East West Rail: Bedford to Cambridge

Mohammad Yasin Excerpts

Tuesday 13th June 2023 Westminster Hall

[Mohammad Yasin (Bedford) (Lab)]

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Sir Mark. I thank my constituency neighbour, the hon. Member for North East Bedfordshire (Richard Fuller), for securing this debate, which is of great importance to our constituents.

I do not believe that any people along the proposed East West Rail route are impacted as negatively as my constituents. It is for them that I stand in opposition to the route alignment that was confirmed at the end of May. The proposed six-track route will impact at least 66 properties in Bedford, including the demolition of 37 residential properties based on reasonable worst-case railway corridor width and potentially more demolitions as part of the station redevelopment. I am a big supporter of green public transport, so I supported the East West Rail route in principle to bring much needed connectivity and growth opportunities to Bedford, but I have always opposed a route that requires the demolition of homes.

East West Rail has said that it reviewed both a four and a six-track alignment, but preferred the option that, in its view, better serves the wider rail line, although that comes at the expense of homes in Bedford. For years, many of my constituents have been living under the spectre of house demolition. People’s lives have been put on hold. They have been held ransom by a Government who did not care about them and were too incompetent to make a decision. Selling their homes has been an arduous process so far, and I sincerely hope that they are not further distressed by it. We also need to see far more detailed proposals about what is happening to the land around Bedford Hospital for the new Bedford St John’s station.

I hope Ministers will vastly improve their decision-making processes, ensure that East West Rail treats people whose homes are being stolen from them with the respect and compassion they deserve, and ensure they get the necessary support, and fair and timely compensation, for their losses. The base rate for this should be at least in line with that of HS2, plus inflation.

I have always maintained that East West Rail should be electrified or carbon free from day one, and I am disappointed that the Government have not committed to low or zero-emissions rail. It is outrageous that they are even thinking about a new rail project that is not powered by green technology. I hope the Minister will commit today to a green East West Rail, which will be vital if the Government have any chance of meeting their net zero targets.

I am disappointed that East West Rail has still not published a formal business case. The strategic case and the technical report amount to no more than a glossy corporate dream. There is no detail. We all know that the eastern region is one of the most under-invested places, so of course the growth potential is significant, but citing The Economist as recognising that growth potential as a strategic case is not good enough. We need a proper business case. I question why it has not materialised so far and why we are expected to wait another year to see it. It should be done before the fact, not after. We do not want another HS2 on our hands, with chaos and spiralling costs because we forged ahead with unsound plans before due diligence was complete.

I hope the Rail Minister will do more today to prove the business case for East West Rail, and I hope that business case includes the concerns of Bedford businesses about the potential for disruption and loss of trade that building works would cause. These proposals will rip the heart out of strong and vibrant communities in my constituency. These are people’s homes. Families have been living in turmoil for years, and now their worst fears have been realised. To many who responded to the last consultation, including myself, it feels like we have not been heard. There are lots of words in the consultation response to say, “We listen to people’s concerns,” but nothing has changed. I hope that the Minister will give a commitment today that if the majority of the residents respond in opposition to the plans in the statutory consultation, the Government will listen and not approve the proposal.

--- Later in debate ---

[Huw Merriman]

Of course, Sir Mark. I am happy to do so, but the invention was so long that I thought you might give me the grace of replying to it fully. I think the point has been made.

Overall, we are committed to the project of East West Rail. The hon. Member for Cambridge set out the case that was recognised—

[Mohammad Yasin]

Will the Minister give way?

[Huw Merriman]

I will make a little more progress, then I will perhaps give way one final time.

My hon. Friend the Member for North East Bedfordshire mentioned the housing challenges in the area. I recognise that, because, having family and being brought up between Oxford and Cambridge, I see that every single time I go back. He is right to prod me on the figures. In my own constituency, we have an 85% area of outstanding natural beauty. I would like to see more development, so that we have the housing, infrastructure and resources where I am, and spread that load more equally.

I recognise the points raised by most hon. Members that the housing will potentially impact their constituencies. I appreciate that, but I will come back to the point made by the hon. Member for Cambridge. We must ensure that cities such as Oxford and Cambridge can compete not just in this country, but internationally. It is absolutely vital that the scientists, entrepreneurs and innovators there who are coming up with extraordinary cures, which will help people not just in this country but around the world, have the support to do that. At the moment, they do not have a workforce. The idea of this line is to deliver a workforce to Oxford and Cambridge, to use Milton Keynes and allow towns such as Winslow to grow further and get schools in place. In my view, it is a good example of rail delivering for the regional economy. I truly believe that it will do that but, as I say, I know the impacts and I understand them. I want to work with hon. Members across the piece on behalf of their constituents so that they feel more reassured, understand what is going on, get the detail and reassurance and, where needed, get compensation, and so that we make the project work for them as well. I will take one final intervention, then I will conclude.

[Mohammad Yasin]

The Minister mentioned a statutory consultation earlier that will take place from January next year. My constituents think that it is a tick-box exercise; they think that the decision has already been made. If the Minister wants to prove my constituents wrong, will he commit today—I made this point in my speech as well—that if the majority of people taking part in the statutory consultation go against these plans, he will ensure that he puts the proposals on hold? Let him prove my constituents wrong, if he can.

[Huw Merriman]

That is not a commitment I can give. As we know, those who tend to write back on consultations tend to be the most affected and are therefore the most troubled by the issue. That is not the way that we would run a consultation. We have of course set out a preferred line of route and the ambition that this railway can deliver, but I can give the hon. Member the assurance—I say this as a former Chair of a Select Committee—that consultations run in my Department under my name will be run properly. We will look at all the responses that come back and at where we can make improvements because residents have come up with really good ideas that will be a win for everyone. I expect to look at those closely and work with those suggestions. It will not be a tick-box exercise for as long as I am responsible for the project; I can give the hon. Member that assurance.

I will wrap up. As I stated, I encourage my hon. Friend the Member for North East Bedfordshire and his constituents to continue to use the opportunities provided through the East West Rail company’s community events and its forthcoming consultation to provide feedback on the plans. I will conclude by thanking you, Sir Mark, and all those who have spoken with passion and expertise. I give my commitment that the Department for Transport will work closely with all the MPs who are represented and have concerns. I hope to assure those who have the most striking concerns and deliver for those who believe, like me, that East West Rail can be a power for good in the region.