Thursday, 2 January 2020

English Regional Transport Association (ERTA) 2020 Vision


02-01-2020
Press Release

English Regional Transport Association (ERTA) 2020 Vision

We want to see the Government commit to a rolling programme of rail rebuilds and reopenings across the English Regions. So much has been poured into HS2 and HS3 when so much elsewhere cries out for working up, starting up and delivery cost funding to be made available. We need a level playing field within rail and between rail and road expenditure and ease of accessing capital funding for projects for example.

In the south we have things like electrification of lines like Ashford-Hastings, North Downs Line and Bedford-Bletchley as infills. Ashford-Hastings would enable through services via Ashford onto Brighton and with a new Polegate-Stone Cross, more frequency and faster could offer competition to road building demand and costs. Likewise, the North Downs Line could enable Thameslink to run semi-fast into Guildford and possibly Reading from Redhill and Bedford – Bletchley could enable more through workings between the West Coast Main Line and the Midland Main Line making more of its strategic significance.

In the north we want Harrogate-Ripon-Northallerton, Woodhead, Peak Rail and select others to get a higher priority for investment and rebuilding. Harrogate-Ripon-Northallerton, as well as taking on the A61 and enabling growing populations along the corridors better commuting by rail access, would also help to declutter York and shave 40 minutes off through transit times between South Yorkshire/Midland Main Line and Newcastle and Scotland via the East Coast Main Line. Woodhead would cater for passenger and freight between Hull and Liverpool and all in between. Peak Rail would link North West with East Midlands, populations, commuting, airports as well as principal main lines and offer environmentally friendly rail access to the south Peak area.

As a voluntary association, we rely on public and professional interest and generosity and welcome to grow our membership to enable us to campaign more to foster these and other schemes towards ultimate delivery. Our forums, conferences, leafleting and growing email network offer opportunities to engage.

End Press Release

Further comment, please contact Mr Richard Pill 01234 330090 / richard.erta@gmail.com

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