06-02-2023
Although the Town Council at #Ampthill are going to oppose a new local railway station for the said name of said town, they are being very short sighted, head in the sand and failing to see the wider benefits such a new station offers to a far wider area than mere Ampthill! For example, time is running out.
The Council say they wanted the land as green belt west of the Midland Main Line, whereas Central Beds Council said several years ago that by 2030 it will be built on!
Just a reminder that all are welcome to our Ampthill-Flitwick Transport Forum Saturday 11th February at The Swan Pub, opposite Flitwick Rail Station 1pm food (buy your own!) and 2pm business and forum discussion following an agenda.
Mini book stall will also be there.
Come and join us in lively discussion and debate and let's seize the day for retaining the option of a second local station to take pressure in a context of growth off Flitwick roads. See attached for more details and our website: https://ertarail.co.uk/events/
It could be that CentreParcs for example, less than 1 mile from an Ampthill Railway Station, would benefit from such and other outlets too including the Rufus Centre.
Could it be that with local elections coming up, council representation will be changed and so a more open-minded approach is possible? Could public pressure inform a complete rethink whereby a more rational rather than knee-jerk response is more conciliatory to explore further?
But will these coincide with land availability and keeping options open? Last field between #Flitwick and Ampthill adjacent to the A507 Shell garage now being built on, meaning physical linkage of the two towns and traffic into and along both B530, Flitwick Road, A5120 as well as along the A507 is growing informing tailbacks and slower speeds on the back of volume to road space. Whatever the merits of triple stacking Flitwick Station, the road impact and congestion is likely to get worse than better.
The sad thing is, unless we can turn around and redeem the situation at Ampthill, it will be locked-in and nowhere to turn, not for want of BRTA and ERTA successive organisations sounding the alarm and raising these important local-regional strategic and structural issues making development underpinned by sustainability, not mere aesthetical tree-planting and greenwashing per se.
The model repeats elsewhere and ERTA needs an expanded team to address in a timely manner. Please see https://www.google.co.uk/
Commuters from Milton Keynes and off the M1 drive to catch Thameslink trains to the City, Airports and Eurostar for example and peak or off-peak, these trends will continue surely? So in everyone's interest to help us take this matter forward please.
02-01-2023
11-12-2022 for diaries 2023!
My colleague Mr Brian Brennan has issued a poster which may be of interest.
Our next Forum is: ~ Seeking an Ampthill Parkway Station and associated issues. ~
Saturday 11th February 2023 1pm food*, 2-4pm business
Venue: The Swan Pub, 1 Dunstable Road, Flitwick, Bedfordshire, MK45 1HP
T: 01525 754777 E: steph@theswanflitwick.co.uk https://www.swaninnflitwick.co.uk/
All Welcome, adjacent to the Flitwick Railway Station.
Contact and convenor: Mr Simon Barber, 20 Fitzherbert House, Kingsmead, Richmond, Surrey, TW10 6HT T. 0208 940 4399 E. simon4barber@gmail.com
Our website is: https://ertarail.co.uk/
Please mark your diaries, encourage people to support, attend and join and inform leadership to help take the project forward. Reality is on the one hand lands west of Midland Main Line have been earmarked for development, but our conviction is that use for an Ampthill Parkway Railway Station with a car park and access road for traffic off M1-A507 to access rail would compliment existing Flitwick and not be a detraction. We need local people to get the vision and make representation to their MP and Central Beds Council in favour of the extra station idea. Thank you.
For the record, our name is now English Regional Transport Association (ERTA). Any offers to inform a voluntary team or help are welcome. Attend the forum of course, but leafleting offers, transport to stalls/manning stalls and helping get locals on board more is welcome to entertain. Offers/enquiries via richard.erta@gmail.com / 01234 330090
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