Constituency News - Archive
Central Railway Campaign Success
The
Government has yielded to pressure from local MPs and Pressure
Groups and rejected the controversial Central Railway project.
The scheme - to build a £10 billion rail freight line from
the Channel Tunnel to Liverpool - was due to run along the
edge of Ashtead and in a long tunnel underneath the Downs.
But the Government accepted the argument that the project
was not financially viable, and said it would not allow the
company promoting the scheme to move ahead with it.
"I am delighted by this news," says Chris Grayling. "Whilst I am very much in favour of increasing the amount of freight on the railways, this project was always hopelessly optimistic in both financial and business terms. Yet it has been able to blight many parts of Surrey for the past three years. Residents on the proposed route will be extremely relieved by the news. But the law now needs to be changed so that no other small company of this kind can propose a scheme which has little chance of success, but which causes difficulties for residents along its routes."
"I would also pay tribute to all those who have been involved in the campaign against the link and have helped influence the Government's decision."
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