The east-west rail could come into extended bays and reverse out east or west at Bedford Midland. Bedford-Willington area-North of Blunham-Tempsford is much easier than the hilly northern route laden with blockages. Peterborough via the proposed Corby/Luffenham Curve yes, Cambridge via Tempsford and Cambourne okay, but via St John's is the better option. Still serves Bedford Midland, still enables through running, but saves £'s and is quicker/easier/on the flat via St John's. Cardington Road needs traffic calming anyway, so bridge or dispensation for a Level crossing should be sought ditto invoking the bypass A421 clause of 'in the event of a railway being sought, DoT would give favourable consideration to over or under the bypass provision.' I paraphrase.
Bedford-Northampton needs pursuing alongside and the two junctioning north of Bedford being inclusive not exclusive in design. The A6 Bypass makes things harder, but it is not insurmountable at this stage.
The last meeting of the Northampton Meeting ERTA tabled in Northampton seemed to come to a consensus that re-railing the Brackmills Branch with some sort of initial light rail configuration like a Parry People Mover (PPM) be implemented with halts at places like Waterside Campus (doubles up for Delapre), Brackmills and Great Houghton for example.
However, we are all aware of the challenges getting this done presents practically, politically but also we need someone with some capacity and time on their hands with a professional twist to spearhead the project with ERTA supporting/interjecting from behind.
It needs all on board to succeed and the quest is on to find a captain and inform a team to take the project forward.
I have drawn some thoughts together as a starting point.
I welcome your thoughts and support.
Hopefully our tabled Zoom Northampton Meeting can consider this (an agenda will be drawn up) on Friday 18th September.
We need outcomes tangible and specific from that meeting and it shall be tabled bi-mothly to show we are taking the matter seriously and want action. Otherwise we get development, more of the same and dysfunction and potentially lose the corridor. I am sure we all want better public transport and this is a way to go preluding more.
Studies at every step are needed and someone to take on to bid for Rail Reopening Funds would be advantageous - it is free Government money which can add to any sponsorship pot.
ERTA is too stretched, too small and resource constricted to lead, we can usher and encourage and reify where appropriate.
Please give your support. I appeal to Bedford and Northampton Borough Councils, Milton Keynes/Olney and England's Economic Heartland (EEH) please do not throw away options, help us keep them open and support Bedford-Northampton as a strategic missing link now and going forward. A428 may be sparse, but end to ends are Brighton-Bedford, 3 airports and London and Northampton, 1 airport, several campuses and Birmingham/West Midlands and wider strategic links. There's a 21.5 mile gap in the rail network and both Bedford and Northampton would be pivotal. Thank you. For pdf of paper/correspondance richard.erta@gmail.com
No comments:
Post a Comment