Great Central Corridor Re-Rail Project - a new railway for all!

25 May 2022

Press Release

 

Great Central Corridor New Rail Aspiration!

 

Given the HS2 project and other development has scuppered relaying track on the original Great Central Main Line, ERTA is of the view however, that a new domestic line along the corridor has merit, should be supported, studied and kept open as a viable option.

 

The new-build domestic rail link would leave the East-West Rail Link east of the proposed new Claydon Junction (linking Aylesbury with Milton Keynes) and west of built Claydon which is expanding as is most of the areas the new line would serve. It would go to the east of Brackley with a Parkway Station adjacent to the A43 with bus links to Silverstone.

 

A new Parkway Station at Rugby as an interim with phased incremental development or if a major backer sees the bigger picture and does ‘all in one’ as a whole project, a new-build link to the West Coast Main Line (WCML), Northampton Loop and Daventry International Rail Freight Terminal (DIRFT). A new link out of WCML via Magna Park, Lutterworth and linking the existing Leicester-Nuneaton lines in the Narborough area is envisaged.

 

The scope of the new railway is:

1. The immediate corridor between Old Oak Common-Calvert-Brackley-Rugby-Leicester/East Midlands.

2. Calvert – Rugby has a 3–5-mile population catchment of around 144, 000 plus through journeys and freight.

3. The scope of what this extra capacity creation railway could offer to road and rail enablement to do more by rail is a cordon of scope from London-Southampton-Bristol to Leicester/East Midlands and all in between.

“ERTA believes it is worth government, agencies and others taking an interest and we welcome a consortium of champion backers to buy into the idea and work it up towards delivery. HS2 of nature cannot serve intermediate places like Brackley, but upwards of 15, 000 population needs closer rail access, otherwise we just pour growth onto a road only agenda.” Said Richard Pill, ERTA Chairman and Media Spokesperson.

 

End of Press Release

 

Further comment: Mr Richard Pill, ERTA Chairman and Media Spokesperson 01234 330090/richard.erta@gmail.com

 

Our meetings are open to all, so all welcome. 

Agenda for ERTA Great Central Corridor Re-Railing Project via Zoom: Colin Crawford (hosting a Great Central re-rail corridor Zoom Meeting: Mobile 07836-693977

E: colin.crawford1@btconnect.com on Thursday 7th July 1pm-3pm. He will send a link and help disseminate to potentially interested people. Richard to provide an agenda as a guide.

1. Appointment of a Chair for the meeting (Colin Crawford)

2. Apologies for absence

3. Update by Richard about what the project is and is not.

4. What we need to succeed and who, what and how supporters can get it (i.e., not solely Richard):

a. Route protection/recovery/realignment/new build sections

b. Raising funds for studies/encouraging others to study

c. Dedicated EEH Officer to make in-rails to their camp and influence them to support it, study it, poll people, talent and work towards delivery

d. Any offers to assist Richard in the effort (email/desktop style)

e. Any particular issues for and resolutions. See notes below:

5. Any reports on progress on Rugby (WCML)-Magna Park-Lutterworth-Narborough link up? Any offers to be our agent on that project and work with others to start progression towards delivery/secure the route/support/enablement?

6. Rugby Central. Yes, a new link via Barby to link with WCML/Northampton Loop/DIRFT needed, but could Rugby Central serve as a nodal Parkway status Station and terminal branch initially unless a big partner can deliver ‘all in one’?

7. Any other business (related)

8. Day, Date, Time and Place of Next Meeting, ideally a Saturday early September, not the 10^th.

Notes:

1. Note: we don’t want any dissent or against spiel, it is our policy to pursue it as far as it can go. If you support, get involved, if not, see the vacuum a modal shift needs and Climate Emergency and get out. We are trying to build a coalition of support, action and hope.

2. Too long has been spent delaying, deferring, denying and here, we must ruthlessly commit to supporting, engaging and enabling please.

3. Studies have been done via numerous outlets and the case was robust. Development has blocked, but I believe a route, a new railway to modern standards but not High Speed, able to deal with diverse passenger and freight capacity, can be found. If we do not bother, it defaults to roads, more roads, more congestion and ruins the landscape. We must act now.

