How Will the Oxford to Cambridge Expressway Impact the Woburn Sands Area, South of Milton Keynes?
The Expressway is a brand-new dual carriageway or 3-lane motorway linking Oxford and Cambridge.
It intends to join the A5 South of Bletchley and Junction 13 of the M1, expanding the two large junctions at the edges of our communities.
It will add air and noise pollution to South Milton Keynes. It will also add congestion because it will divert freight traffic from M25, a total of 1.3 million lorry journeys each year.
What are the proposed routes?
The exact route has not been confirmed yet (due Spring 2020) but South Milton Keynes sits within the “route corridor” announced Sept 2018 - see map.
Highways England analysis suggests the route may follow the Bletchley-Bedford railway line next to Fenny Stratford, Caldecotte, Browns Wood and Old Farm Park.
Highways England’s analysis of the “route corridor” says Woburn Sands, Bow Brickhill, Wavendon and Aspley Guise are “at risk of community severance”.
Given these indications, a potential route is to follow Bletchley-Bedford railway line next to Fenny Stratford, Caldecotte, Browns Wood and carving through existing houses in Bow Brickhill, Woburn Sands, Wavendon, and Aspley Guise.
Upcoming local Expressway events:
Latest News from the South Milton Keynes campaign
The campaign has gathered momentum in early 2020 as people have realised the extent of the devastation the Expressway would bring to existing villages, and our environment.
We held an information event on 5th Feb in Aspley Guise. At the Woburn Sands Market on 8th Feb more than 100 people visited our stall to see a map of the ‘route corridor’ and discuss potential impacts. Concerned residents wanted to understand more about what they can do. We suggest you write to your MP.
What are the issues for Milton Keynes South?
For Woburn Sands and surrounding areas of Milton Keynes South, the Expressway with be devastating. It will cut the thriving, growing community in the area in two, devastate the natural environment, increase air and noise pollution from increased traffic, and negatively impact the health of the local communities.
The people who live in this area would like to know why the Expressway idea is being developed without public consultation, and why the Expressway appears to be being used to “unlock” land for development.
Woburn Sands and surrounding areas: a model for thriving, diverse communities
The area comprises a group of intact villages and connected, thriving communities with good schools and the benefits of Milton Keynes ‘on the doorstep’. Woburn Sands itself has a thriving High Street serving other villages; a community market, pubs, cafes and restaurants from villages across Milton Keynes, Bucks and Beds.
There’s good connectivity to Milton Keynes, London, Midlands and the North. The area already attracts the people Milton Keynes needs to develop a Knowledge Economy: academics, technologists, entrepreneurs, professionals and London commuters. It has cycle paths, healthy outdoor spaces including fields, ancient woods and new pine forest, mountain-biking tracks, and bridleways.
Integrating growth as an important, recognised community
Woburn Sands, Wavendon and Bow Brickhill have integrated 1000s of new homes (including affordable housing) and absorbed thousands of new residents into our communities, doubling in size over a decade.
We embrace the potential of a Knowledge Economy for Milton Keynes resulting from an Ox-Cam Arc including MK:U, innovation and technology entrepreneurs.
Severance is a grave danger to these communities
Highways England identifies Woburn Sands, Bow Brickhill, Wavendon and Aspley Guise as at risk of ‘community severance’ two years ago, but haven’t yet discussed this with the local community. The Expressway will impact access to jobs, schools, shops and friends, as well as damaging the environment.
Local residents deserve a meaningful say in what happens – not just a late-stage public consultation on the route.
We are standing up for villages and communities in South Milton Keynes who, thanks to secretive planning processes, are uninformed about destruction the Expressway will bring their way. We demand that proper analysis is done on the impact of the Expressway on all impacted communities – particularly those threatened with “community severance”.
Account must be taken of all severance impacts including mobility, physical access, first and last mile journey times, health (physical), health (mental/emotional), social isolation, and quality of life. Community severance devastates the lives of those it affects.
We want to build connected communities, not drive them apart.
Air pollution: the silent killer
Recent health reports have highlighted that children are more impacted than previously thought and current air pollution standards do not cover identified dangerous particulate levels.
Estimates of the effect of air pollution in the UK are 40,000 premature deaths annually at a cost of £20 billion pounds.
Noise pollution
Noise pollution is already very high – these are communities with A5, M1, A421 and other major roads already hemming them in which can be heard from many miles away.
