Notes for ERTA Meeting Herts Southern East-West Rail Links/M25 Corridor 22-01-2021 14.00hrs
Present: Simon Barber, Colin Crawford, Richard Pill, Cllr Steve Jarvis, Owen O’Neill, Cllr Nigel Quinton, Cllr Ian Stotesbury and Kathy Keeley.
1. Chairman’s Welcome: Richard and
Simon duly welcomed people.
2. Apologies for absence: Cllr Stephen
Giles-Medhurst, Cllrs Chris White and Jackie Taylor.
3. Background: Several links are in
existence; others present as possible and then there are gaps which moderately
could link up to inform a through route with inter-links with radial
north-south lines and principal places.
4. The Croxley Link to Watford Junction:
It was felt the rail project should go ahead but had stalled following TfL’s
refusal to fund it and a deficit of who will/can? It was felt it should be
terminating at Watford Junction for interchange. It was felt a tunnel linking
it to the Abbey Branch was unrealistic. Likewise, Colin Crawford felt people
for Amersham and Aylesbury can change at Moor Park, rather than use the direct
curve from the Aylesbury direction for dual running, even though it would
enable Chiltern access to the Junction and Watford West and bridge a missing
link between Watford and Aylesbury direct by rail.
- Cllr Ian Stotesbury confirmed the renewal of
Watford Junction Station.
5. The Abbey Branch: It was
acknowledged a new loop at Bricket Wood, but some felt it should be considered
as a public transport corridor of some descript beit conventional rail, LRT,
Guided Busway. Old route to Hatfield has development on it at St Albans.
The meeting did not seem too sure of a new
rail link from Bricket Wood to new freight depot and linking with MML at
Napsbury. The new freight depot was to be rail-served from day one and would in
all probability require a duck-under rail link from the north-south Midland
Main Line slows to it in the Napsbury area. This new depot was given the go-ahead
and is being promoted by Segro.
6. Napsbury Interchange Junction Station:
ERTA has raised the question of whether a new Parkway Station south of St
Albans City on the MML could utilise the depot’s new rail infrastructure and
double up for passenger use as well? The station could serve growing
populations south of St Albans but also if lands are protected, enable the
following to be studied further as to feasibility:
a. Extension of the Northern Line from Barnet
to St Albans Abbey Station (reinstate second bay)
b. A new rail link (same or additional tracks)
veering off from south Napsbury to the east alongside the M25/serving the
London Colney area and onwards to link with the ECML at either Potters Bar,
Hatfield or a north-south junction in between.
c. If Abbey Branch was retained as heavy rail,
the new link to the depot could be extended to Bricket Wood and enable
inter-urban-London Thameslink services to go on to Watford Junction, making
more of the branch infrastructure.
7. Extension of Barnet Northern Line to
Napsbury and duck-under to terminate / share either St Albans Abbey or Watford
Junction or both. It needs studying and coming together of interested
parties to work at it and see the bigger picture, opportunity and again make
the case for funding.
8. New-build local rail link from Napsbury
to Potter’s Bar with ECML link up inclusive of London Colney: This is
thinking aloud but choices remain – either all roads with growth of development
and loss of lands for rail options or we consider what local rail solutions may
offer and work at it.
9. Extension from Cockfosters to Potter’s
Bar rail link: This was raised but again needs studying further and issues
of crossing over/under M25 and what inter-link access opportunities and how it
could link to station interface at Potters Bar – either an underground station
and/or redesign to allow access to a new bay for example.
10. Potter’s Bar to Harlow – Stansted –
Braintree via Great Dunmow/A120 corridor: It was acknowledged that
extending the Central Line from Epping to Harlow could make sense, exact
routing needs studying. Lands in all these scenarios needs protecting and that
costs, balanced to the cost of not doing so. Cllr Nigel Quinton said “we need
balancing rail and development to work together”. There was also the question
of whether Herts CC has examined the issue and question of county-wide
east-west rail infrastructure and the role it could play? The Croxley-Maldon
Link joining up, courts 3 large and powerful counties – Bucks, Herts and Essex.
They could bring formidable influence to their Government to look favourably
and ensuring policy does balance and join up the dots sustainably. Rolling
stock was discussed and eco-friendly. Class 230 by Vivarail are in use on
several lines and will soon be battery powered. They are fairly versatile and
act as an example of what could traverse these lines as infill. Once you reach
Harlow, tracks exist to Stansted and so new build is needed from Stansted –
Braintree for access to the GE Main Line at Witham. Witham – Maldon is a very
few miles of reinstatement, but would create capacity for commuters and inform
all year-round footfall and spend to the resort, famous for shell fish amongst
other things.
11. Witham-Maldon Branch: There has
been local vocal calls for the reinstatement of this link.
This could make a joined-up railway with
shared tracks with conventional local trains and Underground stock services.
12. General Discussion around pros and
cons. What cost to roads if we don’t protect lands and nurture policy for a
joined-up rail corridor? There was heated and muted discussions. It was felt
that our Westminster Team must press Government for land/route protection
measures which are applicable for a number of reinstatement schemes across the
country. It was noted Grant Shapps, Sec of State for Transport grew up in the
Croxley area and is sitting MP for Welwyn, Herts. So local familiarisation
should make talks slicker potentially.
13. Any Other
Notified Business: It was raised on numerous occasions that clear graphics
mapping out were needed to be provided by ERTA. The answer is that we all have
different talents and some excel at mapping and computer software crayoning
more than others. We are voluntary and rely on volunteers to offer their able
services to Mr Simon Barber who is keeping a database of volunteers and work
together with him. Meanwhile we do the best we can, tabling and facilitating
discussion of ideas is at least a start and much needed. Our door is open to
budding talent, rather than same tired people doing everything and collapsing
under the weight of it.
Notes: We will work at
these things and want to build a loose alliance of friendly inclined and
favourable to conventional rail people.
Background: Network Rail's Report talked of a southern east-west rail. Our idea is
seeing what can be done interim, not 2050. Piecing together chunks and bite
sizes, joins a localised rail base network. Unless lands are protected and
buy-in to the ideas are accepted by politicians and councils, development sprawl
will scupper any hope or chances. Then you face the difficult decision of the
middle east-west rail Bedford-Cambridge section of which is a lesser of
two evils route.
Croxley could be done.
Whether a tunnel under WCML south of station off Croxley to feed into
Abbey Branch is feasible is unknown, but needs studying as to pros / cons.
Bricket Wood to get a loop. Needs direct link to freight depot and
Napsbury Junction Station with duck-under to join slows and onwards to serve
London Colney and split/integrate with extended tubes from Barnet which in turn
could go under Napsbury and terminate at a second platform at Abbey/make more
of it.
London Colney-Potters Bar or north thereof - Harlow, links with lines to
Stansted. Stansted-A120/Great Dunmow-Braintree Branch link up has long been
called for but nil action.
Finally, there is a localised call for the Maldon Branch to be reopened
for commuters to the main station at Witham.
So, pieces coming together informs a localised east-west link with
principal lines and places not well served by rail east-west. Saves going into
London and checks traffic growth on local roads in normal times.
Moving such ideas forward is the heart of the discussion. Hope this
helps.
Please liaise
with Mr Simon Barber on offers to help: T. 0208 940 4399,
E. simon4barber@gmail.com and campaigns-wise richard.erta@gmail.com likewise any amendments to these notes. https://ertarail.co.uk/events/
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