Oxford Cambridge Corridor Rail Link Expressway Autumn Chris Grayling

Work on the next stage of the new railway linking Oxford and Cambridge could begin as early as next autumn, the Government has signalled.

Martin Tugwell, Programme Director of the England’s Economic Heartland (EEH) partnership of businesses and councils in the Oxford-Cambridge ARC, told delegates at our Oxfordshire Development Plans Conference hat the public inquiry into the Transport and Works Act application for the next stage of the east-west line is due to take place in February.

Chris Grayling, Secretary of State for Transport, has made a commitment that work on the next stage of east-west railway should begin next autumn ‘if possible’.

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Tugwell also told delegates that the National Infrastructure Commission’s recommendation that a national policy statement should be drawn up for the Oxford-Cambridge ARC is gaining traction in government – and he welcomed the reaffirmation of support for both the east-west rail link and road infrastructure in the recent Budget.

The major improvements planned to the corridor’s transport infrastructure would transform the economy and housing market of the area, Tugwell said: “When you can travel from Oxford to Cambridge by train in an hour and ten minutes, it’s no longer five or six housing markets, it’s one housing market and one functional economic area.”

But when designing the Oxford-Cambridge ARC’s new transport infrastructure, future technological developments had to be factored in, he said: “We need to recognise the changes in way we are working. These big infrastructure projects won’t be delivered the until early 2030s: if you think back ten years ago, it was pre-Iphone and apps. Longer term, we have to think about changes in lifestyles and workplaces. We have to be bold about adopting new ideas and opportunities: we won’t double or treble the economy if we treat this as business as usual.”

He said that to support the ARC’s planning process, a regional database has been created that houses for the first time in one place all of the area’s socio- economic data.

And EEH is working with Oxfordshire County Council to create a data hub that will enable the ramifications of the area’s growth to be modelled. 

Increasing capacity on the rail network in and round Oxford, including links with Didcot, could also ease congestion pressures, he said: “This needs to be seen north-south not just east-west.”

Sue Halliwell, Director for Planning & Place at Oxfordshire County Council, said there should be a fresh look at the role of green belt: “There are ways you can enable positive growth that can achieve net positive gain in terms of natural capital.”
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