ERTA News and Views - Please give us your support and join in with us

Greetings. The recent panic buying at petrol stations, whatever the fears or risks of to do or not to do, underscores that as a nation we are hopelessly dependent on fossil fuels and road-based transport for EVERYTHING! This must change for fairness, balance, choice, freedom as well as good environmental well being. Grant Shapps, Secretary of State for Transport talked much in the early days of this government of 'Reversing Beeching' Agendas and yet, unlike Dr Beeching, we see no plan nationwide. We have at best dribs and drabs, a smattering here alongside making the existing network work-able; but no grand scale reopenings, rebuilds and select new-build of a local-conventional passenger and freight capable rail link network to fill gaps. Borders Railway carried over 3 million people in its first years and has proven a success - a long siding serving mainly rural areas with scant stations - bucked many models and predictions! It need to be block replicated elsewhere across the nations and regions, but alas, whilst Government finds money for carbon dioxide and £27 billion for new roads, the reopenings agenda is absent from debate in many cases, when in practical terms it needs moving from icing on the cake to capstone absolute foundational necessity. Some may find this article interesting: https://www.newstatesman.com/uncategorized/2017/08/new-age-train

On other fronts as follows:

1. If any are willing to assist in working up diagrams from rough to look pretty and be ascetically coherent for our use, please let me know. Every diagram must include a key, our current website, a date and my email for further information. The programme we use is Microsoft Visio If interested in trialling, please let me know as we seek to build our support teams.

2. ERTA Zoom Conference: Details via our web page: https://ertarail.co.uk/conference-2021/ Please encourage others to take an interest. We have a good line up of speakers and a good networking opportunity.

3. All other events are on our events page: https://ertarail.co.uk/events/

4. ERTA has invested in some leaflets and is progressively doing from Calvert to Rugby along the old Great Central corridor as well as urban Guildford. Bedford will be done at a later stage, beit October or 1st March 2022 when weather starts to pick up again! Any offers to help, please let us know. Reliability is key. Door-2-door is what we seek for consistency of targeted area cover. Flexibility and ability to negotiate, always valuable qualities.

5. We want to build our Westminster Team, if interested, please contact Mr Simon Barber: Simon Barber <simon4barber@gmail.com> You may wish to write to your own MP/email: Look them up on this site: https://members.parliament.uk/members/Commons If we can get MP's supportive, they in turn can help bridge and get councils and Government interested and then chances to progress are that bit better. No panacea, but way to go from a small band such as we. We have about 35 members, and ERTA is only as effective as our members enable/inform. In crude terms, it could be this: Work for a living? Donate, Unemployed? Volunteer Time! Somewhere between the two and retired younger people, there's probably something for everyone to assist, be part of a team and work towards leadership by example of what you can do/offer rather than opt outs or excuses.

6. I believe ERTA is making progress. We campaign grassroots upwards and that top-down is even talking about these agendas as a reality possibly, is credit and kudos to ours and select others' labours over the years. Like it or loathe it, East-West Rail is winding its way from Bicester to Bletchley and Bedford and discussions remain on routes for East of Bedford. You may find this consultation of interest: https://placebuilder.io/futureofthearc Question is, are there similar consultations going on in your area which you could flag our causes and case more? Please do and again copy us in and/or write/email your council and MP and if such still exists, local media outlets/newspapers!

7. We have long supported a rebuilt Matlock-Buxton/Chinley rebuild of a railway for Derby-Manchester direct rail access and give more rail-based access to the southern Peak District. Please give your moral support at least: https://www.matlockmercury.co.uk/news/transport/plans-to-reopen-train-line-between-buxton-and-matlock-gain-traction-3395854 

Letter from the Minister!

The Government found £27 billion for new roads, a mere £500 million for Rail Reopenings Fund. We need to cut the 'middle man' of bureaucracy, high sided costs of demand for studies and get straight on with delivery. This is a Climate Emergency, land is a precious resource and time on numerous fronts is running out. The Government seem to be part time on these issues and rail seen as 'existing fine, new... steady on there!" sort of attitude. Land must be set aside for protecting routes for new local-conventional rail links across the regions of Britain, currently at best we have a trickle, but no where near what a 'Reverse Beeching Plan' should or would look like ... another 'social care plan' which never existed/was half-baked... why are we waiting if 'ready to go'? No the Government needs to be held to account and nothing stopping opposition parties producing their own reopenings plans and again shaming the government over spin, false dawns and expectations informing chaos on the roads and inadequate rail resilliance to tap into markets door-2-door. Local deliveries by road remain essential, however, lion's share could be done by rail if only the glaring gaps in our rail network were addressed now! Join our email loop: richard.erta@gmail.com and consider getting involved. Write a reply to the Minister and copy in your local MP. Ask us if unsure.

