I missed this from the Subnational Transport Organisation ‘England’s Economic Heartland’ as I was busy moaning about the March-Wisbech rail study, but at the same time the former published their report on rail priorities between Oxford and Cambridge
It states:
“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.”
“Splendid! One for Rail Future to discuss at their annual Cambridge meeting on December?”
Which reminds me – see here for more details – and the essentials below:
Saturday 7th December 2024 – Cambridge at 14:00
The Signal Box Community Centre, Glenalmond Avenue, Cambridge CB2 8DB
Much of the Cambridge-related things can be seen in Rail Future East’s past publications here. As with Connect Cambridge on light rail, quite frankly our city needs to get our stuff together in order to influence what ministers and decision-making politicians (& business/university people) decide – and make sure they don’t out really obvious stuff.
“Such as?”
The Eastern Entrance to Cambridge Railway Station that Holford & Wright recommended in 1950 – that we’re still waiting for. As I mentioned in my previous blogpost, the East West Rail consultation misses this out completely ***despite making the case for adding additional platforms that extend the railway station area closer to Rustat Road***
Above – from p8 of Vol2 of the Cambridge Development Plan 1950 by Holford & Wright, which I’ve digitised here.
See my previous blogpost on the East West Rail consultation for the background on the above.
“What does the EEH report have?”
Pictures, maps, and diagrams. Lots of them.
Above – Cambridgeshire’s house prices: too high vs incomes
Above – regional connectivity: poor
Above – is integrated bus and rail ticketing an option?
Above – Cambridge Station needs an increase in capacity – which makes it all the more astonishing they’ve omitted the eastern entrance.
“Anything else?”
Everything else that is happening that is proving next to impossible to keep track of? Hence Cambs Unitaries as an attempt to consolidate all of the various different institutions with overlapping interests and responsibilities. We’re still waiting for the Devolution White Paper to see if that will provide an opportunity on this.
If you are interested in the longer term future of Cambridge, and on what happens at the local democracy meetings where decisions are made, feel free to:
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The Cambridge Town Owl 