Bedford Forum 2020 Vision to be shared together!

Would You Like to See…? (Please Tick)

Ø A new station on the Bedford-Bletchley railway at the Retail Park Kempston? o

Ø Stations North of Bedford? o

Ø Full Pedestrianisation of Bedford High Street and Midland Road for a safer shopping experience? o

Ø Pavement widening, better standards of paving and repair? o

Ø More dedicated off-road cycle paths and networks including through the town centre? o

Ø Distributor Buses serving the railway station and bus station with key places around the town? o

Ø Bus services returned to Tavistock Street, St Peters Street (north side) and Prebend street? o

Ø East-West Rail including Bedford-Sandy-Cambridge via St John’s out of Bedford? o

Ø A new direct rail link between Bedford and Northampton? o

Ø More freight by rail including a plan and vision for road-rail at Forders Sidings off A421? o ~ There is a need to get more lorries off the roads.

If ‘yes’ to any of these, please join ERTA as we want these things too and would welcome your support. Join ERTA and vote with your feet.

By joining and working together with ERTA you open up options for all as well as yourself.

ERTA is a voluntary membership-based association ‘open to all’ We have members and groups working across the English Regions seeking old rail corridor protections to keep options open, seeking a Government sponsored programme of reopenings, rebuilds and select new builds of rail links for local accessibility and new travel by rail options. We want to give choices to car dependency cultures and this capacity creation is vital to ensure:

Ø    Choice, Mobility and Accessibility for all

Ø    More Bus Passes for Under 65’s to give lifestyle choices and cut the cost of car reliance

Ø    Take lorries off the roads and put them back on the rails

Ø    Inform more modal shift

Ø    Cut pollution from fossil fuel exhausts and tyre friction particles from hard surfaces.

Ø    Cleaner air, land saved for other purposes, easing parking demand and cutting congestion

There is a better way for transport and public engagement. Overcrowding and price management techniques have not reduced problems and costs spiralling and only reopening more rail links can problems be eased. Here in Bedford, you would have thought planners could incentivise contracted bus operators to serve the bus and rail station as a part of their regular routes and if that means revision so beit. Likewise, the old chestnut of “you can’t run buses to x street because of congestion” must be challenged to “if you don’t run buses, congestion is compounded”. Likewise, cyclists on pavements could be reduced if we give them more direct route options on segregated paths even through pedestrian zones – speed and consideration notices should be made clear with sanction for abusers. Likewise, the pedestrian should be at the centre of planning not pavement narrowing for widening roads for more traffic adjacent to hospitals and schools. If you agree, join ERTA and let’s work at these contradictions and impediments together.

Join us for our regular Bedford Forum convened at the back of the Pilgrims Progress Wetherspoons on the corner of Midland Road/River Street, Bedford. It is free, no obligations. Discuss in a friendly atmosphere your cares, concerns and aspirations around transport and make common cause/meet like minds. Tuesday February 4^th 2pm lunch, 3-5pm business, Tuesday 3^rd March and Tuesday 5^th May 2020 the same.