4. Join our email loop via richard.erta@gmail.com and join ERTA via https://ertarail.co.uk/become-a-member/

and

ERTA Agenda for Rugby Forum – Saturday 9 July 2pm food, 3pm -5pm business Rupert Brooke, 8-10 Castle Street, Rugby, Warks. CV21 2TP https://www.jdwetherspoon.com/pubs/all-pubs/england/warwickshire/rupert-brooke-rugby

1. Appointment of a Chair person for the meeting.

2. Sign the attendance list and welcome, saying names around the table.

3. ERTA Re-Rail Project: a brief guide to what it is about and what it is not – Richard Pill

4. The ERTA Need: more members, more offers to help, to build the local support base up and encourage support at all levels. How best YOU can help with that, as we are busy with many other aspects and things. A need for local people to own and engage with this matter.

5. Any progress/reports on Rugby-Lutterworth-Narborough (linkage for Leicester etc) inclusive of Magna Park?

6. Consideration of solutions to problems, remembering this is in all probability a new railway, built to modern standards and able to handle passenger and freight usage, contrast HS2 passenger only with no station between Solihull and Old Oak Common, however informed, it is both a gap and vacancy for a domestic railway to fill.

7. Getting England’s Economic Heartlands (EEH) and Connect Midlands agencies on board more/any volunteers to bridge between them for winning them over more to our way of thinking?

8. Route consideration:

a. coming off east-west rail east of new Claydon Junction, west of built Claydon in a context of development expansion a given?

b. A study is needed to getting around Brackley to the East with Parkway Station near A43

c. Woodford Halse is blocked and parish needs winning over – any volunteers.

d. Rugby Central as an interim nodal point terminus Parkway Station, with a new link via Barby to join Northampton Loop/WCML somehow, somewhere needs a specific study/phased, incremental assessment by professionals. Our job is to grow a team, recruit new members, bring people together and grow local support at all levels please.

8. Any other business

9. Date, Time and Place of Next Meeting: Ideally a Saturday in October.

Please note: ERTA Central Officers can collaboratively foster willing hosts for meetings and as a result bring people together. Please encourage any interested people or organisations to email richard.erta@gmail.com to join our loop and/or see our website for joining details/fill in a flyer.

The Executive Committee cannot be responsible to do it majoritively, to work, it must come from local people. EEH Website is: https://www.englandseconomicheartland.com/

Comments:

The Pandemic left much undone as did distract, but now we are gradually getting together using zoom for some audiences and physical meetings for others. We do not wish to disenfranchise those not familiar with modern technology, and we aim to value contributions made by all who can contribute in some constructive way.

I attach 2 agendas for 2 meetings. Our meetings are open to all and so all welcome. They will not be going over the same old ground of should we or wait, rather, how to and get to or get out! Development is happening, Government has declared a Climate Emergency and we need a coherent coordinated endeavour to tailor development to protect a course for a new rail route and keep options 'open' more, whilst pressure and influence to encourage all tiers of governance, councils and agencies along with business and developers to invest in seeing what this new rail link could offer and make sustainable whilst balancing public utility with land-use policy and practise. Currently it is a free-for-all and whereas Victorians saw the need for bulk people and goods to go by rail, we have laissez-faire whereby anything goes, whether it is consistent with sustainability principles or not. That must change.

We need as many people as want to help, feel able to contribute, head up and front for us in the labyrinth of interfaces such a monumental challenge informs. It can be done and has to start now. 

In the early 1990's on a sponsored cycle ride, a display at the old Winslow Station, showed a need to support re-railing the Great Central corridor then and people were dismissive saying things like "if we can't get Aylesbury/Oxford-Milton Keynes, what chance Great Central"; but now of course, Oxford/Aylesbury - MIlton Keynes is not only on the cards, but being rebuilt. It is the Great Central corridor's turn, and had a little energy been spent to protect the corridor, we would be better off today as a result. Hindsight is a wonderful thing, efforts to reopen have come and gone, but we must learn, re-start where we are at and see the new opportunity. Essential for road and rail relief but needs acumen to draw-in bigger outlets to take an interest, do the studies we are not equipped to and court government support. It can be done and I welcome any support to help us make progress. We are facilitators and idea planters, but other folks can bridge between what we do and making it a reality please.