ERTA London Forum Minutes Friday 17th September 2021 - All Welcome!

Minutes of ERTA London Forum Friday 17th September 2pm food, 

business 3-5pm The Barrel Vault, Unit 23, St Pancras International Station, Pancras Road, London N1C 4QP 020-7837-5151 https://www.jdwetherspoon.com/pubs/all-pubs/england/london/the-barrel-vault-st-pancras Convenors Messrs Simon Barber and David Ferguson T. 0208 9774181 E. daferguson1212@gmail.com  and Mr Simon Barber, T. 0208 940 4399, E. simon4barber@gmail.com

Present: Colin Crawford, Simon Barber, David Ferguson and Richard Pill

 

1. Appointment of someone to chair the meeting and someone to take notes: Simon Chaired, Richard took minutes.

2. Apologies for absence: David Shamash, Josh Welby, Conway Castle-Knight and Cllr Mohammad Butt.

3. Covid-19 Consideration Impact:

a. Taken as read.

b. has affected travel and public transport cuts a concern in the light of less footfall.

c. However, according to Colin, freight by rail is up, which is positive.

4. London Pamphlet Review – what’s in, out, likely, unlikely, supported or not?: Pamphlet approved and is ERTA policy. New ideas need compiling, research and to be worked up with a running by Councils to see their views and also recruit volunteers to work on projects. Us 4 cannot do the whole nationwide transport work and advocacy, so planting ideas good, but we need more on-board to enable progression.

5. Muswell Hill Metro: David and Simon to forge better links and encourage them and them us also.

6. London Underground Extensions: Epping-Harlow and discussion was had on both St Albans – Hatfield and Croxley Link at Watford. Needs more people to help usher along.

7. London Orbital Railways: OUR FOCUS must be Woking-Heathrow-Old Oak Common direct linkage with Chiltern Lines for Aylesbury-Guildford arcingly including Brackley GC and Banbury Chiltern-South Coast arc and London orbital.

David suggested M25 corridor from South West Main Line be looked at by him. He would sound out local councils and MPs with Simon and report back any interest/research more. It was suggested Leonard Lean writes to councils and TfL not us and reports on fruits of his letters to those who have more power, authority and enablement to research and produce studies to assess his ideas.

8. Links to/from and through lines with Heathrow any and all directions: Must be focused and united in supporting a through, joined up link north-south. Simon and Colin to do Skype meetings with Chiltern, Southern Heathrow and others to review the potential scope of support and sense in taking some interest in it.

9. New Lower Thames Transport Tunnel: Decided to ask Peter McBeath for updates, but we want rail only, not road and rail.

10. Silvertown Tunnel – should be rail, walking and cycling not roads. See 13 b below for actioning. But basically, no to more roads, yes to traffic reduction alternatives.

11. Crossrail: Colin said it was a great scheme and would be reviewing it with colleagues. Colin to liaise with Josh Welby, Simon and David and work together. Others welcome.

12. Pitsea-Rayleigh support/someone to do research, make the case/take photos (see 13) Simon to work at recruiting support. David to write to councils on Heathrow, through links and lines and gauge interest external to ourselves. To work and jot down on paper with modern maps and ascertain overground or underground and what blockages maybe encountered.

13. Area Reps./ Volunteers – any offers/North East, South East, Central and North West wanted:

a. Simon to contact Voluntary Bureaus for someone to help with North East London/Essex border area for Pitsea-Rayleigh, making a case, and courting support.

b. Simon to contact https://stopsilvertowntn.com/ with a view to mutual links, support and interest. We felt it should not be road based, but rather rail, cycle and pedestrian. Cutting congestion, exhaust fumes and pollution generally was held as an important goal and outcome of our proposals and we should form links and alliances with groups and organisations heading our way or objecting to roads impositions.

c. Colin to contact Railfuture on Grants for our costs and also court support for our pamphlet and schemes. It was felt some were competitive and dismissive in some areas sadly.

