Jonathan Djanogly, MP for the Huntingdon constituency, has welcomed today’s announcement of the decision on the proposed route of the Oxford to Cambridge East-West Rail project. Following successful lobbying by Cambridgeshire MPs in conjunction with Huntingdonshire District Council, South Cambridgeshire District Council and Cambridge City Council, Ministers have been persuaded of the significant benefits of Route E, one of the five routes originally shortlisted in prospective plans.
Route E will include a new station link to the south of St Neots before reaching Cambourne and then Cambridge. In lobbying Ministers in support of this route last year Jonathan Djanogly wrote,
‘The route of the railway should deliver tangible benefits to existing communities in Huntingdonshire as well as enable the creation of sustainable settlements that are supported by a range of infrastructure. A new train station south of Cambridgeshire’s largest town, St Neots, would provide a significant opportunity to enable East-West and North-South travel. Delivering a new station south of St Neots would also have the potential to reduce private car-based trips between Cambridge and St Neots.’
Commenting on today’s announcement, Jonathan Djanogly said:
‘I am delighted that the local campaign I led in conjunction with Huntingdonshire District Council to ensure East-West Rail benefits St Neots has been successful. The Minister’s announcement on the route demonstrates the Government’s ongoing commitment to delivering the infrastructure that we need to drive the continued success of our County.’
‘I am also pleased that the Government has considered the environmental benefits of supporting Route E over the other options. Along with the A428/A421, route E will provide a key, single, multi-modal east-west transport corridor. Such an approach will have an important environmental benefit in that it would significantly reduce the impact of having two entirely separate transport/growth corridors.’
‘This and other local infrastructure projects such as the emerging proposals for a Cambridge Autonomous Metro could provide excellent transfer opportunities from East-West Rail onto local public transport that would serve our existing and growing communities in the wider Huntingdonshire/Cambridge areas.’