Great Central Corridor Re-Railing new-build makes a whole load of sense - please give your support!

 

Schemes:

1. Heathrow Links:

 

Scheme	Status
a. Reading- Heathrow
b. The Windsor Link
c. Southern Heathrow Link
d. Crossrail
e. David’s Waterloo/Byfleet-Denham Link
f. Another including Heathrow-Gatwick via Guildford, Horsham and Three Bridges?

2. Key Goals of ERTA:

a. Great Central Corridor Re-Railing

b. Lands at Calvert to be made available for Aylesbury-East-West Rail link and connection

c. new route junctioning off east-west rail west of Claydon for link near to the former Great Central corridor

d. new build domestic rail for mixed traffic (passenger and freight) with Parkway Stations at east of built Brackley – Brackley East Parkway – adjacent to A43 roundabout with connecting buses to Silverstone and elsewhere.

e. new alignment to Woodford Halse area, Willoughby and hence Barby to link with either WCML/Northampton Loop into WCML Rugby and also a terminal branch to a new station ‘Rugby Central’ with road access, parking and facilities.

f. Rugby WCML – Magna Park-Lutterworth-Narborough via Midland/GC corridor amalgam for links with through running to Leicester/Nuneaton/East Midlands and vice versa/wider connectivity for more passenger and freight movements by rail.

3. GC Corridor Re-Rail:

a. Southampton/Bristol-Oxford-Leicester/East Midlands linkages. Quicker than via Bedford for example. Relief to existing north-south radial main lines and decluttering M1 and associated trunk roads networks and urban interfaces.

b. WCML/M1 modal shift/relief/capacity and enabling more.

c. MK Central is inadequate as per capacity issues and accommodation between Bletchley-Northampton and Rugby even with HS2 and/or modal shift from roads to rail more.

d. Bedford, Aylesbury, Oxford, West London, Euston + freight + fast services and growth all vie for access to Milton Keynes and more. Can’t be done with current constraints, so GC corridor re-railing could free up for more by rail overall and ensure MK Central can cope better.

e. There is a need for a nurturing of a government tiered led plan to declutter M1 end-to-end and all in between. Unless we nurture these rail options, it defaults to more roads, road building with associated bads of congestion, delay, costs, fossil fuel burning, pollution, hazards and waste, let alone land take which could be used for more environmentally sustainable uses like rail, like housing, like farming, like conservation or employment.

f. The former GC corridor from Old Oak Common to Leicester has a growing population, is being developed rapidly and Brackley is one of the largest towns in England without ready rail access/station in close proximity.

4. Old Oak Common (OOC):

a. Chiltern needs to have 2 twin bays for terminal capacity access and enabling more, if not built-in design now, when and how and problems ahead with retrospective costs.

b. a tunnel linking Southern Rail Heathrow project to OOC and Chiltern Lines with a subsurface station for OOC connectivity (HS2, GWR, Crossrail, Underground, others) on a north-south trajectory. This would enable Portsmouth/Guildford-Aylesbury/Banbury respectively and if our GC corridor is built, Leicester and via East-West Rail, Milton Keynes, Northampton and Bedford.

c. Southall-Brentford make a through link for Reading – Waterloo lines and South London orbitals.

5. SW Main Lines – Denham new link via Byfleet:

a. needs working up with identification of population catchments it may serve

b. define stretches overground and underground approximations

c. sites for stations potentially

d. needs local government support and buy-in

needs formal studies to build the case, engineering and advocate to tiers including TfL, Greater London Authority, DFT and Treasury for example.

e. land for stations, connections and junctioning designs need to be established as per feasibility. This must include tunnel requirement specifications.

f. East-North curve not west-north as that would rival and compete with established professional campaign, we support of Heathrow Southern scheme from Woking.