14. Any Other Business:

a. Simon and David to approach John Stewart of HACAN to see whether he would be willing to be a Patron.

b. Josh Welby confirmed as ERTA London North Western area rep. He is warmly encouraged to attend future meetings and liaise and see what he can do to encourage the priorities set out in our Pamphlet.

c. Rugby Forum approved for Saturday 30^th October 14.00 at https://www.jdwetherspoon.com/pubs/all-pubs/england/warwickshire/rupert-brooke-rugby Rupert Brooke 01788 576759, 8–10 Castle Street, Rugby, Warwickshire, CV21 2TP

d. Colin Crawford to host Great Central Zoom Meetings or share with Iain Sear. It was felt inappropriate for Owen O’Neill to host such zoom meetings if he doesn’t see any business case for reopening/rebuilding a GC Corridor railway between Grendon-Calvert-Brackley East-Woodford-Willoughby – Rugby et al. However, Colin would encourage Owen to help us elsewhere, commit to working with Sara Homer on delivering the Brackmills rail link rebuild and other projects including Rugby-Lutterworth-Narborough and Welland Valley Railway link to Peterborough. That seems plenty to be focusing on for him plus his other commitments.

e. David Ferguson to deliver Guildford flyers. Inside A3 urban domestic door-to-door cordons first then post A3 cordon urban areas door-to-door without any deviations. Avoid commercial outlets.

f. David Ferguson to deliver GC flyers in this order Buckingham-Bicester bus No 18 Bicester-Buckingham Bus: https://bustimes.org/services/18-buckingham-steeple-claydon-bicester

Then Brackley, Woodford, Willoughby, Rugby before 30^th October Forum. Simon to market it. David to do 250 flyers per outlet each. Richard given cheque for bulk printing costs of £200 worth for this exercise.

g. Simon to contact Transport for All (TFA) for flagging up disabled access and associated access to public transport issues and make common cause.

h. Colin flagged the idea of one EC meeting per month and one Forum per month, two forums was felt excessive given everything else we are doing. However, Richard said Forums help focus on specific regions and areas of campaign work and where it is attended by people, makes for expansion.

i. Simon liaising with Iain Sear to get the Events page up to scratch asap and continually ensuring all relevant information is done.

15. Day, Date, Time, Place of Next Forum Physical Meeting and/or Zoom: Saturday 5th February 2022 14.00 food, 15.00 business at The Barrel Vault, Unit 23, St Pancras International Station, Pancras Road, London N1C 4QP 020-7837-5151 https://www.jdwetherspoon.com/pubs/all-pubs/england/london/the-barrel-vault-st-pancras Convenors Messrs Simon Barber and David Ferguson T. 0208 9774181 

E. daferguson1212@gmail.com  and Mr Simon Barber, T. 0208 940 4399, 

E. simon4barber@gmail.com

If people don’t bother to communicate with these people, it will be assumed they will not be attending. We reserve the right to change business section to the St Pancras Grande for more space, peace and focus. Meeting finished 16.00 hours.

Details of our London pamphlet can be obtained by scrolling down our Publicity Page: https://ertarail.co.uk/publicity/ or pdf via email requests to richard.erta@gmail.com 

Bedford Area Forum (BAF)

Our Bedford Area Forum commences tomorrow, for future invites, join our free email loop via requests to richard.erta@gmail.com. For our other Autumn events which are open to all are on our website's web page: https://ertarail.co.uk/events/ Please have a check and tune in/tap in where you can. We welcome zoom attendees for the forth-coming conference.

We are seeking to build support across the regions, but given we started in Bedford originally, our commitment to not just retain a presence, but interject pro-positively ideas and suggestions which may be adopted and build a team who can work loosely together for such things and bigger and better events, teaming up transport-wise for attending stalls at events and much more, we are leafleting and welcome helpers who can solo leaflet reliably key areas of Bedford and surrounds. 

