say on plans to transform east-west rail services

Region & Route:: | North West & Central

The views of residents, businesses and passengers are being sought on the next stage of plans to continue the transformation of cross country rail services in Britain.

The consultation on Western Section Phase 2 of East West Rail, starting today (Friday 30 June), is an opportunity to discuss and comment on initial plans to help shape its future development.

The East West Rail project will make cross country travel easier, re-establishing a rail link between Cambridge and Oxford to improve connections between East Anglia and central, southern and western England.

Phase 2 of the western section of the project will introduce direct rail passenger services between Bedford and Oxford, Milton Keynes and Oxford, and Milton Keynes and London Marylebone via Aylesbury. It will mean passengers and freight services can make the journey between Bedford and Oxford without having to travel in and out of London.

The work is being funded by the Department for Transport with a contribution from the East West Rail Consortium*.

Dominic Baldwin, Network Rail’s project director for East West Rail, said: “We want as many people as possible to engage with our plans which will make travel across Britain easier. There are many different ways the public can participate including drop in events, a dedicated website and an app which can be downloaded straight to their phones. I would urge anyone who has an interest in this investment in the railway to make their voices heard.”

How to engage:

There are a number of ways the public can have their say on the project.

Visit the websites: http://ewrconsultation.co.uk/ or www.networkrail.co.uk/east-west-rail

Download the free app for iPhone, iPad and Android phones and tablets
Email: ewrconsultation@networkrail.co.uk
Send a letter: FREEPOST EAST WEST RAIL CONSULTATION (must be in capitals)
Come and speak to a member of the team in person at a consultation event:

Location	Date	Time	Address
Bicester	10 July	12-8pm	John Paul II Centre, Henley House, The Causeway, OX26 6AW
Bletchley	11 July	12-8pm	Scots Sports and Social Club, Selbourne Avenue, MK3 5BX
Winslow	12 July	12-8pm	Public Hall, Elmfields Gate, MK18 3JG
Launton	13 July	12-8pm	Sports and Social Club, Bicester Road, OX26 5DP
Waddeson	14 July	12-8pm	Waddesdon Village Hall, Baker Street, HP18 0LQ
Newton Longville	17 July	3-7pm	2 Paradise, MK17 0AQ
Bedford	18 July	12-8pm	Harpur Suite, St. Paul’s Square, MK40 1SJ
Marston Moretaine	19 July	12-8pm	The Forest Centre, Station Road, MK43 0PR
Charndon	20 July	3-7pm	Community Centre, Charndon Playing Fields, Steeple Claydon Road, OX27 0BL
Princes Risborough	21 July	12-8pm	Elim Church@Risborough, 9 Bell Street, HP27 0DE

Notes to Editors

East West Rail Phase 1

This phase was completed last year and involved the upgrade of the Oxford-to-Bicester line and a new section of track to link Oxford and Bicester Village stations, via Oxford Parkway, directly to the Chiltern main line. This provided a new, direct rail link between Oxford and London

East West Rail Phase 2

Phase 2 of the Western section will upgrade and reconstruct existing and mothballed (no longer in use) sections of a line that links Bedford with Bicester, and Milton Keynes with Princes Risborough.

This improvement project will mean that passengers and freight services can make the journey between Bedford on the Midland main line and Oxford on the Great Western main line without needing to travel via London. It will also link Milton Keynes on the West Coast main line with London Marylebone on the Chiltern main line via Aylesbury.

For more information visit: https://www.networkrail.co.uk/our-railway-upgrade-plan/key-projects/east-west-rail/western-section/

Exciting new journey opportunities will include:

Oxford and Milton Keynes, stopping at Oxford Parkway, Bicester, Winslow and Bletchley.
Oxford and Bedford: stopping at Oxford Parkway, Bicester, Winslow, Bletchley, Woburn Sands and Ridgmont.
Milton Keynes to Aylesbury and London Marylebone: an extension of the existing service between Marylebone and Aylesbury Vale Parkway with stops anticipated at Bletchley, Winslow, Princes Risborough and High Wycombe.

*East West Rail Consortium

The East West Rail Consortium, a group of local authorities and strategic partners, was formed in 1995 with the objective of promoting and developing a strategic railway connecting East Anglia with central, southern and western England, to include the reinstatement of a Cambridge to Oxford rail link and an upgraded line to Aylesbury.

http://www.eastwestrail.org.uk/

Contact information

Passengers / community members
Network Rail national helpline
03457 11 41 41

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Journalists
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07740 782954
NWCmediarelations@networkrail.co.uk

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