Business people call for railway not guided bus
Friday, 19th April 2013.
Town business people told MP Matthew Hancock unanimously this morning that they want a railway rather than a guided bus to Cambridge.
Mr Hancock came to talk to thebestof Haverhill’s monthly networking meeting and used the occasion to get feedback from local businesspeople on a variety of issues which affect them.
One of the main ones raised from a packed audience was transport links to Cambridge and Mr Hancock’s tone had changed slightly from when he answered similar questions last year.
He said something had changed recently in the argument about the rail renewal, since the Oxford to Bedford rail link had been re-opened.
This was part of the Oxford to Colchester route closed in 1967 by the Beeching Axe, as is the line through Haverhill.
The rest of the link is more problematical because parts of the old route have been built over, but Mr Hancock confirmed the Government were starting to look at it, although he joked that he couldn’t see it being finished by Christmas.
It was a long-term project, he said. The guided bus idea had been urged by Suffolk County Council’s transport supremo Cllr Guy MacGregor and Mr Hancock said he was aware Mr MacGregor had not gone down well in Haverhill in a recent visit.
He felt the arguments for road improvement and rail renewal were both strong as Haverhill was so far from both a railway and a fully dualled road.
Mr Hancock came to talk to thebestof Haverhill’s monthly networking meeting and used the occasion to get feedback from local businesspeople on a variety of issues which affect them.
One of the main ones raised from a packed audience was transport links to Cambridge and Mr Hancock’s tone had changed slightly from when he answered similar questions last year.
He said something had changed recently in the argument about the rail renewal, since the Oxford to Bedford rail link had been re-opened.
This was part of the Oxford to Colchester route closed in 1967 by the Beeching Axe, as is the line through Haverhill.
The rest of the link is more problematical because parts of the old route have been built over, but Mr Hancock confirmed the Government were starting to look at it, although he joked that he couldn’t see it being finished by Christmas.
It was a long-term project, he said. The guided bus idea had been urged by Suffolk County Council’s transport supremo Cllr Guy MacGregor and Mr Hancock said he was aware Mr MacGregor had not gone down well in Haverhill in a recent visit.
He felt the arguments for road improvement and rail renewal were both strong as Haverhill was so far from both a railway and a fully dualled road.
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