THE Transport Secretary has already failed on his general election pledge to review plans for a multi-billion road scheme, campaigners have said.

Conservative MP Grant Shapps has reportedly refused to meet with representatives from the most prominent campaign against the Oxford-Cambridge Expressway, despite asking them to get in touch after last year's election.

The MP for Welwyn Hatfield promised in November last year that the Tories would carry out a ‘priority review’ of the Expressway scheme if the Conservatives won a majority in December's General Election - which they went on to do.

He said at the time: “We will not allow the scheme to proceed if there is not a strong case that it will boost jobs, prosperity and has local support.”

But when contacted recently by the No Expressway Group (NEG), a representative from Mr Shapps’ office said that ‘due to diary pressures’ he would be ‘unable to commit to a meeting on this occasion’.

Proposed by Highways England, the £3.5 billion road plan would link Oxford and Cambridge via a corridor where one million homes could be built.

The National Infrastructure Commission has said the road could unlock areas for new homes and boost local economy.

However, Expressway opponents claim that the scheme’s business case is built on ‘over-inflated housing targets’ that would have a ‘devastating’ effect on the environment and public health, and the proposal has been met with opposition from residents likely to be affected.

Oxford Mail:

NEG spokesman Olivia Field said: “It is really disappointing that, having been asked to contact the Transport Secretary again after the election, we have now been told he is ‘unable to commit to a meeting’

“We would like him to reconsider as people all along the Ox-Cam Arc are really frustrated and deeply concerned about this scheme and need clarity of what is happening and when.

“They were told there would be a priority review but no information has been forthcoming, and no time has been made available to discuss this with NEG.”

The campaign has been in contact with MPs along the Arc to asking them to intercede with Mr Shapps on their behalf and to ask again that he meets with the NEG.

Ms Field added: “When Grant Shapps announced the priority review of the Oxford to Cambridge Expressway, he said he had concerns about the benefits of the scheme being ‘finely balanced against its costs’ and that if re-elected he would review the scheme as it might not be worth going ahead with it.

“NEG has conducted a forensic analysis of the government documents and agree the business case published by Highways England in September 2018 is very weak indeed.

“We would welcome the opportunity to discuss the findings of our analysis with Grant Shapps.”

Mr Shapps' office was contacted for a comment on the NEG's claims.