Latest News and Events

A bold new strategy enabling the region's transport system to underpin a green recovery from COVID-19 and support sustainable economic growth has been launched today (July 14) for consultation.

The Draft Transport Strategy has been produced by England's Economic Heartland, the Sub-national Transport Body covering Swindon across to Cambridgeshire, and Northamptonshire down to Hertfordshire.

A global hub for science and technology businesses, the Heartland is a net contributor to the …

Connectivity is central to the way we live our lives; in fact, the modern world thrives on connectivity. It influences our decisions on where we live, the jobs we have and where we socialise. There isn't a day which goes by where we don't all, in some way, connect with others or to the services we need.

But what do we mean by connectivity? The challenge in defining connectivity is …

The COVID19 pandemic has demonstrated our ability, as a nation, to achieve fundamental shifts in travel behaviour at scale and at pace. If the necessity and will is there, then change applied consistently at scale is not only possible but deliverable.

During this time, the impact on emissions has been significant. UK carbon emissions were down 31% in April when the most stringent of lockdown restrictions were in place.  That's …

By virtue of its location at the core of the country's rail network, spanning six of its most important main lines, the Heartland is perfectly positioned to drive forward a railway resurgence as the means of delivering a green recovery.

It's an area of national importance for the railway, with our nationally important cities and towns drawing labour from external economies and the region itself acting as a gateway for …

The EEH team is supporting colleagues and each other through these challenging times, but we're also not losing focus on global environmental challenges – in particular decarbonising the transport system. 

Recently the Department for Transport published a report on how it will develop a decarbonisation strategy. We welcome the Sectary of State's vision and the recognition that there will need to be a fundamental change to the way we all …

The recent announcement by Government to bring forward the ban on selling new petrol and diesel cars is perhaps even more significant than it might appear on first reading.

From a manufacturer perspective the life-cycle for one of their products is 5-7 years: that's the frequency with which they typically refresh or update their product.  Perhaps more importantly many of the new vehicles joining the road are 'bought' on personal …

Today (Tuesday 4 February) the Secretary of State for Transport approved Network Rail’s Transport and Works Act Order application, granting permission for work to begin on the next phase of East West Rail.

The TWAO grants permission for track and signalling upgrades between Bicester, Bedford, Aylesbury and Milton Keynes, including reinstating a disused section of railway between Bletchley and Claydon Junction, north of Aylesbury Vale Parkway.

Mayor Dave Hodgson, Chair …

Press release by Highways England

Proposals to transform one of the East of England's busiest roads have received strong backing from members of the public responding to a recent consultation.

Highways England is proposing to replace the Black Cat roundabout in Bedfordshire with a new, free-flowing junction and create a new 10-mile dual carriageway linking it to a redesigned Caxton Gibbet junction, replacing the only remaining section of single carriageway …

England's Economic Heartland has welcomed the East West Railway Company's announcement on its preferred route between Bedford and Cambridge (January 30).

Following last year's public consultation, 'Route E' ("Bedford Midland – south of St Neots/ Tempsford area – Cambourne – Cambridge") has been selected by the East West Railway Company as the route of the scheme's 'central section', which connects to the 'western section' between Oxford and Bedford, and Aylesbury …