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Milton Keynes Conservatives have hit back at yesterday’s (29th January) announcement from Labour Chancellor Rachel Reeves about reviving the Oxford-Cambridge Growth Corridor, calling it a ‘repackaging of Conservative achievements with no new commitments or clarity’
They argue that key infrastructure projects that underpin this so-called “revival” were delivered under Conservative leadership such as:
- The East West Rail (EWR) extension from Bicester to Bletchley was completed under the Conservatives and will open to passengers this June.
- The A428 dualling from MK to Cambridge, commissioned under a Conservative government, is already underway and will be completed in 2027.
- The Oxford-MK Expressway was cancelled under the Conservatives to focus investment on localised road improvements and rail links, including the EWR link between Oxford and Milton Keynes.
- The MK Conservatives are fully committed to the next stage of EWR, linking Bletchley to Bedford with five major stations along the route.
Conservative Group Leader Cllr Shazna Muzammil said:
“We welcome the renewed spotlight on the Oxford-Cambridge Growth Corridor, but it would be misleading not to acknowledge that the Conservative government laid the foundations for this vision; securing transport links, upgrading roads, and driving investment in science, technology, and education. The Conservative government invested heavily in Milton Keynes, recognising its potential as a hub for business and technology. They also provided £22.7 million for Bletchley and Fenny Stratford, maximising the area’s strategic location at the intersection of key rail lines, including East West Rail.”
Despite claiming to invest in the Oxford-Cambridge corridor, Labour has failed to provide any clarity on key issues surrounding East West Rail. The local Conservatives ask:
- Where is the promised funding? The Chancellor said EWR is fully funded, yet there have been suggestions that stations will need to rely on ‘third party funding’.
- Why is EWR withholding highways impact data? Residents deserve to know how their local roads will be affected.
- Why won’t EWR hold a second event in Woburn Sands? The recent drop-in session was so overcrowded that many residents were unable to speak to representatives.
- How long will Woburn Sands be cut off? The estimated 25-minute barrier downtime per hour at the level crossing doesn’t even include the time needed for queues to clear.
- Where is the plan for a bridge at Bow Brickhill? Local communities need solutions, not more delays.
Cllr Muzammil added “Labour’s rehashed plans come with no details, no clear commitments, and no guarantees for our local communities—just more spin and empty headlines.
MK does not need a grand Labour relaunch. It needs clarity, infrastructure, and investment, all of which were already set in motion by the Conservative leadership long before this announcement”.
Cllr David Hopkins, the Conservative spokesperson at MK City Council for Strategic Growth and ward member for Danesborough and Walton, comments:
‘I am delighted that the labour government finally accepts that the initiatives being delivered by the Conservatives were and continue to deliver for Milton Keynes. Local economic growth can only be achieved if the whole of the Oxford/Cambridge economy is firing on all cylinders.
MK City Council will have a critical and unique role in delivering local growth across all sectors and our local businesses and communities and are already driving growth - working with new and established businesses, supporting jobseekers, planning regeneration to ensure no area is left behind and improving infrastructure. Continued government investment, delivered over many years by the Conservatives and now being endorsed by Labour in our local economy and people is key to supporting long term sustainable, inclusive economic growth which in itself brings increased prosperity to every part of the Oxford to Cambridge region’