Hope! Local Rail Reopenings must be factored in more!

Although a mothballed freight only line majoritively, usage has exceeded expectations and more is following! https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c3017893z8vo

Yesterday we had a discussion and presented a talk to key people at West Northamptonshire Council on despite being part of the arc, the lack radial links means disenfranchisement, whilst 'if we do' study, work up candidacy and even get one of three done, Northamptonshire will gain aggregately more than status quo, high demand, capacity restriction on current networks and gaps meaning people drive with consequences for all. 

It is the rebuild agenda which is lagging in policy and capacity enhancements elsewhere beit Colne-Skipton and Burscough Curves Northern, and much model repetition elsewhere. Build new does create capacity, but reopenings, connectivity as well as capacity.

Please help BRTA and make a donation to our work: https://brtarail.com/become-a-member/

BRTA has a need for more people involved - we are too thin on the ground and nationwide is stretching us for want of more people involved and financial resources to do a modicum of what is needed.

Elsewhere Peak Rail, Woodhead, Guildford-Cranleigh-Horsham and over the borders the West Wales Main North-South Line (or variants of) and Stranraer-Dumfries all need more people and resources. 

Government demands for high-sided Business Cases are but a costly, time consuming and complicated (for lay people) exercise and delay projects, combined with additional ORR rulings against Level Crossings which are ok if properly maintained and not abused by road users (education). Special dispensations where the lie of the land rules out bridging or duck-unders, should be pepped up to lower reopenings costs and boost spread of them. Can people email their MP's for that (we can provide examples) and choose, a nationwide local rail connectivity programme and move wasted funding away from projects which are solely road like Lower Thames Crossing, now estimated at £11 billion and several years delay and other road enhancements which cost loads, land-take and guzzle, with negatives like emissions/pollution/delays and move to cascade that money to rail-based solutions for more people and freight by rail.

https://members.parliament.uk/members/commons?sort=1

Tempsford, Northampton and East-West with connective rail linkages needed.

Tempsford invasion without scruples thinking through! Welcome to dumbed down planning! 

re: https://www.mylondon.news/news/property/plans-massive-new-london-commuter-33194443?utm_term=Autofeed&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook#Echobox=1768048048

Don't be fooled by rhetoric. 

The Northampton arm to EWRL is vital and we should push for it. Key people are opposing covertly our route east of Bedford and Northern Route east of Bedford. Both land at the Tempsford area, but with no physical rail links with ECML (the main north-south main line), through running south of Peterborough to Bedford or Cambridge, north of Stevenage and East Beds direct to Bedford/Oxford corridor is ruled out. 

That is much less-than what we wanted and reduced to dynamic appeal for Universal, yes people will come from all directions, but York to Universal for example requires a change and a wait for another train and vice versa unless they access Bedford/Wixams via the Midland Main Line and how much capacity has it got and what about freight by rail? 

In short, it has not been thought through. Some of our leaders are being duplicitous and the rail should have been better thought through with interjections of "this is what we want, this is how to do it" than following East West Rail and the culture of secrecy around it playing blind man's bluff!

There's very little BRTA can do now, but follow the unravelling of events and see the curtain come down on our route, locking in Northern Route or bust. 

In any case, more will drive to Universal than would otherwise be the case, congestion gridlock highly likely for the foreseeable future and massive land take for parking demand will be a political call. The council and poor government detailed planning have only themselves to blame. The public can only vote on what is put before them, our route was ruled out of the 2019 Consultation; so the public could not have a proper say anyway. The rest is history.

Oxford-Milton Keynes shame, but RMT has a good point!

re: https://www.gbnews.com/news/british-rail-line-costing-ps1-3-billion-left-unused-for-over-a-year-as-labour-accused-of-having-no-plan

It would be laughable if not so sad for all who have tirelessly worked to get the passenger service off the ground. 

One freighter a day, is that each way or one-way ad hoc? 

We need a better marketing strategy to optimise the potential including the Aylesbury link for South Bucks to MK and ultimately Universal and Bedford and beyond, not just east-west, but north-south to/from east-west as well. 

