Commons Sense

House of Commons · Adjournment Debate

East West Rail Route Consultation: North East Bedfordshire

28 June 2021 · 1 other contributor

Opened by Richard Fuller Con North Bedfordshire

TransportParliamentary Procedure

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Richard Fuller raised concerns about east west rail route consultation: north east bedfordshire in the House of Commons. A government minister responded. Other MPs also contributed.

Key points

  • The debate addresses flaws in the East West Rail consultation process from Bedford to Cambridge, citing issues like lack of transparency and significant cost overruns.
  • Richard Fuller raises concerns over inadequate contact with parish councils, selective mailing of postcards, and the bypassing of democratic processes in the consultation.
  • The Minister acknowledges the issues and commits to addressing concerns about trust deficits and environmental impacts, emphasizing efforts to ensure open consultations.

How the debate unfolded

MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.

Opened the debate

Richard Fuller Con North Bedfordshire

The debate addresses the flaws in the East West Rail consultation process from Bedford to Cambridge, highlighting issues such as lack of transparency, significant cost overruns, inadequate environmental impact assessments, and bypassing democratic processes. Richard Fuller raises concerns about the way parish councils were not contacted adequately, postcards being sent selectively, and critical input from local authorities being submitted without proper scrutiny. He also questions the change in cost estimates that seemingly favoured a specific route and the potential alignment with housing development plans. The speech emphasises the need for transparency, trust-building measures, and adherence to environmental standards.

Other contributors (1)
  • Not specified Bedford

    The intervention points out that Richard Fuller’s speech misquoted views meant to sow division. It criticises the lack of attention given to constituents whose homes are being demolished and raises concerns about environmental assessments being done at the end rather than the beginning, highlighting inconsistencies with net zero targets.

Government Response

Chris Heaton-Harris

The Minister acknowledges the issues raised by Richard Fuller regarding the East West Rail consultation process. He confirms that route E was chosen based on various assessment factors including faster journey times and lower fares. The response emphasises efforts to ensure open and fair consultations, with extensive promotional activities such as sending postcards and placing advertisements. He commits to addressing concerns about trust deficits and environmental impacts, promising further meetings and detailed cost analysis sessions. Additionally, he reiterates the commitment to delivering the project on budget and at pace while ensuring that affected constituents' voices are heard.

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