Opportunities to unlock substantial economic and environmental benefits by investing in rail are being taken forward by England’s Economic Heartland, following expert analysis of the region’s long-term rail needs.
EEH’s Rail Main Line Priorities Study, published today, provides a comprehensive baseline of rail in the region post-covid, considering not just the network itself, but the quality of door-to-door connectivity and interchange. It then highlights nine ‘packages for investment’ across the network, which EEH is now working with partners to further develop.
The packages for investment cover:
East West Rail: Full delivery of the core scheme from Oxford to Cambridge.
Chiltern transformation: Through delivering a decarbonised railway, and enhancing the route with new links between Milton Keynes, Aylesbury and Old Oak Common.
Decarbonisation: Delivering a fully decarbonised railway across the region through use of targeted overhead wiring and battery technology where more appropriate.
Main line connectivity: Ensuring the EEH main line services benefit from wider rail investment and changes to rail services, particularly related to HS2.
Investigating hub to hub connections: Considering opportunities to further investigate new strategic public transport links, including bus and rail options, between key rail hubs.
New stations: To service existing and expanding communities, including in Oxfordshire, Hertfordshire, Northamptonshire and Cambridgeshire.
Regional connectivity: Through new services or lines, for example between Oxford and Swindon, or the Cotswold Line.
Hubs and Accessibility: Improving the existing key rail hubs across the region, developing stations for better interchange and door to door connectivity.
Fares and Ticketing: Improving public transport ticketing across EEH.
EEH, which commissioned Arup to provide technical expertise for the study, will collaborate with key organisations such as the rail industry and local and combined authorities to develop the packages, helping to achieve long-term positive outcomes across the rail network.
Good progress has already been made in several areas. Following prolonged advocacy by the region over several decades, the first phase of East West Rail between Oxford and Milton Keynes is due to open next year. EEH is working closely with Government and East West Railway Company to secure the best possible legacy from the scheme, including seamless door-to-door connectivity.
It is also already making the strong case for investment in schemes such as the rail corridor from Northampton to Old Oak Common (including the Aylesbury-Milton Keynes link), Ely Junction and services between Oxford, Swindon and Bristol.
In addition, EEH has formed the ‘Wider South East Rail Partnership’ with Transport East and Transport for South East to engage with strategic network planners, including Great British Railways as it is established.
Chair of England’s Economic Heartland, Cllr Liz Leffman, said: “Improving the region’s rail network and – crucially, the connectivity to and from stations – is essential to unlocking economic growth while reducing transport emissions. We now have a clear set of priorities based on sound evidence and we’re working hard to make the case that the region is pivotal to realising the government’s ambitions – but we must have investment in our infrastructure to achieve this.”