Nearly 80 residents from Bedford's Poets area tell mayor exactly what they think of East West Rail route

Nearly 80 residents – from the Poets area of Bedford – attended a public meeting to tell the mayor what they thought ot the East West Railway Company’s route update announcement.

The public meeting – hosted by Bedford mayor Tom Wootton – was held at Edith Cavell Primary School.

He said: "I extend a heartfelt thank you to all who participated in the meeting. The diverse range of issues raised during the meeting proved immensely valuable in increasing the council’s knowledge of residents’ fears and concerns.

“It was important to hear from, and share information with, local residents, and I look forward to hosting more such events together with council officers.

“It is essential to ensure that residents have a voice in these discussions. I firmly believe in community engagement, and we understand that individuals, communities, and businesses within the area will have enquiries about the implications of EWRCo’s proposals for them."

Following this route announcement, East West Rail will hold a statutory public consultation on its proposals, which is expected to take place in the first half of 2024.

The Planning Inspectorate will likely hold an examination in 2025/26, including public hearings, before making a recommendation to the Secretary of State on whether the proposals should go ahead.

A final decision by the Secretary of State is meant to be given within six months of the examination closing.

Back in May, campaign group Stop The Arc Group (STARC) also slammed the preferred route.

It claimed it’s the most complex, most polluting and most damaging of five original options