Since being elected, Richard has been an advocate for his constituents, consistently voicing their concerns to East West Rail and Department for Transport ministers. He has also regularly raised these issues in the House of Commons, through parliamentary questions to the Treasury and Department for Transport and securing debates on East West Rail in June 2021 and June 2023.
In May 2023, following the announcement of the East West Rail route alignment, Richard reconfirmed his opposition to the plans in this video. The route announcement by East West Rail can be found here.
In the new Government's Budget in October 2024, it was confirmed that East West Rail would go ahead and that a new non-statutory consultation would open on 14 November. Richard's reaction can be read here. The consultation closed on 24 January 2025 and Richard's submission can be read here. Feedback from this consultation has yet to be published.
In the then Chancellor's growth statement on 29 January 2025, Rachel Reeves confirmed her backing for East West Rail and announced that the building of an East Coast Mainline Station at Tempsford would be expedited by 3-5 years and it would later join with the East West Rail line.
The proposed new section of railway between Bedford and Cambridge has been designated as a project of national significance. This means East West Rail will apply to the Secretary of State for Transport for a Development Consent Order (DCO), granting consent to build and operate the new railway.
A non-statutory consultation was open from 14th April to 9th June 2026, ahead of the DCO application in 2027.
In July 2026 the Secretary of State for Transport issued new maps and revised the Safeguarding Directions which protects the Safeguarded area of land that is required to build and operate the new railway from conflicting development. Richard was critical of the vast area of North Bedfordshire that is covered by this project describing it as a 'Ribbon of Blight' across our countryside.
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See below for all of Richard's contributions on East West Rail.