Please email your MP and demand the parties involved are made to go to ACAS or whatever and come to a compromise sooner than later. https://www.parliament.uk/get-involved/contact-an-mp-or-lord/contact-your-mp/

As for rolling stock, this is a nationwide problem as we need a new generation of sprinters and a rolling programme of electrification with more battery trains too, especially if reopenings are to add to the mix of cleaner modal transport choices.

For other BRTA news, please scroll down our excellent Blogspot, containing a wealth of information. info@brtarail.com 

See: https://brtarailvolunteer.blogspot.com/

re: https://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/news/transport/two-former-railway-lines-could-be-reopened-in-northampton-as-well-as-construction-of-major-road-according-to-reforms-latest-draft-plans-5463909

I attach a new diagram BRTA has put together to show what an emergent rail network should look like, inclusive of Northampton. Choices pro and default have to be made and all have positive or negative consequences. If we support studies and make the case to re-rail, then more will visit the area including Universal at 8-million visitors per year and 26, 000 jobs sustainably. If we do not grasp this, we render all to go by road and massive land-take for car parks and highway development with urban gridlock and overwhelm beit congestion, delays, costs, pollution and ill-health/blight. This can be avoided with optimal regeneration. Please work with us and give us your support for a pro-rail future, not more of the same exacerbated.

Yours sincerely,

Richard Pill

BRTA CEO

https://brtarail.com/b2n/

West Northampton Window of Opportunity?

Unexpected media coverage in Northampton: 

https://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/news/transport/two-former-railway-lines-could-be-reopened-in-northampton-as-well-as-construction-of-major-road-according-to-reforms-latest-draft-plans-5463909

Map of wished-for-direction!

West Northampton Window of Opportunity?

#re: https://westnorthants.citizenspace.com/place/transport-strategy-and-action-plans-consultation/

Better late than never! We need a new study updated for a Northampton-Bedford rail link (part of Thameslink extension?) to ensure Northampton 40 minute transit times to Universal (Wixams new station) to a Theme Park estimated to offer 26, 000 jobs and court 8-million visitors per year. 

Likewise, we need that new rail link with new routing options (consult us!) to bolt on/have an arm direct to the new east-west rail link design going east for direct Northampton-Cambridge transits (passenger and freight) to be included, not disenfranchised!

Please email your local MP: 

https://members.parliament.uk/members/commons?sort=1

 in support of our calls, respond to the consultation and help BRTA usher the agenda along. Join BRTA: https://brtarail.com/become-a-member/

Some BRTA representatives may be having a meeting with the council on how we can respectively work collaboratively together. Our priorities are:

1. Updated studies as to business case and feasibility with routing options and how to overcome engineering and routing considerations like a new route north of Olney (A509/A428 corridors) - previous studies showed potential.

2. Pooling time, talent and resources in coalition/statement of common agreement with other councils and agencies to take the project forward. Not 2050 retro-thought, but start now in earnest as we mean to go on to catch up and engage to the full to ensure the Northampton area gets its full share with the strategic local and inter-regional rail benefits which informs regeneration and benefits off the rails too! Modal choices, modal shift, lower emissions, better health, quality of life and speeding up end-to-end timings on and off the rails, cutting congestion through what rail can offer.

3. Ensuring land north of Bromham enables a railway, not developed over and also land for a flyover from the west to enable Thameslink/other trains into Bedford Midland from the north onto the slow lines. A second bridge across the River Great Ouse may also be needed for these purposes as well.

BRTA follows the utilisation theory, which is 'if it is provided, people and goods can opt for rail more, if it isn't they can't and so are disenfranchised.' 

It would also inform a Bletchley-Bedford-Northampton loop for non time critical operations off main lines. That should incentivise Milton Keynes Central to collaborate as it would create a few more paths on the West Coast Main Line between Northampton and Bletchley.

