The Transport and Works (East-West Rail) Order

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This Order was submitted by The Most Hon. Dame Ina LG LT LP LD GCMG DBE CT CVO MP MSP MS MLA FRS on behalf of His Majesty’s 34th Government.

Deputy Speaker,

For the final railways related piece of legislation this term, I am putting forward a Statutory Instrument to enable the construction of East-West Rail. Now, members of this House may ask, haven't we already funded East-West Rail? The answer is yes. More money has been put forward for the project than it would cost in reality to actually deliver! But the project itself has been approved, not until now, Deputy Speaker. This government is taking the actions necessary to ensure that the project can be delivered and that the excess funds put towards it can be reused for other projects.

The project, as laid out, will be finished in around four years, with initial construction focusing on the electrification between Milton Keynes and Bedford, as well as the construction of the initial track between Oxford and Milton Keynes. As this project is finishing up, constuction will continue on the second part of the system, between Bedford and Cambridge. The whole system will be fully electrified, capable of using ETCS and built according to the accessibility standards set out for the whole system. For all this, we will be investing £2.112B into the project overall. I now leave time for the House to ask questions, as well as debate the system as approved!

This debate will end at 10pm on the 8th February.