Insight 37 - Magazine - Page 41
Survey suggests public in Bedford
now support an east-west rail link
A
newly published survey suggests
that the vast majority of people
in Bedford support East West
Rail.
The survey of 1000 people suggests three
quarters (75%) of people in Bedford
support a new east-west rail service.
When asked about the impact of a new,
frequent rail service from Bedford to
Cambridge, Cambourne, Milton Keynes
and Oxford, people responded positively:
· 80% believe it will improve access to
jobs
· 75% say it will boost access to
education
· 78% believe it will improve access to
essential public services like hospitals
· 83% say it will improve how people can
travel around the area
It has been suggested that the
local benefits for Bedford include
improvements to Bedford Midland
station, which will drive regeneration of
the area around the station and town
centre, and relocating Bedford St Johns
station closer to Bedford Hospital which
will improve access for patients, visitors
and staff.
An increase in services on the Marston
Vale Line could help boost the local
economy, and EWR would make
Bedford just a 35 minute train journey
from Cambridge – creating business
collaboration, expansion and job
opportunities.
Beth West, CEO, EWR Company, said:
“This new survey is strong testament to
the support that Bedford residents have
for East West Rail and underpins how the
project will bring such game changing
benefits to the local community.
“East West Rail has been designed to
improve quality of life for everyone
across the region. What this poll shows
is that Bedford residents agree that
EWR will do that by improving people’s
access to quality jobs, educational
opportunities and public services. We
believe the route we have chosen, which
connects the town centre and Bedford
Hospital, is the one that will deliver the
most benefits for Bedford. It’s clear from
this survey that people do recognise the
opportunities our line will bring.
“It’s important that a major transport
project like ours has support from people
who live and work in the town. We always
thought this to be the case and now
have strong evidence to back this up.
We will continue to work hard with local
businesses and communities in Bedford
to ensure East West Rail improves their
everyday lives, which includes working
closely with local transport providers
to maximise the potential of local and
regional services.” Richard Tunnicliffe,
Regional Director, CBI, said: “New
infrastructure can bring major benefits to
businesses and help fuel local economies,
so it’s vital that towns like Bedford and
the businesses there get the transport
connections they need so they can
prosper.
“East West Rail will be key driver of
economic prosperity in Bedford, providing
businesses with the confidence to invest
in the area with the prospect of greater
connectivity, giving greater accessibility
to more trade and a larger labour market.
This project can only be a good thing for
Bedford and we look forward to its many
benefits becoming a reality.”
Suzanna Austin, Development Manager,
FSB (Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and
Hertfordshire), said: “Locally we are
aligned with most people polled in this
survey and support East West Rail in
connecting Bedford to Cambridge. This
connection will benefit the local business
community with a much-needed modern
rail infrastructure.
“Many businesses in the Bedford
area currently suffer with the lack of
connectivity, hampering their efforts to
grow. This sustainable transport project
has been a long time coming and by
reforging this old connection, will aid in
revitalising the local economy, increasing
footfall and improving prosperity, all of
which will bring a major boost to small
businesses.”
CLICK HERE If you’d like to read the full
results of the survey.
biz4Biz.org
41