R. B. Pill 15-03-2022

Conclusion and appeal: ERTA has goals, aims and wishes for aspirations to be met. We believe them to be good and in the wider societal interest. I attach a dossier put together and diagrams for your kind perusal and possible support. 

It is too easy to be prisoners of the past and past glories or failures. We need to think of where we are now and build back better investing in nurturing all-weather-proof solutions which do not cost the earth. 

Please join us in the quest for modal shift from road to rail more. We are not anti car but pro choice, which thanks to the closures is denied in many cases. We need your support and shared vision to get it moving more towards what we wish for, the re-railing of Britain.

Enquiries to richard.erta@gmail.com

Below, although not our own diagram, we thank harry Burr for this contribution:

 

Great Central Report - pdf with photos available via richard.erta@gmail.com

 

After crossing Olney Lane at SP 5166 7252 the trackbed is part of the Great Central Way, a well-maintained cyclepath and footpath, for the next 3km. The line of the former railway is unbroken north of here until the point that Abbey Street, Rugby is reached, just before the West Coast Main Line.

{…..detail to come on the bit between Olney Lane and Ashlawn Road}

The trackbed runs under the Ashlawn Road overbridge at SP 5159 7319, and from here until the West Coast Main Line is reached at SP 5160 7569 it is part of National Cycling Network Route 41. Continuing just west of north from Ashlawn Road in a deep cutting (Figure 1) the trackbed passes under the footbridge between Pytchley Road and Catesby Road at SP 5148 7394 (Figure 2). After this the trackbed approaches the site of the former Rugby Central Station. The surface has been well-maintained throughout this walkway, but until a few years ago it had been very muddy in places. Much work has been done to improve the drainage, so now we have good walking/cycling surfaces with areas of wetland to the sides (Figure 3). In places the footpath/cyclepath meanders slightly to move around the wet areas on opposing sides of the path, even though the line of the trackbed is very straight (Figure 4). There are numerous access points for walkers along this stretch.

Figure 1 Looking south along the Great Central Walkway, with the B4429 Ashlawn Road overbridge ahead (SP 5155 7353).

Figure 2 Looking south along the Great Central Walkway, towards the footbridge connecting Pytchley Road and Catesby Road (SP 5147 7400).

Figure 3 Looking north along the Great Central Walkway, showing some of the nearby wetland (SP 5145 7406, or close).

Figure 4 Looking south along the Great Central Walkway at the southernmost extent of the raised station platform. It shows how the walkway has been created to meander with vegetation and wetland in pockets on each side (SP 5139 7445).

At SP 5141 7438, shortly before Rugby Central Station is reached, the cutting widens out slightly. I think this was probably railway sidings. At the station site itself, the central island platform is still in evidence, and the footpath/cyclepath is carried along the length of the platform while the trackbeds on either side are mainly full of water and vegetation (Figure 5, Figure 6, Figure 7).

Figure 5 Detail of the wetland that has been established in part of the trackbed at the site of Rugby Central Station (SP 5137 7461).

Figure 6 Looking north towards Hillmorton Road bridge from the platform at Rugby Central station (SP 5137 7461).

Figure 7 A closer look at the platform at the former Rugby Central station. Looking north from the trackbed (SP 5139 7447).

The trackbed passes underneath Hillmorton Road bridge at SP 5137 7464. It is at this point that there would have been passenger access to Rugby Central Station, although the only access now is via switchback footways on the north side of Hillmorton Road bridge.

At various points on this stretch the local Rotary Club has carried out maintenance on self-seeded and dead trees, as well as installing some short stretches of old railway track in order to add to the interest on this section.

Just north of Hillmorton Road bridge the footpath drops down to track level as the northern end of the island platform is reached (Figure 8). The trackbed continues in a cutting towards Abbey Street and the West Coast Main Line, passing under bridges at Lower Hillmorton Road (SP 5137 7490), Clifton Road (SP 5142 7523) and Bridge Street (SP 5146 7535).

