The group tirelessly campaigning for the East West Rail Link to serve new developments along the A428 instead of rural South Cambridgeshire has written to councillors in potentially affected parishes, as a second consultation looms.

Royston Crow: CamBedRailRoad chairman Sebastian Kindersley. Picture: CBRRCamBedRailRoad chairman Sebastian Kindersley. Picture: CBRR (Image: Archant)

CamBedRailRoad members were pleased when the announcement was made in January 2020 by East West Rail Company to abandon plans for the Oxford to Cambridge route to go through Bassingbourn and the Wimpole Estate, in favour of routes via ‘Corridor E’ – running roughly South East from Cambourne to enter Cambridge via the proposed new station at the Biocampus.

However, it remains CBRR’s objective to locate the station at Cambourne to the north of the A428 at the Cambourne exit, and from there to approach Cambridge via a new station at Northstowe at Cambridge North Station. The case has been strengthened by recent publication of Local Plan submissions and EWR has announced their intention to hold a second non-statutory consultation on the route options they are considering early next year.

A new local interest group, Cambridge Approaches, has also been formed to raise awareness and inform residents of affected areas. CBRR are affiliated to CA and a series of presentations by CA and CBRR – some joint, some solo – have been made to the 12 parishes, with more to come.

CBRR chairman Sebastian Kindersley has written to the councils of 12 parishes possibly affected to offer – either at a parish council meeting or a specially convened public meeting – a brief 15 minute virtual presentation of their route.

He said: “We will explain why we think it meets so much more of local people’s aspirations and fits in the development of this area over years to come.

The offer has been made to councils in Caxton, Bourn, Toft, Comberton, Barton, Haslingfield, Harston, Little Shelford, Great Shelford, Kingston, Great & Little Eversden, Cambourne, Elsworth, Knapwell, Boxworth,

Childerley, Dry Drayton, Madingley, Coton, Grantchester, Barton, Caldecote, Hauxton, Harston and Newton.

The next online meeting is at Grantchester on December 14. See www.cambedrailroad.org and cambridgeapproaches.org for more information.