Bedford residents are particularly quiet about this consultation so far. Even though I've shoved it in their faces. No doubt it will all kick off when mayor Dave supports it. As soon as he rings his bell everyone jumps on it and starts protesting.
Any more news on the flyover? After the 12th I might take a drive up there.
Early days yet plus the consultation was released just before a major bank holiday weekend when media reports can expected to be lessened as people on holiday etc.
The online local newspapers and local social media has a fair bit, mostly regarding the six tracking at Bedford.
Judging by the media report linked below it has put the mayor in an awkward position as he had campaigned for the route to go through Bedford but seems to have been as taken by surprise as the nearby residents by the proposal to six track the section north of the station rather than use the existing slow lines (six tracking is much more destructive and the preferred option will result in significant demolition of homes (53 are down for certain demolition or are at risk of demolition with 44 more losing some garden/parking space).
A cynic might suggest this is being suggested so it can be dropped later and everyone can sigh with relief and nod it through. If so this is a huge error as I fear it will galvanise organised, determined and broad opposition which, once set on that path, won't easily be persuaded to go away. Up to now, opposition seems to have been little more than conspiracy theorists maundering on about secret plans for numerous night goods trains.
The proposal (one of two options) to close five stations in the Marston Vale in return for two of the remaining five stations in the vale plus Bedford St Johns getting an extra train per hour (the other two get an extra train with both options) isn't going to bring a lot of goodwill either.
Given the national opposition any railway or station closures results in these days, [preventing closure even of Breich, Denton and Reddish, with millions recently spent on it to avoid closing it the first after the closure proposal was withdrawn (which has seen numbers using it rise from 48 a year in 2016-7 to 2,550 a year in 2019-20) and weekly parliamentary trains serving the latter two stations avoid the political repercussions of closure] this seems a staggeringly inept thing to do (unless you are a treasury bean counter who actually wants to kill the whole thing off!).
Ahead of today's announcement of the next stage of the East West Rail (EWR) consultation, residents of the Poets Area...
www.bedfordindependent.co.uk
Thank you. A very useful and interesting update.
Another update here:-
on YouTube.
Presumably they have been putting the Cross Beams in place this weekend?