Sunday, 13 October 2019

Northampton Forum Minutes 08-10-19


Minutes of Northampton Forum Tuesday 8th October 2019 at the Quakers Meeting Room, Wellington street, Northampton NN1 3AS

Present: Simon Barber, Mike Cockerill, Richard Pill, James Sorrie, 
Norman Bonham and Tony Bush.

1. Chairman’s Welcome – by Simon Barber.
2. Apologies: David Ferguson, Colin Crawford, Pat Mayall and Tim Page.
3. Minutes of the last meeting. These were read out. David and Tony have no report on their under takings which remain to be followed up.  We still need to get more active people in the Northampton area.
4. Northampton’s Strategic Position and why it needs comprehensive re-railing:
Access to Luton/Airport, Thameslink, Eurostar St Pancras and East-West East and vice versa those audiences to Northampton is why a new Northampton-Brackmills-Bedford rail link is required. Passenger and freight access by rail more.
5. Northampton-Market Harborough: Consultation on reopening has been out to feedback. Blockages to be overcome though and accommodating the existing preserved operation at Brampton. @disusedrailwaysandstationsinNorthamptonshire is a site one of the attendees cited as worth a perusal.
6. Northampton-Bedford: WSP Consultants recommended reopening to MK Council in a mobility study. However intrusive development is making the chances of a reopening and station accommodation prohibitive at Olney except a bypass. file:///C:/Users/User/Downloads/MK%20TIDP%20Final%20(June%202019)%20CONSULTATION.pdf summarises it.
7. Daventry rail link: Members of the public have raised it. Population 84, 484 and growing without any rail link or station nearby. It is between WCML and GC corridor, so something could be done if supported in principle to serve this growing population. Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daventry_District
8. Role for Light Rail from a somewhere to a somewhere via a somewhere:  This was discussed but conventional rails seemed more of a priority.
9. Regenerating town centres – ideas and realities: Discussed, better rail links needed.
10. Great Central, Roade and Castlethorpe: Roade needs a new station.
11. Any Other Business – any new members/offers to be an area rep: None but something to keep working on. Simon had had a letter published in the local Chronicle Newspaper and this was welcomed.
12. Day, Date, Time and Place of next meeting: Saturday 22nd February 2020 1.30pm set up, 2-4 core meeting, 4.30pm out. A speaker and earlier/better marketing would be sought by Simon.


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