Notes of ERTA Rugby
Transport Forum: Saturday 21st January 2023 at Rupert Brooke
Wetherspoons 01788 576759 8–10 Castle Street, Rugby, Warwickshire
CV21 2TP https://www.jdwetherspoon.com/pubs/all-pubs/england/warwickshire/rupert-brooke-rugby Convenor/contact: Mr Simon
Barber: T. 0208 940 4399 E. simon4barber@gmail.com
Present: Simon Barber, Kuljit Maan,
David Ferguson, Richard Pill
1. Appointment of a chair for
the meeting: Simon Barber
2. Apologies for absence:
Leonard Lean, Tom Longstaff, Colin Crawford, Mark Pawsey MP, Cllr Wallace
Redford of Warwick’s CC, Cllr Rupert Frost of West Northants Council, Cllr
Peter James, Harborough Council.
3. North of Rugby (Rugby-Magna
Park-Lutterworth-Narborough area physical rail linkages):
a. Kuljit to liaise with Simon
on informing a team of volunteers to assist with delivery of the ERTA Leicester
Flyers around the Narborough area. What is left over, can be done
elsewhere/used to recruit new members etc. A date needs to be set before 11th
March MH meeting. Likewise, Simon to furnish Kuljit with Cllr Peter James for
delivery of the MH specific flyers in a timely manner and to liaise with Simon
for a team of volunteers to deliver them 2 weeks before 11th March
to give people a chance to know and come to the meeting.
b. It was agreed a study is
needed on how to get out of Rugby existing station to Magna Park and
Lutterworth and connect to the Leicester-Nuneaton existing lines for access to
Leicester for passenger services and Peterborough (freight) and also Knighton
for Burton upon Trent and Derby (freight bypass). Land has and is being
developed, time is running out unless councils can be persuaded to buy into the
idea, find a junction land and protect it to keep options open.
c. It was agreed that Kuljit
would inform a delegation to Leicestershire and Rugby Councils to try and
persuade them to buy into the idea and round-table to find resources for a
study to make the case and look at routing options.
d. It was noted that the main
line reconfigurations north of Rugby Station, means on-coming points to contra
fast lines would not be entertained in all likelihood and so the old Midland
route does not lend itself for such a new junction these days. One balmy idea,
was to put the new link on stilts over the existing lines and have a two or
three tier station complex, not higher than the adjacent station car park tower
for example.
4. South of Rugby (Rugby
Central Parkway – East-West Rail and Aylesbury for wider linkage to Bicester,
Oxford, Bristol, Southampton and all in between, beyond as well as London
Old Oak Common/OOC. This via the areas of Willoughby, Woodford Halse area,
Brackley East Parkway). Nothing is easy or straight-forward. But this is a new
21st Century railway for the carriage of people and goods, more
capacity, modal shift from road to rail and catering for sustainability more
amidst spiralling growth and a lack of rail-based infrastructure. It was agreed
that this second part of the project (north of Rugby being one half, south of
Rugby being the other half) and maybe a third aspect linking the two/including
orbitals of Rugby. The southern limits of the railway (physical) would be
physical arms to link into Aylesbury and a western curve towards Oxford. If
that can be done (complicated by the knuckle hump of east-west going over HS2,
fine, but it has already knocked out an arm from Aylesbury-Claydon (eastwards
curve) and a study to look at routing options, including of course
Calvert-Grendon or Aylesbury-Princes Risborough for our proposed link from
Chiltern Main Line to OOC and Heathrow-Woking-Guildford for example. It was
agreed strategy-wise, but we are terribly short on willing volunteers.
5. How to get from south of
Rugby to Rugby WCML/Northampton Loop and beyond via DIRFT to Lutterworth and
associated aforementioned linkages? It needs a study. Indeed, every aspect needs a
study to look and identify options from construction/reconstruction,
engineering, costs and environmental impact. Agreed that a study on
practicalities is needed as well as routing options. Essential to get councils
on board and for that we need to know/have volunteers who grasp the strategic
significance of the project and gather support from councils, business and
other sectors. Connect Midlands say they are ‘neutral’ which given their roads
agendas, seems less-than ideal to put it mildly. We vitally need people like
Colin to help with diplomatically bringing these points home and ushering
council and others on board with the ideas, aspirations and them working out
finer details. Some relocation/knocking down for a 20-meter width railway
structure/land would be needed in some places. These things need studying,
which needs councils on board and that is where efforts are best located.
6. Seeking backers, sponsors,
business interest and political support from councils, agencies and government. Kuljit Maan after May to
be willing to be the Project Coordinator and direct it, grow a team and pool
support and take it to councils for their support and buy-in to the idea.
