mksm Strategic Transport Board Supporting East West Rail

mksm Strategic Transport Board Supporting East West Rail

In October, the Milton Keynes South Midlands (mksm) Strategic Transport Board endorsed the work of the East West Rail consortium as they move forward apace with the design process necessary to deliver the project.

Outline design work continues on the western section of East West Rail with additional site investigation, which started last month enabling the design of new track and railway infrastructure to be completed.

This work is part of the East West Consortium's drive to acquire regional and national funding in order to deliver East West Rail, latest projections are to seek a start of construction in early 2014 and look to open the new train services in late 2015.

mksm see the project as vital to delivering growth across the Sub region.

Garrett Emmerson, Chair of the Strategic Transport Board commented:

"Delivery East-West Rail is a vital component of the mksm's transport strategy for delivering growth housing growth and economic development across the sub region. The Board is therefore strongly supportive of the East-West Rail consortium's continuing efforts to drive this project forward, secure funding and see an early start to construction on site"

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Notes to Editors:

• 1. Milton Keynes South Midlands (mksm) is delivering over 225,000 houses and over 200,000 jobs between 2001 and 2021 and is the UK's largest growth area.
• 2. mksm is one of the four major Growth Areas in England designated by government. It spans three regions and covers the whole of Northamptonshire, Central Bedfordshire, Bedford, Luton, Milton Keynes, and Aylesbury Vale District in Buckinghamshire.
• 3. The mksm Strategic Transport Board was set up in June 2007. Membership consists of the Leader or portfolio holder for each Transport Authority (the county and unitary authorities) in the sub-region and Board level representation from the three Regional Development Agencies, Homes and Communities Agency, and the Local Delivery Vehicles. It also includes senior officials from the three Regional Assemblies, the Highways Agency, Network Rail, the Department for Transport and the three Government Offices.
• 4. The remit of the Board is to strengthen sub-regional working and capacity, including identifying and championing strategic transport priorities to support growth as well as performance and risk managing strategic delivery of priorities.
• 5. East West Rail Consortium is a group of local authorities and government agencies with an objective of securing a new rail route from East Anglia to Oxford via the Milton Keynes South Midlands growth area. More details of the project can be found online at www.eastwestrail.org.uk. The £2 million for the current development and design work has come from the Growth Area Fund from Oxford, Aylesbury, Milton Keynes and Bedford with support from the CLG.

For further information visit www.mksm.org.uk or contact:

Hilary Chipping, mksm Director

Tel: 01604 236541

E Mail: hchipping@northamptonshire.gov.uk