East-West Rail, Consultation and controversy! Save the Marston Vales local halt stations and shuttle service!

 I'm cutting and pasting here! 17-11-24

Latest plans for EWR published. Major organised opposition on Bedford -Cambridge section. Mush could have been reduced if N/Rail's proposal for extra platform on MML at Bedford had been accepted. Marston Vale line and Bicester? Sec of State at Bletchley today. OBRAC is not directly involved as is Oxford/Aylesbury focussed.

Stations could shut on part of East West Rail line

Image source,Network Rail

East West Rail is asking the public for its views on the project

 

Laura Foster

BBC News, Bedfordshire

• Published   2 hours ago

A number of stations on the railway between Bletchley and Bedford could be closed under proposals for the East West Rail (EWR) line.

EWR said a number of stations may need to be consolidated or built to offer more services.

Trains only began running again on the Marston Vale line a year ago after a maintenance firm went bust.

A 10-week consultation on the plans,, external which could also see changes to stations in Bedford and more financial support for landowners, is under way.

EWR aims to create a railway connecting Oxford to Cambridge, via Milton Keynes and Bedford. The section between Oxford and Bletchley is due to open next year.

The project has been criticised by many local residents and politicians, but was given its backing by the government in the autumn Budget.

Transport Secretary Louise Haigh said: "More than £6bn in economic growth, 28,000 new jobs and tens of thousands of new homes are just some of the benefits East West Rail will deliver.

"Today marks a major milestone for the project as we encourage communities to have their say on this transformational line that will offer so much more than simply getting people from A to B."

The railway line is being built in sections over a number of years

 

Under the current proposals, there would be up to four trains per hour.

EWR said it expected them to run from 06:00-00:00 Monday - Thursday, from 06:00 - 01:00 on Fridays and Saturdays, and between 07:00 and 23:00 on Sundays.

Under the proposals, stations at Bedford and Bletchley would be upgraded, although Bedford St John's would be moved closer to the town's hospital - onto the former Midland Railway’s Bedford – Hitchin alignment.

But it could mean changes for the other stations on the Marston Vale Line. A new development at Stewartby (on the former brickworks site) and the Universal Studios proposal nearby at Kempston Hardwick, may also affect any likely station relocation proposaals.

Option one involves retaining the existing 12 stations in their current locations, but option two would mean building new combined stations.

Which ones would be closed and where the new ones would be built is not clear.

But EWR stated that changes to this section would provide "a three-fold increase in services and reduce journey times".

The line will provide a direct link between the university cities of Oxford and Cambridge

 

EWR said it would also be giving extra financial help to anyone whose land was affected via the proposals, in the form of "statutory blight provisions".

It said this was in addition to the Need to Sell Property Scheme, external, for people who have seen the value of their homes depreciate because of the proposals.

• What is happening with East West Rail?

 

A survey held earlier this year suggested 75% of people in Bedford supported the rail project.

Martin Yemm, who lives in Chawston and represented a campaign group on the matter, was one of the people surveyed.

Speaking in February, he told the BBC: "I find time and time again that you make a comment, that is then misconstrued completely and you get given an answer to something totally different."

Proposals for the Cambridgeshire section of the route and options for the new station at Tempsford have also been announced.

The consultation on the updated proposals run for 10 weeks, from 14 November to 24 January.

You can take part online, external or attend one of the 16 drop-in events that are being held.

The BRTA Response:

BRTA is opposed to closure of any halts on the MVR LIne. We want to see the local shuttle retained and East-West Rail semi-fasts on the back of it, not instead! Likewise we want to see the local line electrified and then freight from Watford and beyond to Corby could be done with a single electric locomotive, bringing efficiencies. Indeed a 2001 study showed were an extra station at the Retail Park Kempston was added, an extra 100 passengers per day would be added boosting ticket sales. 1 hour end-to-end local shuttle, feeding in at both ends. On Oxford-Bletchley we want a Bletchley West/Newton Longville Station, a Claydon Parkway and Islip not to be closed, but fully integrated with fast and slow trains respectively. It must be a people, community and environment central to decision making and railway identity, not top-down superimposed. 

We are disappointed the Mayor of Bedford does not seem to be engaging with us nor singing with Richard Fuller MP for our route east of Bedford via St John's. That means tweaking around a single route north of Bedford, rather than giving people a choice of routes and allowing them to decide and politicians getting behind it. Some may think the BRTA view is wrong, but greater fantasy is a railway at any cost, steep gradients, expensive tunnels, rather than taking ORR to court and demanding special dispensation for one or two level crossings, which is hindering many local reopenings around the country?

We all need to rally to have a decent East-West Rail, but not throw away the shuttle between Bedford and Bletchley. Owen O'Neil says few are using it, can you not understand the constant casualty of driver shortages and bus substitutes at last minute notice, will deter relying on the train and dent figures? Please let's rally round and support our local railway being retained. 150 Kimberley College students per day need Stewartby right side of the village, Universal Theme Park for an upgraded Kempston Hardwick Station respectively, not merged near a busy access road with many lorry movements for youngsters to navigate?

I know some of us have had and do have our differences, but we do need a railway east-west and it is only Bedford-Tempsford which is disputed on route and practical grounds, not the idea as a whole. Andrew Long emailed me to say all rail groups wanted the Northern Route, but I dispute that when no alternative is being presented to the public since the 2019 consultation. Yet our route more or less was 'in' from 1995-2017! Please let me have your views. 

