Tory MP says East West Rail will cost taxpayer "enormous" amount of money
The comments were made in Parliament earlier
A Conservative MP has criticised the Government over the new railway line linking Oxford and Cambridge as he claimed it will cost taxpayers "an enormous amount", while landowners and developers make "shedloads of money".
Richard Fuller (North East Bedfordshire) said: "The connection of East West Rail from Bedford to Cambridge will cost the taxpayer an enormous amount of money, the minister knows this because he was at the select committee sitting right next to the Permanent Secretary (Dame Bernadette Kelly) when she said so, although apparently it's OK because a few landowners and developers will make shedloads of money out of planning gain."
"Meanwhile, the latest chief executive officer of East West Rail (Beth West) has scarpered because (she) couldn't stand the heat in the kitchen, and as the minister has said East West Rail is progressing with a statutory consultation, having completely fluffed the first consultation by not contacting the right people, by holding it over the summer months while people are away.
"And all the time, this has been driven by the economic growth board in the Treasury which meets secretly and tells people nothing. What can the minister tell my constituents about this project?"
Transport minister Huw Merriman said: "I believe east to west rail is critical in delivering a workforce to Cambridge to allow Cambridge to then compete with the likes of Boston, and those cities in south-east Asia."
"So that those pioneers actually have a workforce and that we can keep Cambridge, and indeed Oxford, motoring on that basis."