The CRT continues fight against EWR plans to build a railway line through regenerative farm

The CRT is extremely concerned to hear the Government has committed in full to the East West Rail (EWR) project in its October 2024 budget. 

EWR revealed its latest updated design plans as public consultation opened last week. The CRT will be contributing to this over the coming weeks. 

Passenger services are due to start along the first stage of EWR between Oxford and Bletchley in 2025, with track all laid and line testing underway on this section.     

The CRT is calling for EWR to change its proposed route through regenerative arable farmland known as Westfield at Lark Rise Farm. 

Plans for the section affecting Westfield are now under non-statutory public consultation. 

The site comprises four arable fields, which lie west of Comberton Road and north of the old railway: The Oaks, Golf Field, Railway Field and Lake Field. 

Despite previously writing an open letter to East West Rail and showing their team around our land to see the environmental impact the route will have on the farm, the organisation is still going ahead with its proposed route. 

CRT trustee David Mills MBE said: "East West Rail has chosen the Southern Route, which according to their own consultants is the most expensive and most damaging to the environment. Why? Could it be that everyone involved stands to make a lot more money out of the deal? This is going to be the next HS2 debacle costing an absolute fortune as the costs will inevitably keep rising!"

CRT trustee David Mills MBE. Permission granted by British Wildlife Centre.

CRT Conservation Officer Vince Lea said: “The route will be disastrous for the Cambridgeshire countryside. It is the most expensive of the options previously suggested. It has the greatest impact on biodiversity and on residents of south Cambridgeshire. 

“EWR will take out a vast area of productive farmland, not just under the footprint of the railway line itself but all the surrounding land used during the construction or converted into 'mitigation' features. 

“Despite previously talking to EWR about the environmental impact and sharing the results of our long-term monitoring of the site, with over 20 years of breeding bird surveys, winter bird counts, otter and water vole surveys, butterfly surveys and knowledge of rare arable plants, they have not changed their plans. 

“We will continue to appeal to them during this next consultation process.” 

CRT conservation officer Vince Lea at Westfield. Photo Andrew James.

Farmer Tim Scott at Lark Rise Farm. Photo Ben Stoney.

Tim Scott, tenant farmer at Lark Rise Farm for 30 years, said: “I think the greatest frustration is that EWR’s own consultants said the southern route was the worse choice both from a human and biodiversity impact and they have ignored their consultants and are ploughing ahead with a route that they know is the most damaging of their original proposals. 

“We are in the 24th year of nature recovery at Lark Rise. We have numerous Red List Species, and we are in the top one per cent of our county for these species and most, if not all of these, will be lost because of the railway.” 

To share your views with EWR, see the consultation page at https://eastwestrail.co.uk/consultation2024 

How you can help

Our farmers can’t do it without you. If you want to help us protect local wildlife and help farmers continue to farm in a nature-friendly way, you can support the CRT in any number of ways, from joining as a CRT Friend to volunteering on one of our farms and attending our events. You can also sign-up to our monthly newsletter 'CRT News' for regular updates from our farms, straight to your inbox.

Published: November 2024