EEH and the East West Main Line Partnership have both submitted responses to the East West Rail consultation, which closed on Friday.
The response to the East West Railway Company from EEH seeks to maximise the value of Government's investment in the scheme and include:
Decarbonisation: Welcoming the the proposal for operate East West Rail under electric traction, though more detail needs to be given on the preferred ‘discontinuous’ electrification option and what this can enable operationally.
Door-to-door connectivity: Ensuring the scheme is developed to maximise door-to-door connectivity and supporting the on-going legacy for East West Rail: Planning for excellent door-to-door connectivity should be an integrated part of the EWR scheme, given it will be critical to both the customer journey experience and success of the scheme.
Improved rail connectivity into East West Rail: Ensuring the scheme is developed to maximise the opportunities to deliver improved rail linkages across the region: This includes the Northampton-Old Oak Common corridor (and within this, the Aylesbury-Milton Keynes link); improved connectivity from Oxford to Swindon, Bristol and the West Midlands; and from Cambridge to Ipswich and Norwich.
Digital connectivity: Ensuring that high quality digital connectivity, alongside physical connectivity should be delivered from the outset for the remainder of core scheme, building on the success of the fibre and 5G project between Bicester and Bletchley.
The East West Main Line Partnership Board detailed how the value of East West Rail can be maximised. It also highlighted the need for high quality engagement with local communities, and to ensure lessons learnt from the first phase of construction are applied to the next stages.
Read the responses below
EWR Non-statutory consultation - England's Economic Heartland Response
East West Rail Consultation - East West Main Line Partnership Response