Richard can do some desk-top thinking and clerical support and email, Simon and
David may be willing to help with meetings, leafleting and general support. But
we desperately need more local-based people and younger age profile with
energy, get up and go and yet ably to engage with councils and gently say “what
about it?” and court their support and better placed to start a consortium to
move towards funding studies, protecting lands with councils and getting the
rail agenda advanced.
7. Association needs: This needs to focus on a.
upping our presence in Rugby, b. getting and growing a team of support, c.
leafleting and marketing, d. rails from Rugby Central south and rails from
Rugby WCML to Magna Park, Lutterworth area and linkages to Narborough area existing
rails. It needs backers, sponsors and professionals to take the ideas and make
progress with them towards delivery. It needs buy-in from councils and public
as well as MP’s. How we get there/preliminary strategies. ERTA is not equipped
to do studies (they start at upwards of £50k), but we do plant ideas and seek
to identify gaps and potential as yet unserved markets by rail to consider and
pursue hopefully. Traffic and emissions reduction must be a main consideration
in all our endeavours.
It
was agreed to hold a Public Meeting at The Quakers 3rd Saturday of
May or following Saturday with a speaker – like Guildford. This would be
preceded by a leafleting campaign and seek to rally public support.
Wetherspoons 12 Noon for lunch, 1.30pm set up and 2-4pm business. Wetherspoons
is not suitable for more than half a dozen people and noise levels are
difficult to speak over. This needs to be the pattern if funding can cover it.
Simon to make enquiries: Address: 28 Regent Place, Rugby CV21 2PN Phone: 01788
522365
8. Growing support in the
Rugby area.
Ideas of how best to do that on a very meagre budget. Leafleting is one option,
but so far has not roused people to join ERTA. Richard has 4 blocks of leaflets
needing younger volunteers to reliably deliver door-to-door north, south, east
and west of the town centre. If willing to lead and coordinate please let
Richard know by email richard.erta@gmail.com
9. Any Other Business:
a.
Kuljit suggested he would be willing to make representation to get us a
discount at Wetherspoons since we use them often.
b.
Kuljit suggested a WhatsApp for ERTA people. Simon, David and Richard
not keen, because we’re of an older age and not ofay with a lot more technology
preferring email and telephone for communication. However, others are welcome
to do it with Kuljit.
c.
Please read all emails and respond in a timely manner, as crucial we all
work together.
d.
Richard to compile a GC Corridor New-Build Rail Link A4 outline strategy
which gives options to help Kuljit. The public Meeting can be the hand-over to
Kuljit to lead it.
e.
Kuljit asked about the vacancy of Chairman and this remains open for any
Member and/or EC to apply, but must have a track record of engagement and
reliable service. It is open to all. We work as a team respectively.
f.
Richard shared that in 4 years’ time he will be 60 and will be retiring.
So is seeking people to hand on chunks of responsibility to and we need
younger, keen and motivated people to come forward and do that for ERTA to
carry on.
10.
Day, Date, Time and Place of
next meeting: 3rd Saturday or 4th Saturday (whichever
available) at the Rugby Quakers Meeting 2pm business. Please liaise with
Richard on flyer delivery as he, David and Simon may not be able, but will
attend the meeting and bring a sales stall.
a.
Market Harborough Public Meeting: Saturday 11th March from
2pm
Details: To discuss Northampton-Market
Harborough (MH) rail link being restored and accentuated others including stations,
Rugby-Leicester, Magna Park and Lutterworth.
Market Harborough
Methodist Church/Hall, Northampton Road, Market Harborough, LE16 9HE www.harboroughmethodistcircuit.org.uk Opposite the Market Hall.
ERTA personnel will meet
at the local Wetherspoons from 12 Noon. The venue is only a 5-minute walk from
the Wetherspoon Pub. The Sugar Loaf: https://www.jdwetherspoon.com/pubs/all-pubs/england/leicestershire/the-sugar-loaf-market-harborough 01858 469231 18 High
Street, Market Harborough, Leicestershire, LE16 7NJ
Local contact Cllr Peter James: peter341@btinternet.com
ERTA Contact: Mr Simon
Barber, 20 Fitzherbert House, Kingsmead, Richmond, Surrey, TW10 6HT T. 0208 940
4399 E. simon4barber@gmail.com
Note: ERTA has many other calls
and we wish to grow a team to delegate these projects to take forward and court
support.
In short, if you want more, be prepared to be part of that and making it happen. Local people participation and local knowledge is indispensable.
Any
volunteers, beit professional, elected or lay people, please let Richard Pill
know: richard.erta@gmail.com or to talk: 01234 330090
Yes the numbering section has gone slightly wrong in translating to Blogspot, but enough for people so minded to get the gist and get involved with us positively please.
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