Richard Fuller MP recently forwarded a letter to the Prime Minister on behalf of local campaign group Bedford for a Re-Consultation (BFARe) and 12 Bedfordshire Parish Councils and in his cover letter, urged the PM to 'give their representations your considered judgement'. Richard's cover letter can be read here. The BFARe letter can be read here.
In his cover letter, Richard highlighted the serious concerns around the 2019 consultation that it was deeply flawed and could result in a brutal scarring of the Bedfordshire countryside and considerable resentment from local people. Richard also noted that all routes traverse his constituency so he does not make any representation for, or against, any particular route. Concerns around the consultation included costings changing significantly between the beginning and end of the consultation; parish councils not being informed and Bedford Borough Council submitting a 'highly influential recommendation' without consulting elected Borough councillors whose wards would be affected.
A response to the letters was received last week from Transport Minister, Wendy Morton MP, who stated that "The Department for Transport does not routinely publish business cases, so it would not be correct to say that the business case is absent. EWR Co. is currently undertaking an exercise to review the strategic and economic case for the railway and to consider mode options, routes and funding constraints in that light. I am expecting to review its findings at the end of May, and would be pleased to discuss them with you at this point." The full reply can be read here.
Richard will seek a meeting with the Minister in late May to review these findings.
