Clegg renames EastWest Rail....

[whole diary]

[ChrisB]

(Sorry, can't find the East-West threads.....)

From CILT website

'Garden cities line' proposed for south-east England


Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg has announced plans to create a new rail link to help boost the rate of housebuilding.

Mr Clegg pledged to reopen the Oxford to Cambridge rail link as a garden cities line that could help to create five new developments featuring up to 50,000 new homes.

Towns along the route are being encouraged to put forward plans that will benefit existing residents, such as 'express stations' with higher frequency rail services.

A further benefit of the garden cities line would be a reduction in rail journey times between Oxford and Cambridge from 2.5 hours to roughly 60 minutes.

Announcing the plans, Mr Clegg said: "Our plan is to build a series of high quality new towns and cities where people want to live, with green space, sustainable transport and spacious homes."

The Liberal Democrat leader added that at least ten new developments would get underway if his party formed part of the next government

60 minutes Oxford to Cambridge??!! Yeah, right, Mr Clegg. Dream on.
 

[Red Squirrel]

Mmm.

I make it about 85 miles as the crow (not Bob!) flies. Depending on how they deal with that tricky Bedford-Cambridge section it could be closer to 110 miles... these trains will have to be fairly rapid.

Edit: Nice name though!

[didcotdean]

Oxford Garden City is a scheme for 30,000 homes in the gap in between Grove, Abingdon, and Didcot - the same area as proposed for an airport last year, and a reservoir previously.

[paul7575]

Oxford Garden City is a scheme for 30,000 homes in the gap in between Grove, Abingdon, and Didcot - the same area as proposed for an airport last year, and a reservoir previously.

Build huge reservoir.   Build 30,000 flat roofed houseboats.   Join all houseboats with a shared flat roof.    Kill three birds with one stone, simples...

Paul

[Richard Fairhurst]

Better still, the site is beside the Wilts & Berks Canal (under restoration), so those houseboats can go for a cruise on the Thames or along the Vale of the White Horse...

[81F]

There is already a Garden City just outside Oxford, very close to the Parkway station.

[ChrisB]

Hmm, not known as such though....simply "Kidlington"

[81F]

The area which is to the west of the Oxford Road in southern Kidlington, extending some half mile north from the Sainsbury's roundabout, has always been known as Garden City. A road sign is at http://goo.gl/maps/qiiJy

[Andrew1939 from West Oxon]

Kidlington is a large village, sometimes said to be the biggest village in England. "Garden City" identified a particular area very effectively in the same way as Summertown is known in Oxford.

[JayMac]

So, we have Clegg's take on East West Rail.

Question on my lips is what do Compo and Foggy think?