The Environment Agency has this week appointed a regulator to speed up the East West Rail project – but there is still no news on when Winslow station might open.
The new ‘lead environmental regulator’ will coordinate streamlined, joined-up advice from all relevant regulators to save the developer dealing with a “merry-go-round” of overlapping environmental bodies, say officials from the non-departmental government body.
And the more efficient and streamlined way of working will allow East West Rail to focus on delivering the rail project for communities in Oxford, Cambridge, Milton Keynes, Bedford and Winslow, and beyond, it has pledged in a lengthy press statement.
More than a year after completion, this line is still lying dormant with appointed operators Chiltern Railways locked in battle with RTM union over the type of trains chosen for the new service. The union is against the use of Driver Only Operation (DOO) trains, saying they are unsafe.
Chiltern says it is “working at pace” for services to begin and making “significant progress” – but have not hinted at a date. From Thursday, the Environment Agency will act as a single point of developer’s contact for the entire East West Rail project.
“Rather than them navigating a complex maze of overlapping regulators, we will provide streamlined, joined-up advice on behalf of all relevant environmental bodies, including Natural England. This will maintain full scrutiny and compliance with environmental law, while speeding up planning approvals and saving the developer valuable time and resource,” said an agency spokesperson.
“Once complete, 3.5 million people across Oxford, Cambridge, Milton Keynes and Bedford will have access to more frequent trains, better connections and a station closer to home. East West Rail is set to bring £6.7 billion in economic growth to the area and up to 100,000 new houses along the route that commuters, families and young people can call home.” they added.
When asked about an opening date for passengers wanting to use the MK to Oxford line, they said: “DFT is supporting Chiltern Railways as they work closely with unions and other industry partners to get services on the first phase of East West Rail up and running as soon as possible.
“The East West Rail project is transformational, unlocking thousands of jobs and homes, kickstarting hundreds of thousands of pounds of economic growth for communities across England. It is crucial that services on the completed phase of this programme are allowed to start, and the benefits of this scheme can begin.”
The spokesperson added: “The new system is focused purely on cutting bureaucracy, not environmental standards…Local residents have been waiting for East West Rail for a long time. Many are probably sceptical that it will ever be completed. This is because there is a deep-rooted feeling that essential infrastructure in Britain takes too long to build. Our role as Lead Environmental Regulator will help change that, without compromising the standards we are here to uphold.”
Alongside the new Lead Regulator model, the government is investing £100 million in digital services and specialist staff for the Environment Agency and Natural England to help process planning applications faster.
Emma Reynolds, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, said: “Our regulators do vital work protecting the environment we all depend on. These strategic policy statements give them a clear mandate to deliver on our twin missions – economic growth and nature recovery.
“Having one lead environmental regulator in charge speeds up approvals and helps projects like East West Rail to progress at pace, without compromising our ironclad commitment to the environment. This is a win-win situation for jobs, prosperity and nature.”
David Hughes, chief executive officer, East West Rail, said: “We warmly welcome the appointment of a lead environmental regulator for East West Rail. This single point of contact will make a huge difference, as it will ensure that key decisions can be made efficiently and effectively. Crucially, this will deliver momentum for the construction of the railway, helping us deliver infrastructure that works for nature and communities, allowing the region to feel the economic and social benefits of East West Rail far sooner than would have otherwise been the case.”
The East West Rail project is set to unlock £6.7 billion in economic growth, support 100,000 new homes, and provide more frequent trains for passengers between Oxford and Cambridge.
It represents a significant step towards delivering the Oxford-Cambridge Growth Corridor, which could add up to £78 billion to the UK economy by 2035.
