Evaluating sachemes - interim update 20-09-23

28-09-23

re: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/columnists/article-12567891/PETER-HITCHENS-HS2-Low-Speed-One.html

I don't usually agree with the politics of Peter Hitchens, but I think here, he has a point. If only Reversing Beeching was pitted alongside or instead of HS lines and a referendum to let the people decide, maybe region by region and have a nationwide approach? In any case, it has been poorly managed from a great height! All eggs in one rail solution basket and now whether delivered or not, still leaves many a glaring gap with shorter journeys and connectivity being a life-line to outlying areas and town with coordinated buses. Localised sourcing of small scale freight by rail like post, pallets and parcels, should be a nationwide push and the government, if it took the environment seriously, would give equal subsidy to it as per Bridgewater (Car Batteries) and Cowley (Electric Cars). ERTA will keep on, keeping on. But the rail fraternity is divided around these issues and some calling any who disagree with HS 'buffoons'; we don't stoop to that level, but the process of dumping development in the wake of say East-West Rail (Oxford-Bedford-Cambridge) misses the point, whereby yes some additions with stations but swamping with 150, 000 'new towns minus infrastructure' is not to do the rail or locations any balancing justice. In any case, the queue is on first time homes and lower income brackets seeking somewhere to live, whereas semi-detached upwards of £350, 000 starting price alienates the majority if the wages do not match the costs and deficit of transport.

Join us for our meeting: 

Agenda of Northampton Public Meeting 

Saturday 30^th September 2023 from 2pm at The Northampton Quakers, Quaker House, Wellington Street, Northampton NN1 3AS https://www.quaker.org.uk/meetings/northampton

1.    Chairman’s welcome

Andrew Meaney, Partner in Oxera https://www.oxera.com/

2.    An economic and finance consultancy. Andrew will be speaking around ‘‘Rail funding, and effective business cases”

3.    Questions and Answers (Q&A)

4.    Peter Doveston of Northampton Streets Campaign

5.    Questions and Discussion

6.    Northampton-Market Harborough Rail Link – outline and discussion

7.    Motion for an ERTA Umbrella Working Group to be set up to bi-monthly meet at Northampton to forward the rail agenda.

8.    Any Other Business

9.    General Mingle and Chat.

10. Finish 16.00hrs, out by 17.00 hours 

All welcome, admission free.

I spotted this: https://free-3733520.webador.co.uk/ 

What do people think? Is it viable, a goer? From a point of view that all closures were wrong, yes, from a more likely than not, marginal? Yes, we need more and to up the game, but I'd have thought Witney comes first in the league before this scheme? However if more interest was emanating from the Government, the balancing of subsidy to car and road building if commuted to reopenings, could inform more than the trickle tokenism we see at the moment. At this rate, Gloucester-Hereford via Ross-on-Wye looks plausible. 

I reckon as a layman, the pull of Ross, is such that even a terminal branch to the edge of Ross Parkway style, could fill trains easily. But is some cases, we need a third-party agent which says "here's the cheque, move please" as 55 years of neglect, means breaches inevitable and so reclaiming or realignment is required in many cases. 

On the HS2 saga, I have never heard of any compare and contrast study between rebuilding the Great Central with Woodhead and HS2 in terms of cost comparison, upheaval, relocation and so forth. It seems Birmingham and bolting for HS Network without much regards for anything else. 

We have seen recently WCML capacity issues will remain at current levels of demand, new or environmental modal shift back to rail, will mean a demand to widen our railways with new tracks for more trains - Bletchley-Milton Keynes Central and Northampton cited. However, the delay, lag and non commitment to delivery/the plan now, is a key concern. 

On Northampton-Market Harborough rail reopening, we have a. unearthed a study making a thorough case, b. are now gathering professionals to support it and c. take it forward to next stages. I thank and credit Professor Andrew Williams for his lead on the matter. If you can give support and attend the Northampton Public Meeting, so well and good. https://ertarail.co.uk/events/

Thanks very much for your interest. 

East-West Rail has taken over 35 years, 10 years should be the norm. Help make it so please. The 2019 consultation did not include the original route east of Bedford via St John's and whilst propaganda says "built over", in the name of a new railway, the instigators want upwards of 60 houses for their new 'non threat' rail course! 

It is ERTA's view that cost and upheaval could be reduced if our proposed route was considered, worked up and supported. Alas, argie-bargie seems the order of the day and every delay only bumps up cost and fatigue. 

ERTA does provide a voice, but needs more volunteers for both existing and new demands. If you want to explore more, please offer to be part of that answer to prayer!

Again, there's a push for an Ely rail bypass to speed and enable more freight by rail from East Coast Ports etc, but pressure is then cascaded to March-Peterborough, Peterborough-Leicester, Leicester bottlenecking and Leicester-Nuneaton. Clearly we need relief lines, which means new-build. Yes, we need Ely, but March-Spalding and a new A14 parallel passenger and freight line is also needed with an arm to Northampton for the A45 alternative.

On Leicester, Melton Mowbray-Nottingham via Old Dalby needs a rebuild to link with Nottingham Midland, nothing is easy or cost free, but if we want capacity through Leicester, that and what a Knighton-Burton upon Trent-Derby et al could do for freight all needs to be evaluated and considered and progressed incrementally. 

Together, we can foster progress, but for some of us, it seems much is cascaded to future generations to unpick the mess bequeathed to them and that both costs and raises the question whether they will apprehend it or bypass by other means-ways like we can only speculate on? But for my money, conventional heavy rail, able to handle people and goods like HS1 does, is the way to go, not segregated lines or hyperloop. The adage that Cambridge can get you to Mars but not Oxford by rail, may have been mitigated by such a future time, but if you take environmental and land use concerns seriously, one cannot but be saddened by the waste occurring amidst dithering and failure to put basic rail access first.