At the end of Parliamentary business on Monday, Richard was able to secure an Adjournment Debate with Rail Minister, Chris Heaton-Harris MP to discuss the 2019 East West Rail (EWR) consultation.
Speaking after the debate, Richard said:
During this debate I reiterated my frequently raised concerns that the consultation process has been flawed, resulting in a significant lack of trust between affected residents and East West Rail. I also highlighted the environmental issues associated with the project including the risk of brutal and permanent scarring of our much-loved Bedfordshire countryside.
I am pleased that the CEO of East West Rail has agreed to join me in walking key sections of the current proposed route later next month and I was also grateful that the Minister assured me that he will require EWR Company to meet with me to allow a transparent and forensic assessment of the project costings, in particular how route E went from being the most expensive option, to one of the cheapest, after the consultation period closed.
The full debate can be watched here.
There is a half-hour adjournment debate at the end of each day's sitting. These debates are an opportunity for an individual backbench MP to raise an issue and receive a response from the relevant Minister.
