See previous emailed newsletter:
Our Westbury Forum put a spot-light on the area and now station proposals are coming through. Will there be a pot to pay for it? But good news and we will continue to fan flames. Corsham and Devises identified... more needs campaigners to work at it!
Also Forders Sidings, in Bedfordshire is taking once again, more freight by rail, after years of us flagging it up. Oxford-Bedford will boost potential as well. We want to retain both Kempston Hardwick and Stewartby Stations for different audiences, both should be upgraded and a new station added for the Retail Park, Kempston, Bedford. Please come to our events and help grow our teams for more and better: https://brtarail.com/
The decision to cut the mere £500 million Local Rail Reopenings Fund whilst keeping most of £27 billion new roads amidst a £21 billion 'black hole' deficit, makes no sense if we espouse putting 'people, communities and environment' at the heart of planning and policy.
examples two casualties, and yet railways are well know to be good for economic well being, growth and vibrancy and putting that goal on a sustainable platform?
Clearly Labour needs tackling not just end-goals, but how we achieve them and cost not just in monetary terms, but to people, communities, environment, health and well being also.
Please support BRTA efforts and help multiply what we do for more and better outcomes. How best to do this?
1. Write/email your MP and cite examples of local reopenings/select conventional rebuilds like Northampton to Market Harborough. https://members.
2. Support BRTA events/help people them and volunteer to help: https://brtarail.com/
BRTA would like to see (Kings Lynn Line) included in such a new configuration and maybe a south-west curve for direct Peterborough running too?
Meanwhile, our events page will detail our Braintree Forum as on 8th February 2025, which will be discussing Stansted*-Braintree direct rail link, to link east and west Essex, including more journey by rail opportunities including Liverpool Street-Chelmsford-Stratford and Harlow Loop and Cambridge-Chelmsford direct via the airport fort example. The Maldon Branch has been in the news lately and we will agenda it.
Meanwhile Oxford-Milton Keynes is progressing, the Bedford upgrade next and Bedford-Cambridge still stuck on routing. We need it all and cutting £27 billion new roads budget, paying off £21 billion financial black hole, leaves £6 billion for such projects if the Local Rail Reopening Fund is reinstated and given a decent budget as if 'people, communities and the environment' really matter let alone Climate Change and cutting emissions.
* Stansted Airport expansion is on the cards again!
Please see revised diagram on the Heathrow Southern Rail Link Website: https://heathrowrail.
Can you please make representation that they must consider the following:
1. extension to bay with Old Oak Common Station and a through tunnel to the Chiltern Main Lines
2. incorporate our west-north curve for direct Waterloo running
3. incorporate and share tracks with the proposed 'Reading Arm' and
4. Support our calls for a rebuild of a modern Guildford-Cranleigh-Horsham-
BRTA needs these promoters on board, but also a power/authority to coordinate the bids for better rail links to Heathrow and how they may be accommodated/incorporated and used to inform support for connectivity.
I attach our ideas below.
Please write to your MP in support of what we are trying to achieve: https://members.
We also support:
1. A direct Tonbridge-Gatwick curve* and
2. A new-build Stone Cross-Polegate rail new-build for shaving 20 minutes off Brighton-Ashford and vice versa on the South Coast, A27 gets increasingly upgraded at £millions and land take, whilst rail lacks investment as we suggest and a fairly complacent landscape to rail choices generally here? Things must change, be part of it.
3. *From above: It does not diminish Redhill, rather creates more capacity for more trains and if our desire to see North Downs Railway Line electrified, would enable East Croydon-Guildford semi-fast direct running, maybe extended to Reading? That in turn releases rolling stock for redeployment.
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