Leafleting is good exercise, you can hear the birds and give everyone the right to decide whether they agree or to give support via membership in the privacy of their own homes/areas. More the merrier as per assistants in administration, committee work and experience and other CV fillers and we do welcome all offers of help, assistance and support. Some can be fronting, some desktop or remote host and others a mixture. Find your feet, and together we can do more. We have top focuses on Northampton, Great Central Corridors, Guildford-Horsham-Shoreham and a roving interest including Herts and London. Places like Luton, London, Herts, Oxford and Rugby/Leicester will benefit if we succeed. Things are happening, but it is a trickle rather than flow - see last newsletter for more insight. But it all starts and stops with a growing membership, paying the way and active assistant volunteers to inform more and expansion as well as follow up quality improvements. So everyone matters, everyone can make a difference and I hope that is positive! Moreover a kind person is helping to sponsor a leaflet drive and providing we can provide manual support, will enable our message to get out that much more. No, not so high-tech, but can be effective, politicians don't waste their options either! https://dma.org.uk/article/what-is-the-response-rate-from-leaflet-distribution

Minutes from ERTA Bedford Area Group Forum Tuesday 14^th September 14.00 hrs

 

Present: Leonard Lean, David Ferguson and Richard Pill

 

1. Apologies for absence: Simon Barber, Colin Crawford

2. Notes of previous meeting (if any): We mused as how the gap between either side of the pandemic had none-the-less seen progress, changes or not accordingly.

a. High Street being narrowed road-wise, with slightly extended pavement space in places. This is something we have called for, but stops short of complete pedestrianisation and does not provide contra or direction flow cycle/scooter lanes, so encroachment on pavements still an issues and hazard for pedestrians in a busy area. No bus provision either = a 20-minute walk from the High Street and Bedford Midland Railway Station with no bus links between the two.

b. Bedford-Corby electric trains now run with calls for wide and fuller Midland Main Line electrification aplenty.

c. East-West Rail must cater for freight and be fully electrified from day one. It was noted that if it went via old route entering Bedford via St John’s lands then it curves north to face Bedford Midland, out to Northampton and/or Leicester south curve for Nuneaton et al; then current political fix Route E does not provide for this at the design stage in any way shape or form.

d. It was agreed we should flag up in say consultations and other feedback, that Midland Road gives a poor image of the town as a principal route to/from the railway station, is tatty, not pedestrian/user friendly, anti-social, run down and should be treated akin to the High Street as a priority for a make-over with improvements.

Minutes proposed by Leonard and Seconded by David.

3. Consideration of the Bedford flyer: Approved and it was noted Stephen Sleight is putting £30 x 2 into ads on 2 local flyers Richard and David would respectively deliver.

4. St Paul’s Stall Report and plug: £35 August, £10.60 September. Next stall – a double table – is 2^nd October 10am-3pm and ideally, we need 2 volunteers in addition to Richard, please email Richard with offers, especially either 10.30am-12.30 and / or 12 noon – 2pm to cover am and lunch. Security awareness a useful thing as is ability to make eye contact and speak clearly. We are there to promote ERTA and raise money. E. richard.erta@gmail.com with offers. See this link for other details: https://www.antiques-atlas.com/antique_fair/bedfordshires_antiques_collectors_fair_st_pauls/af2055

5. Volunteers for ERTA in the Bedford area: Richard and David so far for leafleting, but need more. Simon to be asked to contact specific Bedford Bureau and try and raise more support esp. reliable assistants for leafleting, clerical work, Forum attendance and general collaboration.

6. Campaigns:

a. Kempston Retail Station on Bedford-Bletchley Rail Link: It was agreed this is a good idea. Unsure about meeting at Mulberry Bush unless we have more support/people to swell presence. Maybe as an extension meeting in 2022.

b. Stations North of Bedford – Sharnbrook, Irchester, Desborough, Kibworth (Leicester is cut off): Desborough: David to contact local town council and ascertain the latest policy on a station and site and raise it for inclusion at the Leicester Forum with Richard Clarke and also incorporation/offering a liaison with CRIL for mutual benefit.

c. Ampthill Station – exact same model as proposed Wixams, both have own merits and we need both: It needs a fresh initiative and new people. Maybe a leaflet relaunch in 2022?

d. Better and integrated buses – railway station/bus station inclusion, Railway Station-High Street loop service: It was agreed as per the leaflet we need a circular bus from Bedford Midland Station, linking the bus station, the High Street and maybe Borough Hall and back either Prebend Street/Ashburnham Road or Horn Lane, Midland Road/Ashburnham Road?

e. Traffic reduction, pedestrian and cycle segregated support/progression: Midland Road should be revamped and bear these issues in mind.

7. Green Fair: Cancelled due to a lack of money and active, able people currently. Leafleting may change the dynamics. Current goals are: leafleting Bedford, holding the bi-monthly forum to feed into, doing the St Paul’s Stall reliably and seeing how that works is as much as we can manage for now, notwithstanding more and younger people coming on board i.e., 18-60 years old for example and proving reliable.

