EWR Update

Parish Council News

Councillor Andy Martin attended recent meetings by Anthony Browne MP and, separately, by the Haslingfield-based action group Cambridge Approaches (CA).

Anthony Browne has written to the Railways Minister Chris Heaton-Harris to ask for another public consoltation on the EWR route into Cambridge. See Anthony’s Facebook page for the response from Chris Heaton-Harris and Anthony’s comments. Anthony believes the original public consulation was flawed and that fair consideration was not given to all routes into Cambridge nor that the public were properly consulted.

Following on from the above, the Hasligfield action group (CA) has been busy. There is now a well organized team helping CA based in Eversden. Eversden were on the CA call and stated that they had set up a working party to tackel EWR comprising of a legal group, marketing group and fund raising group. CA with the support of Eversden has engaged Leigh Day solicitors to prepare a legal challenge to any southern route proposed by EWR. The group missed the period allowed for a legal challenge on the current EWR option E route, but are planning to challenge future detailed route plans if they can.

CA have asked local Parish Councils to sign a letter to the DoT asking for fair evalutation of a northern route:

“We, the undersigned, request that the Department for Transport ensures that the proposal for a Northern route for the Central Section of the East West Rail, such as that proposed by CamBedRailRoad with widespread support amongst residents of South Cambridgeshire, is fairly evaluated at the same time and to the same degree as alternative routes proposed by East West Rail Company.”

They are also asking people to sign a petition which is on the CamBedRailRoad website. The goal is for 10,000 signatures. So far there are 6500.

If you have any comments or questions on EWR please contact Barton Parish Council through the website or through the clerk.