The Highways England analysis does not have any models or calculations for the impact this will cause and therefore it is not included in the already marginal business case.
Destruction of the environment
In the UK, 41% of species are in decline since 1970 and 15% at risk of extinction.
Highways England recognises the Expressway is likely to mean loss and fragmentation of valuable wildlife habitats in this area. Woods, hedgerows and fields will be bulldozed, or impacted with noise and light pollution.
Our unique Greensand environments, including ancient woodlands and archaeological sites cannot be replaced.
Our green spaces are explored every day for walking, running, horse riding, and cycling, not just by local people but from across Milton Keynes, Beds and Bucks.
A road for freight
Communities in South Milton Keynes will potentially have the road right next to their houses and schools.
12,000 people live in Walton (Caldecotte, Tilbrook, Browns Wood, Old Farm Park, Wavendon Gate) with 10 schools and nurseries near by.
A further 42,500 live next to the road in Bletchley, Fenny Stratford, and Tattenhoe.
Increased traffic especially M25 freight:
The Expressway is intended to enable 3,000 lorry loads per day travelling next to schools and communities.
It is claimed the Ox-Cam Expressway will lead to (approx.) 30-minute reduction in travel time between Oxford and Cambridge.
It is intended to divert freight lorries from the M25, bringing new traffic through Milton Keynes. There are no plans to improve local roads or traffic.
For comparison, the Bedford Expressway (A421) has not achieved 100% targeted travel times after 5 years and no measurable improvement in safety.
Why no public consultation?
Milton Keynes Council signed a Non-Disclosure Agreement with Highways England, preventing them from discussing the plans with councillors or the local community, and effectively saying the road is none of the local community’s business.
If the Expressway is such a good idea, what do Highways England and Milton Keynes Council need to hide?
A problematic business case for the Expressway
The Strategic Business case is based on flawed analysis:
The strategic case for the road is based on road-based growth assumptions and models.
Knowledge Economy growth is through education and technology connectivity – not HGVs from M25. The MK Futures 2050 plan demonstrates we can grow and meet the needs of our communities without this road.
National case based on need for the “missing link” for freight to go across UK. It plans to divert freight from M25 through villages and communities in South MK. Milton Keynes logistics and distribution cluster already employs 6% of MK workforce – almost 4 times UK average for the sector. Automation of warehousing and delivery will not bring sustainable employment. This will drive the wrong type of growth.
The weak benefit to cost ratio doesn’t include significant cost for mitigation:
Highways England’s initial business case for the proposed Ox-Cam Expressway is weak. Its Benefit to Cost ratio (BCR) shows a minimal benefit of £1.10 to £1.30 return for every £1.00 invested.
Even this low BCR seems to be an over-estimate, as it doesn’t allow for ‘optimism bias’, (the unfailing ability of civil servants to under-estimate costs of public works) and a possible switch of travellers from road to rail transport.
Mitigation costs: Because the Highway’s England case inadequately considers the costs of mitigation for the Milton Keynes South area, costs will spiral.
The Ox-Cam Expressway is a 20th Century solution to a 21st century issue
The technical assessment is highly incomplete, and based on 20th Century technical models that are ‘somewhat dated’ (citing Highways England).
There is no up-to-date analysis on air and noise pollution.
Community severance, while recognised as a Tier 1 factor in the decision-making process, is not systematically assessed for the South MK area.
Current research shows that the real impact of severance goes beyond reduced mobility and increased journey times, to include physical and mental health, psychological impact, social isolation, and the impact on local high streets and sense of community. No mitigating measures are offered for the MK South area.
The road will have a devastating effect on our environment – harming sites of ecological and historical value that we must protect. Mitigation cannot replace the irreplaceable.
East West Rail is a better, less risky way of investing £4-8 billion in the region’s transport systems.
How Can You Help?
Please make your views known to your local representatives
The most helpful thing you can do right now is write to your MP and local councillors (they MUST be your representatives). You can find your MP and councillors via these links:
Either a traditional letter or an email is fine. You’ll find address details alongside the details for each representative. Remember to include your address with your letter so it is clear you are one of their constituents.
Each letter needs to be individual so read through the information about and write about the issues you are concerned about, and which you believe may impact you, your family and your community. Children could send a handwritten letter or draw their feelings about the Expressway.
Thank you for your support.