BREAKING NEWS : Conservatives announce Ox-Cam Expressway Review November 20, 2019
Today the Conservative Party has issued a Press Release as follows…
“Conservatives announce a priority review of Expressway and look to boost rail, local road and cycling schemes instead
The Transport Secretary, Grant Shapps, announced today that, if elected, a majority Conservative government will review as a priority the Oxford to Milton Keynes and M1 section of the proposed Oxford-Cambridge Expressway.
The Conservatives will look at alternative plans to the scheme that lacks local support. We are already driving forward East West Rail links in the Oxford-Milton Keynes-Cambridge arc and will examine ways to accelerateplans to reopen what was known as the "Varsity" railway. We will also invest in local roads, tackle congestion ‘pinch points’ and support cycling schemes.”
You can see the Conservative Party press release here.
NEG’s view on this :
This is an encouraging first step and sounds as though they’re listening. But a review if they get a majority? How much faith should we have in such a review given what’s happened with HS2? They don’t need to review it, they need to cancel it.
is there confusion in the Tory ranks? John Howell MP (Henley constituency) has tweeted that the expressway is cancelled, but also sent out a video talking about a review. Hope this wasn’t just campaigning, or an attempt to shut off the conversation! A review is NOT a cancellation!
This does NOT talk about electrification of East West Rail - something we’ve all been pushing for and is key for the environment.
This has not addressed the housing target of one million homes across the arc by 2050. This would have an even greater impact on our environment, carbon emissions and all our health. We’re not anti house building, but plans to grow Oxfordshire by >100% and Bucks by 65% by 2050 is a vastly over inflated compared to the actual need. (Office of National Statistics predict 16% average growth rate for England by 2050.)
We need all parties to come out AGAINST the expressway and commit in their manifesto’s to cancel it and the one million new homes target for the arc. No sitting on the fence!
Keep the pressure up it’s making a massive difference!
We urgently need your help.
Your donations are needed now, to help us run the campaign and pay for political consultants and other professional experts to bring this campaign to the attention of Westminster as well as local politicians.
No Expressway Group believes there is no need for an Oxford-Cambridge Expressway, nor the over-inflated housing targets associated with it, and we will actively campaign against it and support other organisations with the same objectives.
Our environment is a national asset which is critical for everyone’s health and well-being. We must not let it be destroyed.
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A greater or other amount could contribute to the cost of professional support for our campaign in general and in preparation for Planning Inspectorate hearings
Please note:
The No Expressway Group has a group bank account to which the Chair, Secretary and Treasurer are signatories. The group will publish accounts on noexpressway.org each year which will be audited by an accountant from outside the NEG group.
If any funds are left at the end of the campaign, these will be donated equally between RSPB and BBOWT.