12-13-04-2023 Update Press Release:
27-02-2023
Good to have a response from the DfT on Bedford-Bletchley Railway lacking rolling stock following the taking into administration the Vivarail outlet. However, the 20+ year bat and ball last paragraph is but one tension of deferment whereby Local Authorities either don't want to know or say they have no money and government slants funds to roads despite the environmental concerns and on the other hand, LEPs do they actually do anything? They may cost money, produce and trade reports, conferences and court high salaries, but what have they done to reopen local links like the Brackmills Branch in Northampton for example? It has been a slippery slope to lostness. Where is their vision for rail, where is the cutting edge rail reopenings/reinstatements agendas like Colne-Skipton or are they leading on re-railing Devon? No it is lay campaigners doing a lion's share and both Government and Government Organised, Non Government Organisations (GONGOS) seem non-plused and an array of professionals won't muck in unless there's upwards of £50k on offer or a floatilla of swathes say "no business case" or refuse to support because YOU have produced no business case, which are specialist subjects, courting complicated maths and formulas and disenfranchise the lay public (majority paying out in most cases!) and that conundrum 'system' is why nothing much is happening on local rail reinstatements. Some say "roads are cheaper and easier" without showing evidence, but then begs the question of £27 billion for new roads by Government spend and a mere £500 million for the Rail Reopenings Fund. HS2 does not come into it, it is neither a panacea or cheaper solution coming anywhere soon, rather it is an outlandish exception and arguably elephant in the proverbial 'room'. ERTA wants to a more equitable deal and policy from Government with leadership, direction, system reform and delivery with spades on the ground in mind for local rail projects, reopenings and reinstatements to be brought to the fore. Please write/email to your local MP and give us your support. Thank you.
re: https://railfuture.org.uk/
We are fully behind the bid to restore the local shuttle rail service and hope resolution may be found soon. GWR have acquired some part of Vivarail apparently, so what will come of it is unsure. However, a train is a train at the end of the day and as long as it is reliable, should be much preferred to a bus substitute which gets caught in congestion!
There needs to be a greater discussion, involvement and plan for the shuttle service by rail and re-visit what a new station at the Retail Park Kempston can offer to pep off peak usership benefitting rail and Retail Park. Likewise, a Sunday service and continued exploration of Sunday and Bank Holiday reversal out of Platform 5 to link with MK Central Station (£20 million track works done and nil usage by the trains as 'wrong type' for required acceleration and speed, but also track capacity issues prohibit week day use).
East-West Rail will only call at select few stations, but as the press report says, the shuttle remains a life-line to many smaller outlets and again, speed is not necessarily the only consideration or the main consideration, getting our trains back and a service well maintained, reliable and regular with toilet on board is what matters.
This rail link goes to the heart of public service and why we need them. Everyone has cars these days we are told, but that results in congestion, emissions more and pollution harming public well-being. We need to let the train take the strain more. That means investment and understanding with appreciation of what a public transport service ethos means. If people put their jobs on the line by choosing local rail, it needs to be reliable to bring them home safely. If they can't get to work because of a plethora of reasons, that breaks reliability and people could lose money or even their jobs. Government has a pivotal role to play and must not commodify everything and think 'market is all, unless it is financially profitable, we prune it' when transport is essential for life engagement on a daily basis for many.
Addendum article: https://news.gwr.com/news/fast-charging-battery-trial-to-resume-after-gwr-agrees-deal-to-purchase-vivarail-assets
Report available by email 'free' as a pdf via requests to richard.erta@gmail.com
Below, typical jam-packed car park at Retail Park Kempston... ERTA believes a new station on the Bedford-Bletchley Railway adjacent to it with a connecting footbridge would be just the ticket for more and less congestion to boot!
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