The Secretary of State for Transport gives notice under section 14(1)(b), (2A) (3A) and (3AA) of the Transport and Works Act 1992 (“the Act”) that he has determined under section 13(1) of the Act to make with modifications the Network Rail (East West Rail Bicester To Bedford Improvements) Order (“the Order”).

The Order was applied for by Network Rail Infrastructure Limited, (“Network Rail”) of 1 Eversholt Street, London NW1 2DN. It will authorise the construction, operation and maintenance of a railway between Bicester and Bedford, Milton Keynes and Aylesbury, to facilitate the operation of new passenger services between Oxford, Milton Keynes, Aylesbury and Bedford. Copies of the Order, once made, may be obtained from the Stationery Office or through booksellers.

The Secretary of State has, pursuant to section 14(1)(a) of the Act, given notice of his determination by way of a decision letter dated 29 January 2020, copies of which may be obtained from the Transport Infrastructure Planning Unit, Department for Transport, Great Minster House, 33 Horseferry Road, London, SW1P 4DR. That letter gives the reasons for the determination and the considerations upon which it is based; information about the public participation process; and information regarding the right to challenge the validity of the determination and the procedures for doing so.

The Secretary of State confirms that, before making this determination, he considered the environmental statement provided by the applicant and all objections and other representations relating to it, and that he otherwise complied with the obligations referred to in section 14(3A) of the Act. For the purposes of section 14(3AA), he confirms that the main measures to avoid, reduce and, if possible, remedy any major adverse environmental effects are those secured by the planning conditions at Annex 1 of the decision letter.

Susan Anderson, Head of the Transport Infrastructure and Planning Unit, Department for Transport, Great Minster House, 33 Horseferry Road, London SW1P 4DR