Sign the Petition please!

Dear Friends,

I just signed the petition "Cut their profits, not our ticket offices!"
and wanted to ask if you could add your name too.

This campaign means a lot to me and the more support we can get behind
it, the better chance we have of succeeding. You can read more and sign
the petition here:

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Thank you!

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East-West Rail Link, East of Bedford conundrum

19-08-2022

ERTA has put an alternative rail route to Northern Route E for a rail link between Bedford-Oxford corridor and both the East Coast Main Line (ECML) in the Tempsford area with physical linkage and East Anglia via a new-build cross-country rail link to connect with radial rails at the Ely area for Norwich, Ipswich/Felixstowe and Cambridge/Stansted direct. Action and support in principle and plans are needed now to ensure land is saved for it to be done and a push from Government to be done. Government finds money for road building, but rail is stalling and told no money! https://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/news/local-news/green-light-given-new-10-24803114 The irony is not lost on us and the protection of land and environment with what rail could offer to cut emissions and congestion now and medium term, should not be lost on us. Roads only upgrades are a false economy as traffic builds to fill new capacity resulting in a worsening situation which folly then thinks 'we need more roads' and so self-perpetuates. Time and resources are running out, we do need the rail alternative fast.

The attached diagrams (below) can be used when discussing east-west rail links to show a quicker, cheaper and faster option than that of the ill-fated Northern Route E. 

It is not perfect but gives enough of a flavour to show how our option could be done. Key is to support the principle, gather a coalition, push for what you want in unity. Route E is flawed and with freight and extra longer trains, bays, platforms and track access will need reform at Bedford Midland in any case. 

That we have yet to see a diagram or plan for that station reform, shows how daft and synthetic the whole consultation process has been. I'm happy to discuss and explore with any other agent beit Borough, EWRCo, DfT or whosoever. 

Problems need to be overcome, but unity around a focus which does not demand housing be knocked down, surely has the credentials which deserve special dispensations to enable the rail link to take place. Lose this window of opportunity, block it or make it harder and Bedford stands to lose out big time. But we must get it right. It needs support now. Rt Hon Grant Shapps could come down on our side and usher the parties to work it up, list what is required and then consult giving people this alternative option. 

On Tempsford and getting that right, north of Stevenage, East Bedfordshire, south of Peterborough and the arm from north-east for south of Huntingdon-Cambourne, Addenbrookes and Cambridge arm would be a public transport boost. But a new railway from the ECML to Ely for links to Cambridge, Stansted, Norwich, Kings Lynn and Ipswich via Soham also needs to be considered. If the Cambridge arm did passengers and this new link regional passenger and freight, that could free up capacity and help solve the Cambridge conundrum more.

Unless we protect these routes and endeavour to deliver now, 10 years of pontification will mean no east-west rail centred on Bedford.

We need optimal railway connectivity, physical links at Tempsford, north or south of Station Road. That is why there's an urgent need to turn the ship around now and get behind this shorter strategic rail idea. Important as Cambridge is, it was always like Sandy, a nodal point of reference; whereas getting this rail network right, informs the whole of East Anglia to the Oxford rail corridor via the prism of the Bedford area.

Whatever you do, it will cost, but they found the money and support for dualling the A421, upgrading other east-west roads and congestion blight is a very real issue from social, economic and environmental/public health points of view. Business as usual is not an option. Media seems partisan and makes its excuses, whereas 1980's media suggested roads and bypasses would reduce congestion, alas, pure fantasy!

re: https://www.newcivilengineer.com/latest/east-west-rail-branded-unachievable-by-ipa-25-07-2022/

This is a sign the system whilst checking and balancing, is not working at the design-delivery stage. Wrong design in fundamentally flawed 2019 Consultation has worked out to raise many objections. The original route which the former East West Rail Consortium supported for over 20 years, was abruptly junked.

However ERTA believe that Bedford St John's to the Willington area could be rebuilt on the original route/trackbed and be much easier with no demolition of houses required. Likewise, new build to Tempsford as Sandy is obliterated land-wise, could be done much easier than via the flawed Northern Route E.