8. Marston Vale Railway – timetable, trains running, reliability, plans and updates. Stephen Sleight says Bank Holiday services are running, but not Sundays currently. However, part time train-bus cacophony and this needs to stop with just trains taking the strain in a reliable all-day manner we felt.

9. Any Other Business: None.

10. Date, Time, Place of next Forum Tuesday 9^th November 2pm food, 3pm-5pm business via Pilgrims Progress, Bedford. All welcome – please help spread the word.

Meet at the back of the Pilgrims Progress Wetherspoons under the stairs/merge two tables together if possible/notify Richard of numbers in advance. The Pilgrim’s Progress, 01234 363751 42 Midland Road, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK40 1QB https://www.jdwetherspoon.com/pubs/all-pubs/england/bedfordshire/the-pilgrims-progress-bedford e. richard.erta@gmail.com All welcome.

ERTA Newsletter 39 Autumn Edition

As we emerge from the Pandemic ERTA continues to forge ahead with our agenda. Yes, we want local, conventional rail more for more people and goods to access and use nationwide. But ERTA has sometimes been mistaken for just focusing on rail, when our foundations are also inclusive of integrational agendas. That means buses which link with principal railway stations inclusive of bus stations, cycle lanes which join up for an inclusive access to principal bus and rail stations and pedestrian access being transparent, of good standard and inclusive whereby disabled people don't have to search for a disabled ramp around a corner or access 'normality' via a back entrance exit which could potentially be a muggers paradise!

I was interviewed about a launch by the Government of investment in buses and gave it as I saw it and sadly was edited out, come the news bulletin! They only wanted smiles and good news, not talk about the impact of privatisation, affordability and cuts!

On the principal east-west Oxford-Bedford-Cambridge former X5 coach link, whether it is cuts, whether it is Covid or political, the changes I feel are detrimental. X5 does only Oxford-Bedford now and is being increasingly substituted by double-decker buses. Some blue coaches do run, but despite a duration of 2.5 hours between Oxford and Bedford each way, the toilets are locked out of use. The double-deckers have no toilet at all and can neither carry bikes nor luggage space. This a service for everyone, but was also courting students who tend to have 'baggage' for all sorts of practical reasons.

Yes, during Covid usage has taken a tumble, economies have to be made, but will there be a day when we see light at the end of the tunnel and a full bodied coach consistency is restored fully? There is no rail alternative, 2028 for the rail alternative is too long to wait, we need it joined-up now. Therein is the gap and we feel the pinch. It is dysfunctional for disabled people, not all disabilities are visible. The Bedford-Cambridge 'gap' now the Oxbridge service is severed at Bedford, is another double-decker, is a new route taking longer 1.5 hours each way contrast 1 hour formerly as X5. It is now called the 905 route and really reverts back to a 'all round Will's mother's' configuration. Good for Cambridge commuters, poor for cross-country travel and rewarded for doing such by public transport. Owing to the complications of Northern Route E, a Bedford-Cambridge Rail Link could well take until the mid 2030's. The design is unsatisfactory and polemical stances means you may win some, but lose others depending on your viewpoint. We should not have been here. For decades Councils allowed old routes to be systematically targeted, blocked and lost. Now we have a political fix, but expensive, higgledy-piggledy in nature and no direct linkage to a Northampton or Leicester South Curve direction for freight to go on to West Midlands for example and challenge the A14 trunk road. How much freight contrast that approach really wants to go Felixstowe-Cambridge-Bedford-Oxford with no access to the north and west, but veer south to places like Southampton and/or Bristol? Not as much as if via the old route (with pieces of new build) which via St John's would face north and west. Northampton is a strategic place (1.5 hours each way for just 21.5 miles from Bedford); but you would not know it based on radial rail links and poor bus services from Bedford which link to the previously much promoted Oxbridge principal coach service, now in fragments and downgraded.

We are not just confined to North Wessex and Mercia! We continue to take interest in London, South East, increasingly the West Country and North of Northamptonshire into Leicester and the East Midlands. A lone voice sometimes, but as a membership based association open to all, we also seek to tell it as it is, use what we purport to espouse and feed-back truth to power sometimes. Enjoy your Autumn and if inclined, please work with us where possible.

For pdf copies of our newsletter please email richard.erta@gmail.com and join our list. For past newsletters, see how the story unfolds, see our Newsletter page on our website: https://ertarail.co.uk/newsletter-archive/