Councillors express frustration over East West Rail’s lack of transparency and communication with local communities
South Cambridgeshire: Councillors are really upset with East West Rail. They say the company is not being honest and is ignoring local communities. It’s frustrating for everyone involved.
At a recent council meeting, they discussed a response to East West Rail’s consultation. The councillors want to make sure their concerns are heard. They feel like the company isn’t being transparent enough.
The East West Rail project plans to connect Bedford and Cambridge. If it goes ahead, it could make train travel between Oxford and Cambridge easier. New stations are also in the works.
Some councillors, like Brian Milnes, are trying to include everyone’s opinions in their response. But there’s a lot of anger, especially from villages like Harston. They worry about the impact of the new railway.
Dr. Tumi Hawkins, another councillor, voiced her concerns too. She feels East West Rail hasn’t been straightforward. She’s attended meetings where they talk a lot but don’t share real information.
She mentioned that the northern route into Cambridge hasn’t been properly considered. Some people were told it would be better, but now it seems ignored. That’s frustrating for the community.
Hawkins has asked multiple times how they’ll lessen the impact on villages. But all she hears is that they’re “working on it.” She wants them to be more open and honest.
John Williams, another councillor, echoed these sentiments. He’s tired of having to pull information out of East West Rail. He wants clarity on what’s being proposed.
He pointed out that some areas, like Fulbourn, might be affected, but it’s not clear from the documents. He hopes they improve their communication during the formal consultation.
Cllr Milnes suggested that the CEO of East West Rail should review their communication efforts. Others, like Dr. Richard Williams, urged the council to take a stronger stance in their response.
Despite the criticism, East West Rail insists they want to work closely with local communities. They claim to value feedback and have had positive responses from some stakeholders.
They encourage people to participate in the ongoing consultation and attend events to share their thoughts. It seems there’s still a long way to go in building trust.
