Published: Thursday, 18 March 2021

Response to the statement from the Transport Secretary on the cancellation of the Oxford to Cambridge Expressway.

“I welcome the announcement that the Government’s proposed East-West Expressway has now been cancelled. The Government should be focused on investing in more sustainable transport. We will be watching to see if the money set aside for this unwanted scheme will be put into East West Rail, which with the right investment can provide fast, fully electric transport linking the major employment hubs across the Oxford Cambridge Arc.

“Connectivity across the Arc is vital for its future economic growth and with more than half of people working in Oxford and Cambridge commuting in from outside those cities, people will continue to rely on their cars until the transport network offers them a better alternative.

“We must start investing in transport that provides viable door to door journeys by connecting rail, buses, cycling and walking routes. That means a strategic approach across the whole region. The replacement of Oxford Station and expansion of rail capacity throughout Oxfordshire will become more important than ever, East West Rail should extend westwards beyond Oxford to Swindon and Bristol, and eastwards beyond Cambridge to Norwich. The government still has a way to go to show their vision on this.

“Councils across the Oxford-Cambridge Arc have been arguing that the short-sighted cuts made by government earlier this year to the project need to be reversed.”

Councillor Susan Brown, Leader of Oxford City Council

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