Oxford to Cambridge Expressway – Vale Liberal Democrats’ response

Response to Oxford to Cambridge Expressway Consultation

This response is from the Liberal Democrat councillors representing the Vale of White Horse District Council.

  • The corridor decision is scheduled for Summer 2018. Although stakeholders have been involved in consultations to progress this project, the people and places that it affects may still be totally unaware of the full consequences. There should be full public consultation not only on the Expressway corridors but on the wider ramifications of the scheme before the corridor decision is taken.
  • The three corridors were all prepared as ‘desk-top’ choices based purely on data collected on East/ West travel. The current corridor choices are only now being subjected to an interactive regional traffic computer model. The current timetable should be put on hold whilst these results are analysed and further public consultation has taken place.
  • A railway freight train is capable of transporting the equivalent of 140 freight trucks. This results in a huge reduction in diesel fumes, NO2 emissions, road repairs, congestion etc. The Liberal Democrat view is that the East-West Rail project, including electrification, should be progressed as a priority. There should be transparent discussions between Highways England and National Rail about the costings and viability of the rail connection from Oxford past Bedford to Cambridge.
  • The relationship of each proposed corridor to Green Belt areas, SSIs, AONBs, heritage assets, hamlets, villages and towns should be clearly delineated on large scale maps available online to the public and widely advertised in the counties and districts concerned before the corridor decision is taken.
  • The current traffic congestion on the A34 as it runs through the Vale district causes severe problems to residents and the local economy. None of the expressway corridor options will significantly reduce this congestion. The building of the road will cause widespread disruption for no overall benefit to the Vale District.

For all the above reasons, we do not support the current proposals for the Oxford to Cambridge Expressway.