The above is part of the BRTA feedback-response, but Professor Andrew N. Williams and his Northampton Team will surely do more and lead on it at the grassroots level for the specifics regarding Northampton aspirations. 

Things have moved on in the last 10 years with development growth, new rail-linked depots, DIRFT expansion, more people and goods demanding rail access and the legacy of past mistakes 'building new towns bolted onto old ones doubling size, but removing the rail links at one and the same time' for example.

Happy New Year btw. Pray it is a year of hope, realism and re-railing!

Yours sincerely,

Richard Pill

BRTA CEO

https://brtarail.com/b2n/

BRTA London-wide (M25 cordoned) Forum 31-01-2026

BRTA London-wide Forum will take place on Saturday, 31 January 2026 at the Barrel Vault, St.Pancras https://www.jdwetherspoon.com/pubs/all-pubs/england/london/the-barrel-vault-st-pancras at 2pm lunch and 3-5pm business.

Agenda:

1.  Appointment of a chair (not Simon)

2.  Apologies for absence

3.  Lower Thames River Crossing;

4.  Dudding Hill Line;

5.  Old Oak Common; Heathrow Southern & Western Railways; Docklands Light Railway;

6.  Chessington Line extension to Leatherhead/Epsom; Crossrail 2 (SW-NE);

7.  Croxley Link; 

8.   Muswell Hill Metro/Extend LU Lines;

9.   London Orbital Railways

10.              Light Rapid Transits (LRT/Trams) Networks should be allowed to grow organically via local including Central London and Docklands Extension via North Circular Reform to Brent Cross Railway Station.

11.              Any Other Business

12.              Day, Date, Time and Place of Next Meeting.

Note: The London Forum is to discuss things within M25 cordons, not outside generally. 12 items is enough per meeting.

Agenda for the BRTA London-wide Forum. All welcome on a first come, first served basis. It should generally stick to M25 cordons for defining London with the exception of Lower Thames Crossing and the Croxley Link. If you want to meet in a hall or other venue, make suggestions to Simon and be willing to join, offer to serve as a volunteer and help resource the cost of public meetings. If you agree with any of our calls, please email your local MP: https://members.parliament.uk/members/commons?sort=1

Please engage with this consultation!

Please engage with this consultation!

re: https://www.gmconsult.org/transport/transport2050/

Please refer to our Northern Page on our website for ideas to suggest studying, progressing and support for: https://brtarail.com/northern-england/

We at BRTA appreciate feedback. It seems the North gets very little/glacial in terms of reopenings currently. Much ado is made of Trans-Pennine Upgrades and Powerhouse High Speed agendas, but beyond that, LRT speculations and routine maintenance drummed up as 'investment' and 'renewals'; it is capacity and enabling more by rail for people and goods and filling missing links with new or reopened rails, Manchester and Sheffield, Leeds and Blackpool need more, better and diversity of rail services more. Orbitals for some conurbations like Manchester are needed. Please engage as individuals and organisations and let's get the North getting a fairer share to help move a comprehensive plan forward to 'within our lifetimes' not mere jam tomorrow!

Please remind friends/organisations that joining BRTA, working with BRTA and taking up BRTA's ideas, could also be advantageous and helps resource our endeavours.

Yours sincerely,

Richard Pill

BRTA BRTA

http://donvalleyrailway.org/

Lower Thames Road Tunnel Concerns

re: https://transportactionnetwork.org.uk/opening-of-privatised-lower-thames-crossing-motorway-delayed-to-2034/

It is BRTA's view this should be a solely rail-based scheme arcing East Anglia/Norwich/Cambridge rail network with a link between Stansted and Colchester/Braintree as well to Kent/Canterbury and the Channel Tunnel and vice versa for passenger and freight. Unless the government picks up on this, it will be catastrophic for yet more congestion, emissions, delays, spiralling costs and land-take, which is a premium for multiple and sometimes conflicting demands of land-use and allocations.