Please give us your support when responding to the consultation: https://eastwestrail.co.uk/consultation2024

Join our email loop for updates and other rail-based news: richard.brta@gmail.com

See also: https://www.bedford.gov.uk/news/2024/bedford-borough-council-gives-clearer-insight-future-east-west-rail-routes

Mid Wales Rail Crisis? It can be resolved amicably by balancing investment around Cardiff to be equitable to rural heartlands too?

re: https://www.countytimes.co.uk/news/24699551.knighton-meeting-future-heart-wales-line/

1. This line has been deprived of upgrades and investment as per the Cambrian Network.

2. It could do more if upgraded with double track and through originating journeys starting like Swansea to Shrewbury and maybe onwards to Manchester Airport?

3. There is a feeling that The Welsh Assembly is Cardiff centric. Understandable from an electoral point of view, but other places suffer like Swansea by capacity into Cardiff and outwards - better rail links and options are needed.

Upgrading Heart of Wales line to a modern operational standard, means faster speeds/consistency and a diversity of all stopping trains and faster semi-fast principal end-to-end operations and routing freight too/looking at local sourced freight potential and not container views only, but smaller loads like post, parcels and pallets for example and designing rolling stock to do it all/be more versatile/bikes, prams, buggies and more!

4. Do stations need upgrade

- parking, coffee shops, post offices, utilising space and buildings, toilets, hotels for visitorship? It needs looking at study, scope and on-the-ground.

Maybe also a study of a Mid Wales rail link like Carmarthen - Aberystwyth (new build with modifications) to enable West Wales to be doing more business and also a link between Cambrian and Builth Wells with curves to link the lines for diverse audiences and better access. Cost? Yes, so build the coalitions and treat it like Cardiff Metro and realise unless a positive way forward can be hatched, models and grades of ideas can be adapted, closure could be a cost-laden result too? However, you have to see going forward with rail means less traffic on roads, less road upgrades (intrusion/land take), better preservation of rural tranquility and a more versatile balance?

How much of West Wales can sustain an all-year-round rail-based access hotel accommodation? Self catering, camping or top notch fine, but family hotel access seems lacking, has Barmouth got a hotel still? Is there a new-flow opportunity there? Access and timings are critical, but rail offers more than roads, but price and accessibility have to be balanced.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Builth+Wells/@52.1509258,-3.4166899,15z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m6!3m5!1s0x486fc415bd5dd3f9:0x41ded9e4c6fc6007!8m2!3d52.150023!4d-3.404592!16zL20vMDJ4bTJo?hl=en&entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI0MTAyOS4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D

What you can do:

1. Write to ylour MP in support of what we are saying: https://members.parliament.uk/FindYourMP

2. Email the 'Cardiff Centric' Welsh Assembly: https://senedd.wales/find-a-member-of-the-senedd/

3. Join BRTA: https://brtarail.com/become-a-member/

Should they meet at Llandudno, Machynlleth and Swansea to get a better appreciation?!

Only by a growing membership, can BRTA resource financially and humanly, getting more and better. It needs us all to work together, to make the breakthroughs more. If you wish to be emailed on Welsh rail matters and forums, please send to richard.brta@gmail.com

BRTA's Vision for the Weat Midlands, grow radial and orbital rail links to enable more by rail!

The British Regional Transport Association (BRTA), a voluntary association seeking more, better and affordable public transport. Local rail solutions and local reopenings and select pieces of new-build as well are main focuses. We have a nationwide vision and aspiration. We are always seeking champions, promoters, voluntary speakers at meetings and network accordingly for progressing things.

We support the following for the West Midlands:

1. Orbital rail links with parkway stations for London, Birmningham and Manchester to enable more and better without clustering on core radial main lines.

2. Stratford upon Avon - Long Marston for second Oxford-Birmingham route and also a south to west curve onto the Cotswold Line to bring Evesham and link arcingly to Worcester from eastern Birmingham in wrap around terms. Useful for freight by rail and growth and commuting patterning.

3. Rugby-Leicester needs a new-build rail link serving Lutterworth (growth area) and Magna Park, one of the biggest industrial parks in Europe without rail access. Potential is there, if not re-railed focuses into and out of Birmingham which congests roads and rails more. Capacity is needed, on the back of restoring some missing gaps in the network.

4. A study for Bridgnorth to Shrewsbury 'new-build' for western flank of Birmingham orbital rail using Severn Valley Railway. Surely an arrangement for paths could be done if a through route were feasibly to be recovered?

5. Rebuild a new Stratford upon Avon-Cheltenham rail link. Lickey Incline south of Birmingham is inadequate for long, heavy freight rains, but apart from more roads (bad), it is all there is currently. Stratford upon Avon-Cheltenham would give more capacity, gentler gradients and enable more by rail spread and scope. It needs studying, solutions of problems resolved and cross-border working. Too many places are taking insular and parochial outlooks, when we need more than ever a nationwide and regional vision starting at the grassroots upwards and outwards."

Plus

"What you can do"

1. Join BRTA and give us your support

2. Write to your local MP: https://members.parliament.uk/members/commons

3. Write/email the Elected Mayor for the West Midlands: https://governance.wmca.org.uk/mgUserInfo.aspx?UID=2555