Good news for fans of Scorched Earth Policy.
Following his swift departure from the Tory leadership election, Grant Shapps has now announced the demise of East West Rail.
This via Cambridgeshire News:
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps says the remaining stages of the East West Rail project should be cancelled. He made the statement during an interview with LBC...
When asked what he would do if he was in charge, he said: "I would cut East West Rail on what's called two and three, the second and third stages. The charges of it, it would save £3-5 million."
This genuinely exciting new cross country railway, aims to restore the lost direct route linking Oxford to Cambridge, serving growing regions in-between and offering new direct connections between the GWML, WCML, MML, ECML and East Anglia
"Oxbridge" are famed university cities, with global reputations for research, innovation and world beating future technology.
So DfT will restrict the first part of the newly reopened route to errr... diesel traction!
With the smallest of vision, the first part of this new railway reconnecting Oxford and Bletchley, might also have offered a simpler, better railway to passengers and Railfreight customers from across Britain, especially those seeking a direct route between East & West - avoiding congested routes into and out of London?
In happier news, post reshuffle, Pilot Michael Green can always swiftly fly to speedily address audiences in both Oxford & Cambridge, as well as points in-between; aerodromes and traffic allowing.
Just as well, as Eye hears Senior Common Room invitations may now be less abundant...