Oxford-Cambridge expressway delay 'may accelerate' significance of M1-A6 link road north of Luton

Delaying the Oxford Cambridge Expressway may accelerate the significance of the M1-A6 link road north of Luton, a meeting heard.
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The road linking the two university cities has been put on hold, it was revealed in the Budget statement.

But the Oxford Cambridge Arc is still expected to go ahead at some point, a meeting of Central Bedfordshire Council’s sustainable communities scrutiny committee was told.

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Community services director Marcel Coiffait said: “What has been paused is the expressway, not the Ox Cam Arc, which is a collection of local authorities and the Local Enterprise Partnerships, as well as other interested parts of central government.

A map of the approved M1-A6 link road north of LutonA map of the approved M1-A6 link road north of Luton
A map of the approved M1-A6 link road north of Luton

“The expressway, which is a road project, has been paused. The arc is much bigger than that.”

Independent Toddington councillor Mary Walsh questioned the impact of the expressway on the approved M1-A6 link road, as well as on proposed housing development in Central Bedfordshire.

In response, Mr Coiffait said that the M1-A6 link road is not part of the OxCam Arc.

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He said: “There is a question, as you rightly say, about the Expressway and about investment in the A1 in how that relates to our current Local Plan submission.

“It potentially has an impact on housing development beyond the Local Plan.

“The expressway is an interesting concept. The vast majority of that route infrastructure in Central Bedfordshire already exists.

“The A421 would have been a link of the expressway. That is there already.”

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Councillor Walsh responded: “The application for the M1-A6 link road referenced the OxCam Arc. You can’t say it had nothing to do with it.

“The idea is to connect both ends of that curve in order to supply the OxCam Arc.”

Mr Coffait then stated that the M1-A6 link road may become more significant if the expressway is paused, and therefore more likely to go ahead.