Agenda item

Cabinet Member: Environment

Forward Plan Ref: 2017/042

Contact: John Disley, Policy Strategy Manager Tel: 07767 006742

Report by Strategic Director for Communities (CA12).

East West Rail is a strategic national rail infrastructure proposal to reopen and upgrade the rail corridor connecting Oxford, Milton Keynes and Cambridge, extending on to Ipswich and Norwich.  It is split into three distinct sections covering Oxford to Bedford and Milton Keynes to Princes Risborough (Western); Bedford to Cambridge (Central) and Cambridge to Norwich and Ipswich (Eastern).  This report is primarily concerned with the Western Section, which includes the EWR route in Oxfordshire.

Phase 1 of the Western section, connecting Oxford to Bicester via Oxford Parkway, with services extending to London Marylebone, has already been constructed with services now running.  The powers are now being sought by Network Rail to construct and operate phase 2 of the Western section, which in Oxfordshire runs from east of Bicester town centre to the County Boundary.

The Western section has been developed and refined over many years by a Consortium of local authorities, of which Oxfordshire County Council is a founder Member, all of which are also providing significant local financial contributions to the project.  The Western section scheme was approved in principle by central Government in its 2012 'High Level Output Statement' for the railway.  Since then, further design and development work has taken place, with an initial public consultation held in autumn 2015.   A Strategic Alliance led by Network Rail is taking the project through approvals and implementation, and is seeking powers under the Transport & Works Act process to construct the railway.  This process necessitates the production of a draft Environmental Statement for the scheme, for consultation with the public and Stakeholders.  These include individual Councils on the route and the EWR Consortium as a whole.

The consultation started on 30^th June and runs until 11^th August.  The purpose of this report is to set out the proposed Oxfordshire County Council response to the Consultation, both in principle and highlighting matters of detail it wishes Network Rail to address and identifying any other issues of relevance.  Consultation events in Oxfordshire are taking place in Bicester (10 July) and Launton (13 July) and an update on any significant issues raised at those events will be provided as an addendum to the meeting. 

The report also covers the proposed status and approach to the London Road Level Crossing, which while not within the scope of this stage of the project is closely linked to the future development of East West Rail.

Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to:

(a)   Reconfirm the Council’s strong support for the East West Rail scheme set out in the consultation proposals, as a strategic investment priority;

(b)   Submit a response to the Western Section Phase 2 consultation, based on the points outlined in paragraph 21 above, with the final response to be agreed by the Cabinet Member for the Environment in consultation with the Director for Planning & Place;

(c)   For this response to include a schedule of detailed points, as per the addendum circulated to this report.

East West Rail is a strategic national rail infrastructure proposal to reopen and upgrade the rail corridor connecting Oxford, Milton Keynes and Cambridge, extending on to Ipswich and Norwich.  It is split into three distinct sections covering Oxford to Bedford and Milton Keynes to Princes Risborough (Western); Bedford to Cambridge (Central) and Cambridge to Norwich and Ipswich (Eastern). Cabinet considered a report that was primarily concerned with the Western Section, which included the EWR route in Oxfordshire and it set out the proposed Oxfordshire County Council response to the Network Rail consultation on the proposals. The report also covered the proposed status and approach to the London Road Level Crossing, which while not within the scope of this stage of the project was closely linked to the future development of East West Rail.

Councillor John Howson, expressed disappointment that it would be a diesel line which was far noisier than an electrified line. He commented that there was no indication where the trains would be stored and as it was likely to be somewhere in Oxfordshire this would have an impact on Oxfordshire residents.

Councillor Bob Johnston, local councillor for Kennington & Radley, commended the paper but agreed with concerns that the proposals were for diesel trains. Looking forward he expressed concern over where the rolling stock was to come from and hoped that they would not be tired second hand stock from elsewhere.

Councillor Paul Buckley, speaking as a local councillor for Wolvercote & Summertown and as a professional engineer stated that he was absolutely behind the concept set oit in the consultation. However he sounded a note of caution about how it might be implemented, drawing on experience of Phase 1.

RESOLVED:                        to:

(a)             Reconfirm the Council’s strong support for the East West Rail scheme set out in the consultation proposals, as a strategic investment priority;

(b)             Submit a response to the Western Section Phase 2 consultation, based on the points outlined in paragraph 21 above, with the final response to be agreed by the Cabinet Member for the Environment in consultation with the Director for Planning & Place;

(c)             For this response to include a schedule of detailed points, as per the addendum circulated to this report.