East West Rail have announced the route for the Bedford – Cambridge section. It is for Route 1. This is the option preferred by Abbotsley Parish Council and was submitted as the Parish Council’s consultation response in June 2021.
Please see the map below from East West Rail for the chosen route.
If you would like further information, please visit: www.eastwestrail.co.uk
Thank you so much to the 16 volunteers who met on Sunday 2nd April 2023 for the Abbotsley Parish Council Litter Pick, to collect other people’s rubbish left behind.
An enormous 48 bags of rubbish were gathered, leaving Abbotsley looking so much cleaner than before.
We are very grateful to you all for giving up your time to improve our village.
Residents recently planted the tree ordered by the Parish Council in 2022 to mark the Platinum Jubilee of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. This is a 3m red oak tree and has been set in an area of the Playing Field. You will see the plaque commemorating the event next to it.
The tree has been logged with the Queen’s Green Canopy which is a nationwide initiative created to mark the Platinum Jubilee. Over a million trees were planted in Her Majesty’s name across the nation during the first planting season, October 2021 to March 2022. Many more have since been planted and the Parish Council is pleased to be part of this initiative. The interactive map created by The Queen’s Green Canopy details the planting projects across the United Kingdom.
A piece of history. Abbotsley took part in the co-ordinated reading of the Proclamation across the United Kingdom, as has happened for many centuries before. The video is to be found below.
You may have heard of the recent government initiative The Ox-Cam Arc.
This is the link to the government paper on this:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/oxford-cambridge-arc/oxford-cambridge-arc
The following statement is the response to the intiative from Abbotsley Parish Council.
Abbotsley is a rural village which has faced several threats to its character and charm. The Parish Council is very keen to maintain the rural nature of the village and not see this negatively affected. The character of the village should be respected. Residents and communities should continue to be well supported with services in the local area. New development, and therefore new residents, should not compromise current residents.
Garden villages proposed in the local area need planned infrastructure to support them. This needs to be delivered in a coherent and coordinated manner without impinging on services designed for and serving existing residents. Without this, the needs of existing residents will not be met.
The Parish Council is seriously concerned that the proposed huge growth in population in this area will forever change the character of this part of the country in a negative way. This will be to the detriment of current residents and also to generations going forward.
Abbotsley Parish Council strongly objects to the OxCam Arc.
This was agreed at the Parish Council meeting held on 11th November 2021.
Below is the response sent from Abbotsley Parish Council to the Route Alignment consultation. The deadline is 9th June 2021. Individuals are invited to respond at consultation@eastwestrail.co.uk
Abbotsley Parish Council’s preferred route is Route Alignment 1.
Abbotsley Parish Council is very concerned that the nearest proposed routes to Abbotsley, both Route Alignment 6 and Route Alignment 8, would be within 100m of the nearest house. In addition, this route would create a very unwelcome physical barrier between the villages of Abbotsley, Great Gransden and Waresley. It would also make a physical division within local farmland and so would make farming the land impossible.
The Parish Council agrees that is makes best sense for the route to follow the A428 road route along the corridor, and the northern way seems most appropriate.
There is no preference for the location of the stations.
Councillors were unanimous that there is no reason to cut through open countryside. The Parish Council is very worried about the visual impact that following this route would have. Of even greater concern is the possible ecological damage, should the proposed route be established at the south.
Abbotsley Parish Council is unhappy that East West Rail is still proposing a diesel line than electric. There is also concern for the future that there will be freight traffic introduced once the line is established.
It was agreed that in the post-covid era with new and adapted work practices, the need for rail travel for commuting should be questioned and completely re-evaluated. Surely this need is now very much reduced and it was asked if this line is even necessary.
Volunteers came to plant five new fruit trees this week at the Playing Field. These replace a willow that had been lost recently. Ties and stakes were added to ensure that the trees are best supported.