BREAKING NEWS: Government's vague response to questions on "priority review" Jan 7, 2020
Government has given a very vague response to parliamentary questions about the pledged “priority review” of the Ox-Cam Expressway which failed to answer key questions.
Six key questions had been submitted about the “priority review” by Layla Moran MP for Oxford West & Abingdon, Greg Smith MP for Buckingham and John Howell MP for Henley.
George Freeman MP, Minister for Transport, provided the following response “We will provide an update on whether the project should continue in due course.” To 5 of the 6 questions. He has not yet responded to John Howell’s question.
This response does NOT answer any of the questions asked!
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps MP, pledged a “review as a priority” of the Ox-Cam Expressway, during the election campaign. If it was such a priority, why have these questions not been answered? Why has Grant Shapps not responded himself?
There was concern during the campaign that Grant Shapps’ pledge could turn out just to be electioneering. Official parliamentary responses such as this to questions about the review, will do nothing to dampen these fears!
These are the questions submitted:
By Layla Moran - To ask the Secretary of State for Transport…
what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of his Department's planned review of the proposed Oxford to Cambridge Expressway.
what the timeline is for his Department's planned review of the proposed Oxford to Cambridge Expressway.
whether he plans to consult the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on the housing targets for the Oxford-Cambridge Arc in light of his Department's recent decision to review the Oxford to Cambridge Expressway project.
what effect his Department's proposed review of the Oxford to Cambridge Expressway will have on the (a) timescale and (b) viability of the consultation process for the project planned by Highways England.
ANSWER (to each) - “We will provide an update on whether the project should continue in due course.”
(A further question asked by Layla Moran regarding impact of an Expressway review on specific construction work on the A34 was answered more fully.)
By Greg Smith - To ask the Secretary of State for Transport…
when he will bring forward a priority review of the Oxford to Cambridge Expressway.
ANSWER - “We will provide an update on whether the project should continue in due course.”
By John Howell - To ask the Secretary of State for Transport…
what the timeframe is for the review of the Oxford-Cambridge Expressway.
ANSWER - This has not been responded to yet.
Frustrated? There are two quick things you can do…
Send an email to Grant Shapps to ask him to reconsider and meet with NEG to discuss the “priority review”. Wording and email address
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