NEWS: Oxford Mail January 6, 2019
Oxford to Cambridge Expressway review must involve public
The Oxford Mail reports on POETS (Planning Oxfordshire’s Environment & Transport Sustainably) writing to the Oxfordshire Growth Board calling on it to press Government to commit to the public engagement on the proposals for the Oxford to Cambridge Arc, not just the expressway, which had been promised last year.
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and local Government published a paper in March 2019 titled “The Oxford-Cambridge Arc. Government ambition and joint declaration between Government and local partners”, with a forward by Cllr Barry Wood, Leader of Cherwell District Council and Chair of the Arc Leaders Group.
This paper promised public engagement exercise over Summer 2019 on the plan for the Ox-Cam Arc but nothing has happened so far. This was supposed to “inform our future plans for the Arc and ensure they benefit existing and new communities and businesses.” You can see the paper here.
The Oxford Mail reports “A PRESSURE group wants to ensure that any review of the Oxford to Cambridge Expressway involves the public. Proposed by Highways England, the £3.5 billion road plan would link Oxford and Cambridge via a corridor where one million homes could be built.
“In a pre-election visit to Oxfordshire in November Mr Shapps indicated the scheme could be reviewed but has not spoken about the matter further.
The report goes on “POETS is urging the Oxfordshire Growth Board to press the Government on how a review should be run.
“[POETS] Spokesman Noel Newson welcome indications that there will be a review but said: “it is important that such a review is comprehensive and involves the public. The Growth Board has previously expressed concern that the lack of certainty over the Expressway was affecting planning for effective and sustainable growth in Oxfordshire. Equally, uncertainty over other key elements, especially housing, employment and environmental components of the proposals for the Arc also restricts the ability to plan effectively."
The report also mentions NEGs requests to Grant Shapps to “be part of any review and said it should be extended to include discussions about the creation of the one million houses by 2050 associated with the route.”
You can read the full article here.
You can read the letter sent by POETS to the Chair of the Oxford Growth Board here.
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