Figure 8 Looking south at Hillmorton Road bridge and the northern extent of the Rugby Central station platform (SP 5137 7467).

North of Bridge Street the surrounding land falls away and the cutting becomes shallower. The trackbed passes between rows of houses until it reaches Abbey Street at SP 5160 7570. At this point the trackbed is above street level and this section of the Great Central Way comes to an end. A bridge would have taken the track across Abbey Street and further north across the West Coast Main Line, but the bridge has been removed (Figure 9). It is possible to view some of the bridge supports that are still in place when looking north across the West Coast Main Line from the point at which the Great Central Way comes to an end (Figure 10).

Figure 9 Remains of the bridge taking the GCR across Abbey Street just before it reaches the West Coast Main Line (SP 5161 7570).

Figure 10 Looking at the gap across Abbey Street to the bridge support before the West Coast Main Line is reached by the GCR. Taken from the raised trackbed, at the northernmost walkable extent of this portion of the Great Central Walkway, looking north (SP 5161 7570).

For the pdf with photos please email richard.erta@gmail.com

 

Notes from ERTA Meeting Great Central Re-Railing Project/Corridor 29-01-2021 15.00 hrs.

Notes from ERTA Meeting Great Central Re-Railing Project/Corridor 29-01-2021 15.00 hrs.

Present: Cllr Rupert Frost, Colin Crawford, Simon Barber, Cllr David Bill, Owen O’Neill, Richard Pill, Harry Burr, Cllr Peter James, Kathy Keeley and Edward Blackman.

1. Chairman’s Welcome: Simon duly opened the meeting with his one liner of introductory.

2. Apologies for absence:  Chris Heaton Harris (MP for Daventry and Government Rail Minister), Cllr Richard Auger of Northants CC, Cllr Martin Tett of Bucks CC, Cllr Tim Mills of Aylesbury Vale, Mr James Tierney of Maritime Transport and Mr Mike Reed.

3. The need to save and re-rail the corridor with deviations where blockages cannot be overcome: Richard explained that ERTA’s goal is to get people to join and inform a team of assistants under Simon to nurture the project along, trackbed watch, protect the route as much as possible from piecemeal development threats and court professional and political support as much as possible, who in turn are to invest in studies and take it on to the next phase towards delivery. People were encouraged to let Simon have their details and ideas of who else to contact for his database.

4. The need for studies, BCR Listing and Business Case firmed up: Owen O’Neill said we should wait until England’s Economic Heartland (EEH) complete their passenger study phase 2 looking at transport demand in various nodes along this corridor. It is due to report in April 2021 and includes south of Rugby. Census figures were also mentioned. Cllr David Bill said we have a plethora of depots springing up, some rail-connected but generate many lorry movements as well and that was a concern. Owen explained to us what the Golden Triangle loosely meant consisting of Lutterworth-M1, M6, M69.

Peter James mentioned that Magna Park was a development which is near the GC cordon and was not there as an example when the Rugby-Leicester lines were closed. Owen then gave a useful look at his paper to be published and diagrams of Rugby-Narborough via Magna Park using the old Midland route out of Rugby. It was said about the ownership of the corridor through Rugby and the loss of the old viaduct. This is a setback, but on the other hand economies of scale are that were it HS2 for example, they would think nothing about putting a new one in.

4. Route SWOT – Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats: This was deferred to elsewhere and to wait for EEH’s study. It was stressed that unless we can raise enough people to trackbed watch, we cannot have intelligence on development threats and the need to protect the corridor was vital. We need local councils on board as well as Government and other agencies.

5. The need for a loose coalition of reliable volunteers to work together and share roles

- let Simon have your details for his database: See item 3.

6. Area focuses:

a. Calvert-Brackley-Woodford Halse

b. Banbury-Woodford Halse

c. Woodford area to Willoughby-Barby and into Rugby

d. Rugby-Magna Park-Lutterworth-Narborough for onwards to (freight Knighton) and passenger (Leicester).

