It is said that Wisbech is one of the largest towns in the country without a rail link and the proponents of this scheme locally are clear that needs to change if the town is to be regenerated to its former glory. Although the building of a railway link does not (of itself) guarantee prosperity, it is clear that this often forgotten part of Cambridgeshire would benefit significantly.
There are grand plans locally for much-needed improvement of the town centre, and proposals are currently developing for a bid to become a new Garden Town with many thousands of new houses. But as is so often the case, these ambitions will not be realised without high-quality transport infrastructure - and what better infrastructure than a new railway?
In my experience, having a railway in your town is not just about the places it gives access to. It is about image and pride for the local area, and it really can make the difference.
The experience of Wisbech is repeated up and down the country, and for me it shows that the critical factors in delivering these sort of schemes are simply determination and clear purpose. Places like Wisbech are not necessarily the obvious ones for Network Rail or the Department for Transport to invest their scarce resources - there are clearly bigger and higher profile projects around. However, just look at the growth potential that can be unlocked by what are relatively modest investments, and the picture starts to change.
Wisbech for example, could be just 40 minutes by train from the tech and employment hot spot of Cambridge, where thousands of new jobs are being created every year but where average house prices are up to four times those in Wisbech. Cambridge is an area where major companies such as drugs giant AstraZeneca are moving in, but it is increasingly hard for them to find affordable accommodation for their employees. So Wisbech has a key role to play in the continued growth and prosperity of Cambridge, which in turn has never been more vital for the overall economic prospects for our country.
However, these are the measures that are not picked up in traditional scheme appraisal, which in the past has been focused very much in terms of direct costs and benefits from schemes. Having been involved in this business for many years now, I’ve seen lots of good schemes fail just because the narrowly defined Benefit:Cost Ratio does not meet set levels, despite the obvious wider and social benefits.
Thankfully things are changing now, and new methodologies being accepted by the DfT are now taking account of these ‘Wider Economic Benefits’ in scheme appraisal. This is likely to bring about a rebalancing between the very large and expensive projects and the smaller ones that do not have the headline impacts but which, in their own way, provide significant benefit.
Of course, this does not mean that schemes like Wisbech Rail are a done deal - they do still need to show value for public money. But it does allow the full story to be told and the real benefits to be highlighted. And looking at the case for Wisbech, it does in my view show the very strong case for the scheme. The regeneration benefits and contribution to broader national economic objectives are such that I am looking forward to the time soon when it cannot be said that Wisbech is the largest town without a rail connection, but instead one that has flourished in the new age of rail.
