3 ms·
Travel between Oxford and Cambridge is a great example of how busted the UK transport network is outside big cities. They're about 80 miles apart, as the crow f
by jameshart 11y ago
Travel between Oxford and Cambridge is a great example of how busted the UK transport network is outside big cities. They're about 80 miles apart, as the crow flies. By road, there's no decent east-west connections so it's a good 2 hour drive. By train, it's even worse - the shortest route is typically going to involve travelling into London, changing stations via tube, then heading back out on another line - probably a three hour train journey with two connections.
Reopening the Oxford/Cambridge trainline (and by extension Cambridge/Oxford/Reading) would be a huge boost to the development of the UK tech industry, connecting academic centers to tech hubs.
- spacecowboy_lon 11y agoAs some one who lives in the area the main problem is they built over the line between Bedford to Cambridge.
- timthorn 11y agoI know! Blasted radio telescopes... :)
- edward 11y ago"East West Rail Link is a planned railway route linking the Great Western Main Line, Oxford, Bicester, Milton Keynes, Bedford, Cambridge, Ipswich and Norwich in England using part of the former Varsity Line. The western section from Oxford to Bedford was approved by the Government in November 2011, with completion expected in 2019." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_West_Rail_Link https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_West_Rail_Link
- makomk 11y agoIt's been obviously necessary for decades yet the Government dragged their feet on it, and they're not even planning on constructing the segment into Cambridge yet. In the meantime, Cambridge house prices have gone through the roof due to a combination of a lack of transport links and programs to encourage new businesses there, and the Government has committed huge amounts of funds to HS2, which is yet another line out of London running in parallel to existing lines. Coincidentally, traveling in and out of London is the main kind of travel our politicians do. Also coincidentally, the Beeching cuts seemed to hit cross-country lines that didn't directly benefit London the hardest too.
- gsnedders 11y ago> the Government has committed huge amounts of funds to HS2, which is yet another line out of London running in parallel to existing lines FWIW, HS2 is mostly about increasing capacity, hence why it is parallel to existing lines. It moves intercity travel off the very busy WCML, which is near capacity, and is projected to remain near capacity after the opening of HS2 due to increase in commuter services and freight on the line.
- madaxe_again 11y agoBeeching mostly hurt rural communities, but he absolutely murdered Wales's transport network. What were 20 minute journeys now require a 200 mile circuit via England. Here's a (spammy, sorry) article that illustrates just how mad it was and is. http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/7-ways-beeching-cuts-stitched-6934180 http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/7-ways-beeching... All on the idea that people would drive to a main line station, park, then catch a train. Except they never actually thought that, beeching and his chums were taking, uh, considerations, from the automotive lobby, just like his predecessors did when they ripped out the trams. Cars suck for distance travel. Where did we ever get the idea otherwise?
- alimw 11y agoA link to Oxford isn't going to help house prices much, they are just as high there!
- pjc50 11y agoEven the North Cambridge station would be a great improvement, as Cambridge traffic is badly limited by bridge capacity.
- rocky1138 11y agoThis puts me in mind of what life is like here in Ontario, Canada. To travel by rail or bus between Waterloo and Niagara Falls requires a stop in Toronto and a layover. It's ~1.5 hours by car or ~7 by bus (and more expensive).