BRTA would ask those who agree with us, to email their MP's and if one MP gets more than 5 such emails, they have to look into it apparently and maybe the government can start listening as well? https://members.parliament.uk/members/commons?sort=1

Likewise, the River Severn boasts 2 road bridges, but just one Victorian Tunnel for rail, when rail should be taking more and more traffic from roads, but lacks capability and capacity to do so. BRTA suggests a River Severn Rail Bridge (twin track) to enable more passenger and freight by rail and boost the environment, the economies of England and Wales and speed-up end-to-end timings?

Elsewhere in Scotland, a new Solway Rail Link and Viaduct would give a bypass to Carlisle for everything and on the Far North Line, a revisiting of the Dornoch Crossing, would give more flexibility tot hat lines operations and choices. 

The road lobby always includes extras in its lists of scheme, knowing some will always get through; rail just seems to stick with bare necessities and cascades down other candidates, which as the Borders Rail Project has shown, punches above their weight in exceeding all predicted usage in a mainly rural setting.

Yes, Cirecester's of this world and Ross-on-Wye and elsewhere need a national programme of local rail reopenings and a policy of switching to rail as much as possible, both policy direction and funding towards local rail solutions, reopenings and existing line capacity enhancements like needed at Northampton, Bedford and Leicester for example.

Richard Pill

BRTA CEO

https://brtarail.com/events/ 

Press Release email on Universal Theme Park Gets Approval! Better radial rails also needed.

Updated Media Coverage 17-12-2025:

https://www.bedfordindependent.co.uk/rail-campaigners-say-bedfords-universal-theme-park-must-come-with-fit-for-purpose-rail-connections/

and

re: https://www.bedfordindependent.co.uk/universal-theme-park-chief-thanks-bedford-for-support-after-government-green-light/

The Government has given the Theme Park the go ahead. Now the real work begins. 2031 opening (?) and the main line railway station east side and the revamped East-West Rail Station at Kempston Hardwick (incorporating Stewartby?) on the northern flank - will Bedford-Oxford passenger services be running by then? 

BRTA is sad the East-West Rail project heralds the potential end of 4 halts (small stations) and the hourly shuttle passenger service. Moreover, will Ridgmont Station be moved to the west side of the M1 and what of access to or from it for the Heritage Centre which has announced closure of its coffee shop due to it being unviable? This, on the cusp of 8-million visitors projected to Universal Theme Park Bedfordshire?

BRTA is also concerned that Northampton is being disenfranchised from sharing the benefits of direct rail access to the Theme Park by Rail and that of a direct rail arcing to link Northampton to East-West Rail Northern Route or Bedford Thameslink slow line services at Bedford Midland, as designs do not factor the Northampton interest and beneficiary in. This must change, designs must include Northampton to and from all these exciting benefits and Northampton benefitting as well in terms of commuting, jobs and regeneration contributions to and from the town in terms of a new radial rail link between Bedford and Northampton with direct services between Bedford/Universal and Birmingham for example. 

This has not been very well thought through and BRTA calls for it to be from NOW, as this once in a generation coming together of the Universal Project and East-West Rail can inform if it is inclusive.

Richard Pill, CEO and BRTA Area Rep said "BRTA welcomes both these projects and the prospect of a 'fit for purpose' new Bedford Midland Railway Station able to deal with the volume of trains, tracks, passengers and freight they will court. Yes, we have not got the rail route we wanted east of Bedford which required far less-than any properties the Northern Rail Route may demand, but railway is a railway and this new Universal development will underscore the Bedford area as a dynamic area to visit, invest and respect of significance in the region.Getting choices to roads as a default is vital if emissions are to be kept down and gridlock avoided." 

End of Press Release.

BRTA will watch and interject as these things unfold. Stations North of Bedford should also be looked at to reduce the volume of traffic along the A6, create more parking capacity in North Bedfordshire nearer to where people live and cut overall journey times. A study should be invested in to explore the merit, benefit and make an appeal to the government in a growth context requiring adequate and joined-up infrastructure.

Yours sincerely,

Richard Pill

BRTA CEO

01234 225068

https://brtarail.com/our-campaigns/