Monday, 30 December 2019

ERTA Calls for the re-railing and rebuilding of the Northampton Brackmills Branch!

ERTA Calls for the re-railing and rebuilding of the Northampton Brackmills Branch!
The English Regional Transport Association believes there is a strong case for re-railing the Brackmills Branch as a piece of railway infrastructure. Benefits of so doing could include:
Ø    An out of town park and ride could be established to give more parking capacity off the A45/A428 into the town centre and main railway station of Northampton
Ø    A drive for getting the big players located at Brackmills Industrial Estate to club together and explore sending more freight by rail. Being off main lines, it keeps existing tracks open for more trains.
Ø    If the Northampton-Market Harborough line reopens with a local service to Leicester, trains could wait over on the capacity and land the Brackmills Branch enables.
Ø    Special Trains, Heritage Operations, running around trains, the branch could help existing lines operational efficiency.
Ø    ERTA believes these and other gains including the medium term rebuild/new build back to Bedford for links with Luton, Luton/Gatwick Airports, St Pancras Eurostar, Thameslink and east-west rail to Cambridge and vice versa to Northampton for vital traffic free footfall and spend commands that local councils take an interest, form a consortium, draw down funding for commissioning studies and keeps the option of re-railing alive. Business cases have to be made and cost money, Councils, Business and other leaders are best placed to secure what is required and make the case as robust as necessary.
Please write to your local MP c/o House of Commons, Westminster, London, SW1A 0AA and
1. Northamptonshire County Council, Northamptonshire County Council, One Angel Square,
Angel Street, Northampton, NN1 1ED
2. Northampton Borough Council, The Guildhall, St Giles' Square, Northampton NN1 1DE
3. South Northants District Council, The Forum, Moat Lane, Towcester NN12 6AD.
Please let us have copies of any useful replies or forward emails to richard.erta@gmail.com




ERTA Northampton Forum – Saturday 22 February, 2.00-4.00pm,
Northampton Quaker Meeting House, Wellington Street, Northampton NN1
If interested contact Mr Simon Barber T. 0208 940 4399, E. simon4barber@gmail.com

1. Chairman’s Welcome
2. Apologies for Absence
3. Appointment of a Minute Taker
4. Previous Minutes and Matters Arising
5. Brackmills Branch Issues, Discussion and Solutions
6. Bedford-Northampton – getting councils, organisations and others involved/East-West Rail adoption.
7. Northampton-Market Harborough/Progress/Support
8. Northampton Depot News/Parry People Mover and re-railing goals/how to advance them
9. How to get more locals on board to turn out and join
10. Appointment of any officers beit area reps, project helpers, trackbed watchers, fund raisers
11. Any Other Business
12. Date, Time and Place of Next Meeting (Autumn 2020)





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