The fact this article does not name the responsible Civil Servant and no-one else does, means lay people don't know who to contact to make their views known except focused representatives in-the-know. Personally, I wish the DfT would ring me and discuss the relevant issues to find constructive common ground and look at maps together and come up with a revised Bedford-ECML link and then Phase 2, Tempsford area to Cambridge and/or new link across to Ely for Greater East Anglia and portal links for example. From Ely trains can head south for Cambridge and Stansted as well as go onto Norwich and Ipswich via Soham.

If we dither 10 years, development blight blocks these options as per the old route at various places Sandy-Cambridge.

Please give us your support:

1. Encourage those involved to listen and work with Richard Pill, Campaigns Coordinator of ERTA, who's been on the case for 35 years!

2. Write to your local MP and those involved and lend support to the ERTA views.

3. Make a donation to ERTA to help us with our work and associated costs: https://ertarail.co.uk/ Any problems making a payment to ERTA of whatever kind, please let our Treasurer Colin Crawford know: 

Mobile 07836-693977

E: colin.crawford1@btconnect.com

We are doing all we can, but need David A. Devenish, Cllr Michael Headley, Mayor Dave of Bedford, Bedford Borough Council, East-West Rail Company, Department for Transport and others, to be willing to meet with Richard, sit down, look at maps, discuss issues and find solutions and re-consult again. Thanks very much.

Great Central Corridor New Rail Appeal

Notes from 09-07-2022 Meeting:

ERTA Notes of Rugby Forum – Saturday 9 July 2pm food, 3pm -5pm business Rupert Brooke, 8-10 Castle Street, Rugby, Warks. CV21 2TP https://www.jdwetherspoon.com/pubs/all-pubs/england/warwickshire/rupert-brooke-rugby

Present: Cllr Peter James, David Ferguson, Simon Barber, Richard Pill

Apologies: Cllr Tim Douglas, Cllr David Bill, Adrian Carter, Richard Cooper

Preamble: We had a loose interpretation of the agenda, to discuss the way forward and the issues and plan accordingly. It was agreed that the two schemes of Northampton-Market Harborough (MH) and that of the Great Central (GC) should be dealt with under one meeting, especially as North of Northampton and Rugby are concerned as are both glaring gaps linking two principal main lines. If we are serious about modal shift, we need these lines back in some form and order to enable that rails to take more of the lion’s share of what business is on offer. ERTA and colleagues would seek to do both under one meeting.

 

1.                 The two schemes are:

a.                 Northampton-Market Harborough and

b.                 Great Central corridor new build from Old Oak Common-Narborough (where it would link to the existing Nuneaton-Leicester lines. ’b’ can be broken down to a Phase 1 focus of Rugby-Leicester/Nuneaton and the re-railing of Lutterworth and Magna Park – one of the largest industrial depot complexes in Europe with no rail connection (a planning oversight!). and ‘c’ south of Rugby to Calvert for connectivity to east-west rail (Oxford, Bristol and Southampton arcingly) and those audiences – people and goods to Leicester/East Midlands. That is more capacity (road and rail). Bletchley-Northampton on West Coast Main Line (WCML) is premium and with extra traffic from Oxford-Milton Keynes – East Croydon-MK Central has been scaled back to Watford due to capacity constraints and Bedford-Bletchley also is vying for access – then the GC re-railing idea makes more sense and is more direct.

2.                 Northampton-Market Harborough (MH) is shorter, has a road scheme being placed slap bang on it by West Northants Unitary Council, which is a huge problem and set back. Likewise, a new deviation south of MH is needed to link physically with the Midland Main Line (MML). This link could:

a.                 Bring freight in by rail to Brackmills Industrial Estate, Northampton new rail-linked depot and with a north-west curve, link direct into DIRFT.

b.                 Enable Southampton, Bristol and Oxford arc and all in between to Milton Keynes, Northampton and Leicester/East Midlands and Felixstowe by rail and all in between

c.                  Boost both locations and have an intermediate station to serve Brixworth on the A508, it would also provide rail-based competition to M1 and associated traffic relief both ends and intermediate places.

