East West Rail: Conservatives and Lib Dems trade blame in row over route demolitions
A political row has erupted in Bedford over East West Rail’s controversial northern Route E, with both the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats accusing each other of failing residents in the Poets area and Ashburnham Road.
On August 28, the Bedford and Kempston Conservatives published a Facebook post accusing the Lib Dems of having “betrayed communities” by backing Route E when they were in charge of the council.
The campaign-style post branded the Lib Dems “exposed” and claimed they had “sacrificed residents’ homes” by supporting the scheme.
But the Lib Dems hit back, insisting they have “categorically opposed” the demolitions and accusing mayor Wootton of failing to engage with East West Rail over the past 18 months.
In a statement, a spokesperson for Bedford and Kempston Conservatives said: “It was the previous Liberal Democrat administration that consistently backed the ill-fated Route E, a decision they now seem keen to distance themselves from.
“Henry Vann’s Liberal Democrats have a lot to answer for, and it is wholly outrageous for them to shift responsibility onto mayor Tom Wootton, who has consistently opposed this route.
“The people of Bedford and Kempston deserve far better than this brazen misdirection.”
They warned the plans would cause “lasting damage” through the demolition of homes and businesses in affected areas.
But Liberal Democrat deputy group leader, councillor Michael Headley (Putnoe), said: “If the mayor hasn’t met East West Rail for 18 months, then we shouldn’t be shocked if they make surprise announcements that aren’t in Bedford’s interest.
“The mayor needs to wake up and get a grip. The easy part was getting elected – once elected there is a job to do. Unfortunately, the mayor has shown himself to be not up to the job, over and over again.”
He added that the Lib Dems had consistently worked to prove the demolitions were unnecessary:
“Just saying you are against the whole EWR scheme is a dead-end approach.
“Continuing discussions so that Bedford borough’s concerns are always in front of EWR is what he should have done.
“It might be good political theatre to stomp his foot… but will it actually persuade the Government to change anything?”
Mr Headley said the best way to influence the outcome was through “well-argued, specific evidence” put forward during the Development Consent Order process, and called on the mayor “not to give up.”
When asked by the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) about their past support for Route E, their responsibility for the threat to homes, and when their position changed, the Liberal Democrats did not give direct answers.
Instead, their statement focused on criticising the mayor’s handling of East West Rail and reiterating their opposition to demolitions.