Support our meeting and calls for Bedford Transport Deal

I attach our latest flyer going out over coming weeks. Bedford is not alone in facing a situation of closed lines long ago, new roads and bypasses and having allowed blockages to former rail routes, is as congested as ever. This, on a wider and bigger scale and with development going on all the time, without a rail alternative, will only be compounded. These patterns are unsustainable and we need the rail net-work effect back or 'new-built' to ensure a check and balance of development which otherwise is unsustainable.

However, Bedford has the gift of being a game-changer and lead place whereby if we get East-West Rail right, we have much to gain on and off the rails. 

ERTA's view is to go east of Bedford via St John's and lobby for what is needed to enable that as cost-effective as possible. No route is a panacea, 60 years of abandonment and neglect, decades of other agendas and intelligent opposition whereby elements are pro-actively integrating the route to other uses and optimising and upping the awareness of noise, intrusion and compensation objectors will get were a rail reconstructed. 

However, the truth is trees are unlikely to object, noise can be mitigated with noise barriers, cycleways can be redirected alongside (yes with additional cycle-pedestrian bridges) and so an accommodation could be had. No houses via the old route and our new-route to Tempsford would be demolished in the Bedford urban cordon and in Willington, as long as speed is not the main concern, a deviation could be done, but even if it ploughed through the old route, relocation of a bird garden and reclaiming extended back gardens could be negotiated for the greater good. This is what is needed nationwide on other similar schemes like Guildford-Horsham for example and York-Beverley too. 

Please give us your support. You may note there is a public meeting we are tabling with the local Bedford MP Mohammad Yasin to talk on East-West Rail. This is welcome and we welcome people to come along and listen to what he has to say. Northern Route E has loads of problems. Why is it taking so long for the design specification to be published, consulted on and the Public Inquiry thereafter with decision made? Why can't our suggested route be worked up and compared and contrasted with Northern Route E and the public enabled to choose/given choice? It is not rocket science, but Government/DfT and East-West Rail and Councils need to be challenged to put up or face consequences for causing too many false dawns.

Meanwhile, there are other things which can be getting on with. Wixams Station good, but whilst we welcome retention of Kempston Hardwick and development to inform more usage of it, as per other local stations on the Bedford-Bletchley Railway - as and when it gets rolling stock to resume the local shuttle train service - 100+ extra users per day would result from having a station at the Kempston Retail Park on it as well. East-West Rail the semi fasts, the shuttle all stations. We need both and a footbridge enabling walking and more cycling to the Retail Park is just the ticket for Kempston residents as well. Please give us your support and write to our local council https://www.bedford.gov.uk/ and our local MP https://mohammadyasin.org/ and give our ideas a call for support and further entertainment. Thank you.