These were put on hold until EEH report, showing what demand. Lutterworth has 10, 000 population and is expected to grow. It is also where the east-west A14 from Felixstowe meets M1 and M6 corridors. See note below *

7. Local, conventional rail link with passenger and freight in scope from Southampton/Bristol-Oxford-Rugby-Leicester in scope: Discussion on local, regional and wider national implications was discussed. On the one hand HS2 is expected to create capacity down the West Coast Main Line (WCML), whereas a bottleneck existed between Didcot and Oxford. Reading was also cited (freight from Southampton for example) as getting stuck on the cushions at the curve from Basingstoke to the Didcot main line. Discussion was had on whether the Bucks CC and Windsor Link idea of reinstating the Bourne End to High Wycombe line with Grendon-Calvert (GC) would provide more flexibility of operations to ease things? Likewise, once off main line tracks north of Oxford, GC link provides extra capacity so may relieve going via London or Birmingham tracks more and attract new as yet not being done new to rail from along the line and end-to-end wherever to wherever via these metals. It was also discussed about intermediate locations and stations. HS2 is a fast line and won’t provide a station at Brackley for example, so the scope for a domestic line alongside HS2 which does, remembering Brackley has A43 and Silverstone orbits as well as a growing place in its own right. Likewise, Woodford Halse, Southam-Daventry via the A425, which GC intercepts half way roughly with possible Parkway Station opportunities. North of that with Willoughby-Rugby/Barby-Rugby Midland needs specific studies on various aspects. Demand is one, engineering and inclusivity scoping another – the re-railing of growing communities, bringing rail access closer.

Warwickshire County Council is apparently doing a Public Transport Survey – Simon to follow up and report back. RFI = Rail Freight Interchanges. Colin offered to talk to Maggie Simpson of the Rail Freight Group (RFG). It was also recommended he and Simon talk with Mr Andrew Pritchard of the East Midlands Transport Group of Councils.

8. Getting bigger fry on board:

a. developers: Gazeleys was mentioned. DB Tritax Symmetry – lorries part, if they are focusing on rail east-west that could be Liverpool and East Coast, but lorry movements could hit M1 for north-south as no rail choices exist between Leicester-Nuneaton and Rugby for example, which is a strategic gap in the rail network.

b. rail industry/business people: Colin and Simon would seek a meeting with Chiltern to try and see what comes of it. East-West Rail are toying of dropping their Claydon-Aylesbury arm and so someone else may wish to fill it passenger-wise, given Calvert is to be developed to new town size. Could it be that Chiltern could aspire a domestic rail (or build a coalition) to re-rail Brackley alongside HS2 as a domestic line with Parkway Station for catching A43, Silverstone (bus link) and growing Brackley commute options which could negotiate running to or having a connecting station with East-West Rail? So, if we got Rugby-Narborough and Aylesbury-Brackley, the ‘gap’ between then then intensifies to get re-instated rail corridor.

c. Political will at all tiers: Chris Heaton Harris MP for Daventry and Rail Minister as well as other MP’s along the corridor who can sponsor Westminster Meetings. Simon manages a database for the ERTA Westminster Team to work on these matters as well as a Government stipulated rail corridor protection initiative. Needs more people and via Zoom under present circumstances, to be operationalised now. Guildford-Horsham and the canal threat was mentioned as another example of trackbed vulnerability. Once lost, locks growth into roads and that is why GC also has credentials as providing a rail choice to roads.

d. public: Please recommend ERTA to others, to join as a member, to attend meetings like today and grow our teams.

9. Appointment of any volunteers and for what/where/how – answerable to Simon and the Executive Committee (EC): There were none currently.

10. Any other pre-notified business: There was none except to notify next Zoom Meeting for GC Matters was 12 March 2021 15.00 hours. Would enable updating notwithstanding EEH’s later date of delivery.

Note from item 6*: Midland route out of Rugby/GC through Rugby or variations takes on the western side approach to Leicester of the M1 corridor. Northampton-Market Harborough with a widened base for footpath and railway corridor takes on eastern side of M1 approaches to the Leicester area. We must support both for their own merits, reducing road congestion, traffic and informing modal shift is the name of our game for good social, environmental and economic reasons. Yes, Northampton-Rugby-Leicester may be advantageous asking why we need another line for purposes of optimising demand, but there are other local-regional reasons why we need both.

