Northampton, a central place bereft of rail link stewardship!

re: https://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/news/politics/plans-approved-for-525-homes-to-be-built-on-land-the-size-of-34-football-pitches-in-northampton-4761619

We have called for protection of radial rail routes into/out of Northampton. Northampton; 200, 000 population and growing, is geographically central, yet has the poorest rail links and services of any comparable sized place in the country arguably, akin to Bradford, dwarfed by Leeds?

The corridor from Bedford into Northampton Castle Station is critical to protect adequacy for 25KV electrification and noise/vibrations must be sufficient length from new flimsy housing to avoid objections. We have no confidence that safeguarding is active here. 

Even if the majority of these houses are away from the old trackbed, the impact without the railway on local single carriageway roads with congestion gridlock now, will be horrendous.  It seems to us the Council, eager to please housing quotas, is just arbitrarily identifying tracks of land and allocations without serious consideration to 1. what conventional rail could offer and 2. impact on existing highways and air pollution levels without rail choices.

Please write to West Northants Council and Cllrs and demand a better deal for reopening local rail links including Northampton-Bedford and Market Harborough to mitigate rising population and traffic levels impacting everyone. 

https://www.westnorthants.gov.uk/councillors-and-committees/find-your-councillor

The majoritively middle class, rural idyllic is dictating to the compact, urbanised less well off audiences and dumping around the periphery with driving and roads impacting on less well off areas who cannot buy in or out of what constitutes a transport and environmental crisis.

BRTA has spoken with elected councillors over a considerable time and they seem completely not to care about these things. Indeed, they would pit a walkway over a modern local rail link, latter which handles bulk people and goods, and a pathway/cycleway can be slewed in any case, not so easily with a proper railway, yet the gains majoritively more. That is the dilemma facing Northampton, and its people and ideally, Northampton Borough, should have been made a Unitary Council in its own right. Alas, it is being abused by people who are not engaging to get these rail links restored to rebalance development with adequate rail-based transport solutions.

Yours sincerely,

Richard Pill

BRTA CEO

01234 225068

Ps. Don't scapegoat or blame the messenger, but consider the impact of these piecemeal developments in the round more please.  

Northampton, UK should have radial rail links, not be putting development on top of former rail junctions and corridors! Please help us.

I wish to say that I am saddened by the inadequately funded Local Rail Reopenings Fund and its withdrawal. 

We need more modal- shift back to rail in this country for many good reasons. 

We need local-based rail reopenings to enable more by rail. For that to happen, we need a pro-active vision and plan for protecting select former rail routes and ensuring all tiers of government are doing just that, not the hotch-potch of aspirations and blue-sky thinking, whilst Rome burns with blockages at the local planning level. New towns are all very well, but without new and accessible rail infrastructure (we think of growing Brackley without a rail link) but also this planning application as an example: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cly952732jeo 

It potentially impinges on the former shared access route into Northampton from both the Bedford and Wellingborough corridors. Space must be for adequate clearances and minimising vibrations and noise impact on development, enabling 25KV electrification and ensuring the rails can be put back. 

This is far from the case and in the example of Northampton-Market Harborough, despite a Network Rail Study done in 2020, we only got to see it due to 2 FOI applications and even then redacted. We need Local Government on board with us, but somehow that does not seem to be the case. Northampton says it wants to link with the forth-coming East-West Rail, but that is only a change at Bletchley, Cambridge and Bedford-wise, direct rails for passenger (Thameslink) and freight, makes more sense direct to Bedford. 

On East-West Rail, we object to the proposed Northern Route E as hilly, not fit for purpose and in our view, it would be far better for the old route, 'east and of Bedford via St Johns' to be looked at for reopening which is shorter, flat and direct to either north or south of Station Road, Tempsford with physical rail linkages for North-South to/from East West Oxford Arc Corridors interaction for passenger and freight usage/market potential.

If you wish to meet with a delegation, I am happy to discuss and explore. 

I have been campaigning since 1985 on these related issues and believe the whole country, the issues, models and challenges replicate, due to a lack of joined-up and through thinking of procedures. We make high-sided fences and barriers demanding studies, costs which rule out lay people and yet, if Government were to for environmental, land use, efficiency and other benefits select a move towards more by rail and follow-on from such a modal shift policy, engagement could align and plan-implement more to achieve this. 

Haverhill is an example of a new town, no rail/closure coinciding and that is a missed opportunity and repeats across the country. 

I appeal for you to look at these things again and work constructively with us. Thank you. Join our loop via richard.brta@gmail.com

BRTA Leicester Public Meeting

BRTA Leicester Public Meeting Agenda – Saturday 5 October 2pm – 4pm business

Venue: Leicester Quaker Meeting House, 16 Queens Road, Leicester, LE2 1WP

Website: https://leicester.quakermeeting.org/ Venue Phone: 0116-270-5003(mornings only). BRTA personnel will be setting up the room from 1pm onwards.

1. Vice Chairman’s Greeting

2. Speakers from GB Railfreight followed by Questions and Answers (Q&A)

3. Professor Andrew Williams and James Chick on prospects around reopening a Northampton-Market Harborough (M2MH) Rail Link for a 35-minute transit direct time between Northampton and Leicester (and vice versa) of just 35 minutes followed by Q&A.

4. General Panel Discussion on Leicester Related Rail Matters

5. Tea, Book Stall, Banter and Networking Opportunities and book stall etc. Out by 5pm.

Enquiries via richard.brta@gmail.com and join our free email loop.

BRTA Leicester Public Meeting
Saturday 5^th October 14.00 

Leicester Quaker Meeting House 16 Queens Road, Leicester, LE2 1WP

Guest Speakers:

1.    Andrew Playford, Account Manager, 

Energy and Industrial from GB Railfreight Limited – more freight by rail!

2.    Professor Andrew Williams, a briefing on efforts to reopen the 

Northampton-Market Harborough-Leicester rail link, to give direct rail access between Leicester/East Midlands and Northampton, Milton Keynes, and Oxford and vice versa for people and more freight off roads, back on rails. Both talks will be followed Questions and Answers (Q&A)

Light Refreshments, Mini second-hand railway book and magazine stall, light refreshments and possibly more.

Admission Free. All Welcome. Bring cash for sales, donations and joining. Contacts: Mr Simon Barber: T: 0208 940 4399

E: simon4barber@gmail.com or Colin Crawford T. 07836693977

E. colin.crawfordhp4@gmail.com