3.                 ERTA: we are still relatively small, have upwards of 40 members scattered across the English Regions and have many projects of a similar nature at varying stages to deal with and are meagrely resourced. That means at best we can:

a.                 Plant ideas

b.                 Work with others to develop flyers and feed into meetings

c.                  Need able-others to lead, help head up and make contacts who can invest in these ideas and take them further, growing in such wake, a consortium for delivery.

 

4.                 Action Stations and taking these projects forward:

It was decided that Cllr Peter James from Harborough District Council would set up a meeting at MH to bring people together and inform a regular meeting to:

a.                 Appoint a head-up advocate team or set of individuals

b.                 Aim to get councils and agencies of Midlands Connect and England’s Economic Heartlands (EEH) on board

c.                  Invite a speaker of relevance for first 20 minutes with Q&A to draw them in for support like Gazeleys, Maritime and others who may be willing to invest in the projects, studies, enablement.

d.                 ERTA can help promote these meetings as ‘open to all’ but with a clear message, we expect people to offer to help and be useful to advancing these projects.

e.                 Richard to draft potential diagrams and send to Cllr James for him to help find a willing volunteer to work them up for possible deployment on a flyer. Likewise, the flyer, once notified of the details of date, time, place of meeting in MH, would provide a flyer using what is available and Cllr James would help inform distributor volunteers. Every meeting could have a donations bucket and that could help fund printing costs and hall hire. Light refreshments would be provided. The meeting may concentrate to volunteers only committee style and lay foundations as a consortium.

5.                 Other Actions:

a.                 David to carry on leafleting on a regular basis whilst weather clement of Brackley, Woodford and Hinton, Willoughby, Hillmorton and Braunston and Barby and finally Rugby.

b.                 Richard to notify Lutterworth T.C. of the future Methodist Hall Meeting when Cllr James notifies him of said details.

 

There being no other business, the forum ended at 15.25pm

 

Notes: Please encourage any interested people or organisations to email richard.erta@gmail.com to join our loop and/or see our website for joining details/fill in a flyer. Membership and considering what people are reliably willing to do is welcome.

The Executive Committee cannot be responsible to do it majoritively, to work, it must come from local people. EEH Website is: https://www.englandseconomicheartland.com/

I attach the Rugby Forum Agenda. Simon to please bring spare copies. Please encourage others if you can to attend and make common cause with us/help take a lead.

ERTA is not about reinstating a literal old GC corridor railway, but a new railway along a similar corridor with new build where old has gone to link London, Southampton and Bristol with West Coast Main Line/WCML, Leicester and East Midlands and vice versa and all in between. 

We, as a small association of upwards 40 members, are in the business of planting ideas. Pushing all traffic through the Bletchley-Northampton WCML portal is not going to work with Oxford-Bletchley, as the WCML is congested and so more capacity is required. 

Northampton-WCML-Leicester via Market Harborough is under attack from a roundabout junction being placed on it by West Northants Unitary Authority as a scheme over from the County Council days. It is a setback, but we need an authority to hold it to account to ensure a railway can be rebuilt.

Similarly, Rugby-Lutterworth-Narborough needs route option identification and moves towards advancing and making the case in delivery candidacy terms.

ERTA does not have the resources, so we need to court with our ideas, bigger professional bodies from councils, agencies and developers, who may be interested and willing to invest to see what is in it for them. Any help with sending contacts, ideas, suggestions, people and helpers to us, would be gratefully appreciated. 

Our website: https://ertarail.co.uk/events/ lists opportunities to meet and engage with us and if we get demand, a zoom meeting can be arranged. But we need others to take an interest please.

Any questions feel free to ask, but we look towards you to help inform the upwards of £50k for commissioning studies to look at 'how to...' and 'business case' and 'environmental impact' and 'demand' etc. Local Councils could do more to protect remaining route and infrastructure and ask HS2 to support a domestic line and new alignment from Calvert-Claydon-Brackley East-northwards to Rugby Central (possible Parkway Station) and options for onwards to Lutterworth via new viaducts and/or via  a new construction to the Northampton Loop Line for accessing WCML into existing Rugby and/or arcing around with connection to DIRFT and onwards to Lutterworth-Narborough etc. These things need to be looked at, but if we want a modal shift, planning them, determining them and courting investors, is exactly what we need now please.

Join our free loop via requests to richard.erta@gmail.com