I attach our latest newsletter* (see below) and our coverage continues to grow as we reach out and stretch to wider English Regional appeal and beyond to the borders of England and Wales.
Whilst reopening freight only lines to passenger services has happened, we have yet to see any reinstatements even where a majority of railway route formation is recoverable like Colne-Skipton, a mere 10 miles or so of railway trackbed, needing re-railing. Indeed, many reinstatements up and down the nation are about 5-10-20 miles but the benefits are enormous on and off the rails.
Most reopenings have exceeded expectations and predictions from the Borders Railway to Okehampton in Devon and the latter has triggered a wider demand for being re-connected to the physical rail network from Okehampton, we also have Tavistock, Bude, Bideford and Ilfracombe all bidding for re-railing. Other seaside resorts can look-on and not just the south-west, we need a nationwide vision and plan and that I feel is where ERTA is heading to play a role in that.
I know that we need more willing volunteer helpers to inform more and better and members have a pivotal role to play to enable and foster that. We at 42 members nationwide have loads of room to grow numerically, but also in quantity and quality of who does what, where and when and how. It has to be a delegated growth. Growing teams and pulling together takes some engagement, but is essential.
I was fortunate to live in Bedford most of my life and had local knowledge and engagement from an early stage of efforts to revive the Oxford-Cambridge railway. Laudably, some is being rebuilt (Oxford-Milton Keynes-Bedford) and we await the specification, fine detail and designs for public consultation and the public inquiry on matters pertaining to going East of Bedford.
ERTA has produced its own route and view, namely that the two should be worked up equally and then let the people decide in a local referendum. Solo options may be pragmatic in a world where Office of Road and Rail (ORR) can say all new railways must go over or under, not level crossings, raising cost and inconvenience; but were they to stipulate that design for new roads, they would be challenged. Too many railway people and media are religiously rolling onto their backs and accepting rote without thinking of challenging it.
Another example is the North Downs Line, which in a sea of third-rail electrification, would make an infill third-rail solution cheaper and more versatile for enable for example semi-fast Thameslinks out of East Croydon to Guildford and maybe even Reading for orbital integration and sustained footfall and spend. Alas, apparently the Government has stipulated "no more third rail electrification, only 25kv wires" and given most in the south are not, creates more expense than warrants the investment. Result? Stagnation, diesel operations and the line not being able to play as vital a role as it may lend itself to. Other examples abound, East Croydon-Uckfield is another. ERTA would wish to champion flexibility, versatility and common sense.
Thank you for your interest and I very much hope you will stay with us in 2023. May I wish everyone a happy New Year!
* (from above): The ERTA Newsletter pdf emailed version is free and to request a copy, send requests to richard.erta@gmail.com - open your horizons with us!
No comments:
Post a Comment