Please note, it is ERTA’s goal to see the re-railing as we are convinced it has merit, that is not up for discussion. Finding means-ways and people to get it delivered is the next step. Northampton rail matters are for the meeting 19-02-2021 15.00 hrs via Simon Barber T. 0208 940 4399, E. simon4barber@gmail.com

https://ertarail.co.uk/events/ 

Great Central Railway Reopening Project - Support it now, don't let it be thrown away when we really need it!

Notes from ERTA Great Central Meeting Friday 13^th November. Disclaimer: Please note, these are notes taken during the meeting and whilst seeking to be accurate, are a guide and not formal per se. I have had to use a new sequestration of numbering to that of the agenda in some cases.

 

Present: Richard Pill (Chairman), Owen O’Neill (Zoom Facilitator), Simon Barber, Colin Crawford, Cllr Richard Auger, John Harrison, Harry Burr, Peter McBeath and Cllr Rupert Frost and Kathy Keeley.

 

1. Convenors Welcome and any preliminaries: Richard welcomed people to the meeting.

2. Apologies for absence: Sam Peach, Mike Reed, Cllr Mike Cockerill, Cllr Mark Graves, Cllr Philip King, Cllr Peter James, Cllr Tim Douglas, Cllr Martin Tett.

3. Report from Mr Sam Peach on progress so far followed by discussion: Report from Mr Sam Peach was read by Simon Barber.  Since last meeting Sam has met with Anthony Swift of England’s Economic Heartlands (EEH), Their focus is on east-west transport links. Sam has been doing research on transport along the Great Central Route. Northants County Council produced 2 documents Page 30-33 Rail Strategy Doc ‘Fit for purpose’ (?) 2013 circa. It has a bit on north-south links. Cost in 2013 but under considerations given we are nearly 10 years on from the assumptions of these old docs. North Northants Planning Unit has also been engaged with. There will be a general review of policy to bring things up to date. Anthony Swift advised Sam to look at South Midlands Multi Modal Study which is about 15 years old. Next steps are to build the economic and social case. A discussion then followed: Sam’s study to include:

a. assessment of households along the route

b. economic benefit of re-railing

c. re-railing costs

d. freight/new to rail benefits and capacity creation for more by rail elsewhere too

e. Sam will seek MP and Council interest

f. will also read transport docs released by councils.

4. Discussion was had on Mr Chris Heaton-Harris MP, MP Daventry area and Rail Minister.  Remembering that MP’s and getting them on board (Andrea Leadsom, South Northants, Chris Heaton-Harris, Daventry, Mark Pawsey, Rugby, Alberto Costa, Lutterworth, Narborough).

Harry Burr, a resident from Towcester has run a campaign for a station on the existing West Coast Main Line (WCML) at Weedon near Daventry as a Parkway Station for the town. It had courted media and widespread coverage and popular support. We congratulated him on his sterling efforts and wished him well. He is just 13 years old, but given Daventry is one of the largest towns without a station, is a much deserving candidate to be taken seriously for better rail connectivity.

5. A discussion was then had around Northampton-Market Harborough:

Pros for the rail link were things like:

a. Brixworth – 10, 000 new houses to be built, and with an average of 2.5 cars per household, that traffic along the A508 will end up being congested at Northampton or elsewhere adding to a problem.

b. The rail link would enable East Midlands-DIRFT freight and beyond access

c. Would link as part of a through link between Oxford-Milton Keynes-Northampton-Leicester/East Midlands and vice versa, shaving time, opening more by rail journey opportunities

d. Would take on M1 (Northampton-Leicester) giving rail choice currently not available.

Against it was felt:

a. Local People don’t want it / object

b. Chris Heaton-Harris (who may have been written to) is against it

c. A cycle track occupies much of the route/now used for non-rail purposes

Owen O’Neill said that for that, GC and other projects, there needs to be Assessment of Benefits including Economic. Discussion was had with Cllr Rupert Frost.

