A direct rail link between the university cities of
Oxford and Cambridge took a step closer today as
Transport Secretary officially
launched the East West
Railway Company.
The Transport Secretary launched the new company, which
will oversee the restoration of the link between the
two academic powerhouses, nearly 50 years to the day
since the closure of the old Varsity Line at the
historic Second World War site of Bletchley Park.
The Transport Secretary also visited nearby Bletchley
Station and Bletchley Viaduct, which are being
re-opened as part of the new route. Bletchley Park, so
vital in the UK’s Second World War effort, was a key
stop on the old Varsity Line and is at the heart of the
East West Rail line as it sits halfway between Oxford
and Cambridge.
Transport Secretary said:
We are making the biggest investment in the railways
since Victorian times to meet the growing demand for
rail travel, while also boosting business and
increasing productivity.
East West Rail is the perfect example of how we can
revitalise the railways, grow the network and unlock
jobs and housing growth. And Bletchley Park – the
home of World War II codebreakers – is the perfect
location to mark the historic occasion, because the
line will be key to the development of this corridor
as a world-class centre for innovation, technology
and high-skilled jobs.
East West Rail will be one of the country’s most
strategically important rail projects, with its direct
link through the corridor dubbed the UK’s own ‘Silicon
Valley’ when it is completed in the mid-2020s.
The new line will also create a direct link between
East Anglia and central and southern England,
delivering benefits for passengers and businesses
regional and nationally by unlocking additional housing
and economic growth.
Mr Grayling met with Rob Brighouse, interim chair of
the East West Railway Company, regional council leaders
and Milton Keynes South MP for the launch.
He also met with Cyril Bleasdale who worked on the
original Varsity Line construction in the 1960s and
helped to build the Bletchley Viaduct.
Mr Bleasdale said:
I remember when we had our own little ceremony where
I dug the first spade for it in 1962, so I’m
delighted that the viaduct could be part of this
historic line from east to west.
Rob Brighouse, interim chair of the company, said:
This railway has huge potential to spread prosperity
all the way along the line, making life better for
those who live and work here.
That’s why it’s so important to deliver it quickly
and cost effectively; and that’s what the East West
Railway Company has been set up to do. We are working
very closely with local representatives, to make sure
we build a railway that works for the passengers and
the communities it will serve.
Councillor Ian Bates, on behalf of the East West Rail
Consortium, said:
We welcome the formal launch of the East West Railway
Company and its real emphasis on accelerating
delivery of the Oxford to Cambridge link in support
of economic growth. The consortium has played a
pivotal role getting us to this point, and we have
pledged to continue working in partnership to ensure
there are trains on tracks at the earliest
opportunity.
When the line opens, it will have interchange stations
with 4 main railway lines radiating out of London, but
it will run under or over each, minimising any risk of
delay. The aim is to build a route that allows future
upgrades to be incorporated with as little disruption
as possible.
