Call to action stations please!
Battle for Bromham:
we need to keep route options open!
BRTA sees that a new-build Bedford-Northampton rail corridor requires lands north of River Great Ouse Girder Bridge to enable a flyover onto former route towards Stevington with cycle/walkway slewing alongside with fencing. Lands arcing northern Bromham, sandwiched with the River Great Ouse between Oakley and and the current perimeter of built Bromham. It is vital to keep that land from development west of the Midland Main Line for a new-build Bedford-Northampton Thameslink Railway.
Universal will bring 8-million visitors to the area per year. There will be pressure and premium for development of various kinds.
Without the railway being pursued through that prism, with studies and coalition building to find a new-build route and study business case/feasibility and credentials including access to existing lines at Northampton and Bedford ends, all development will mean majority going by road except where existing lines may service it. That means land demand for parking, congestion, delays, pollution and other considerations.
Positively, Northampton, upwards of 250, 000 area population, would, with a rebuilt rail link with Bedford, served by Thameslink extension, be able to come to both Bedford and Wixams for Universal without any change of train required and the transit times between Northampton by rail have been estimated at approximately 30 minutes end-to-end which would be both attractive and competitive. It would bring more footfall and spend to town centres, outlets and as both towns have long and proud sporting outlets and fixtures; the spin-off benefits are not to be under-estimated!
It is BRTA's view that developing the northern arc of Bromham may make reopening the railway much harder and so should be curtailed and the land used as greenbelt interim.
BRTA is open to discuss and work with others to see the railway supported by Councils, Agencies, Rail Organisations and Universal/Government. Thank you.
Please give help and support.
Please visit our webpage: https://brtarail.com/b2n/
Contact: ceo@brtarail.com
Wixams-Bedford and beyond via a single non-changing of trains, Thameslink fo example?
2003 and since, there's been growing support for an updated study for a Bedford-Northampton local/regional rail reopening. That would enable Thameslink from Birmingham to Bedford-Wixams and integrate to the wider network and vice versa.
Too much is dominated by East-West Rail getting its act together, it is progressing at a glacial pace.
2031 Oxford-Bedford passenger trains mooted, same time as Universal opens amazingly!
However, Bedford-Bletchley is a properly operating railway now and has spare capacity now. Sunday services, halt lengthening and retention can both be done now. There's no Sunday services on a Leisure Line?! Weekend possessions would be all that is required to get upgrades done, not endless years. Let's not buy into the fallacy that everything hangs on East-West Rail turning up.
Bedford Midland Station needs more track and train capacity now. Bedford Midland needs rejigging so the train shed (booking hall area) looks down Midland Road towards the town centre. Waiting 6 years is too little, too late and so we need the Government to be telling all players to be progressing now and keeping the wheels turning.
Bedford-Northampton needs a study updating from previous but would call at the Wixams main line station as a part of Thameslink. It could also inform more freight by rail as Northampton is a principal logistics centre bereft of radial rail links.
Some 15 miles of new build would be required and avoiding Olney with a Parkway Station further north would need to be factored in and links with Nos. 21 and 41 buses which also need a revamp between Northampton and Bedford with hourly frequency.
Who pays, well there's a cost to not starting to deliver these things now too, mayhem, congestion, parking demand outstripping town supply and rising costs, waste, pollution and eyesore. Upgraded roads produce more brownfield and development, without the rail alternative like Brighton-Bedford-Northampton could offer, traffic will get worse than better.
Please support our calls today and join BRTA:
Join our free email loop via ceo@brtarail.com
Proliferation of the bad news and costs if we do not act now as a nation and world?
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