It was mooted that in rail choice terms, GC approaches Leicester from the western flank of M1, Northampton-Market Harborough on the eastern flank.

Richard Auger said some have ‘silo views. There’s a need to link to 1. Local Strategic Plans – rail links and connectivity and 2. Government – where it wants to go on it. A discussion was had. On the one hand that is fine, but if Government sits on fence in policy/action terms like the disparity of funding for new roads v rail reopenings they go against the environment whereas the whole issue we want is more environmentally-friendly transport able to carry bulk people and goods and save land for other things. Some people call Northampton-Market Harborough Railway as ‘Brampton Valley Railway’.

It was felt Climate Change/Climate Change Emergency was an important aspect for these rail links.

It was said there is a need to break a project down to chunks. Segment Leicester to Rugby/Rugby-Leicester/Narborough – Owen O’Neil showed slides of the lie of the land and his proposal of a new-build rail serving Magna Park and Lutterworth and as an option was broadly welcomed to be shored up and promoted. If someone comes up with a Plan B, providing the demand and market can sustain it, we have no real problem with such.

6. Peter McBeath interjected on demand aspects by warning that ports are being dredged for larger container carrying ships for 23, 000 container carriage docking and want to use rail majoritively to serve their land carriage. That sends ripples of demand-supply of capacity and pinch points will need sorting, new rails and links will be given impetus and this is happening now and going forward, not some longevity luxury of decades. So, it raises questions of rail capacity and readiness. We will need lines like Great Central to help cater for it all sustainably.

7. Richard Pill, Chairing the meeting laid the cards of ERTA on the table: we can facilitate meetings, bring people together, campaign within resources and nurture volunteers to inform a team who in turn can take and do what is necessary as per Sam Peach to take projects on to a next stage. However, we do not have the resources to commission £100, 000+ studies to tick all boxes. It is for professionals to conjoin and invest in their (private) and nations (Government tiers) interests. It is not about our Executive Committee taking on more work, rather realising new volunteers and them in turn expanding our ideas and working them to fruition/variables on themes included.

8. Key benefits: It was felt environmental land use, route protection to keep options open amidst development bombardments not made to take rail intent into consideration per se and winning over the national political biases. Mr Simon Barber has a Westminster Team and volunteers are welcome to sign up and collaborate with him.

9. Peter McBeath made the point that ports expansion and more trains demand scale.  We need more capacity and alternative routes. Richard said that the scope we felt for the Great Central re-railing (see map) was Southampton/Bristol-Leicester/East Midlands and all in between. With M40 on the west, M1 on the east, it is a critical corridor to re-rail giving capacity elsewhere. Southampton trains have hot spots at Reading and the Reading/Didcot-Leamington Lines were heavily used, getting to East Midlands direct and from it without recourse to Birmingham or London would be a boost for rail and more by rail potentially. ERTA had been seeking discussions with a number of operators and developers into distribution. Convergys, Gazeleys and it was recommended we seek to get ASDA Board on board. Could it be that Owen’s Rugby-Leicester section is the appetiser which brings buy-in for more south of Rugby beit Banbury and/or Calvert for access to wider links to/from?

10. Segmental Status’ – as well as the big picture of what we are trying to achieve with variations on a theme.

a. John Harrison pointed to freight proposal for rail freight terminal near Hinkley off the Leicester-Nuneaton Line, which could potentially benefit from the GC link or variations on a theme from the south.

b. Calvert-Woodford Halse. It was suggested that getting a domestic line alongside the HS2 corridor to serve Brackley area with bus links to Silverstone was a project in itself with options to Aylesbury, OOC and Oxford for 2-way commuting for example. Woodford Halse is next up and as a nodal point of area reference, the connectivity and mutual feed of any Banbury-Daventry-Northampton arcing rail link would intercept GC corridor and interlinking should be considered. One suggestion was for Banbury-Rugby (Rugby is a sectional study issue of access) as a shorter link to achieve than going Oxford-Calvert etc. ERTA is open-minded, but the Brackley issue, with A43 and expansion remains to be addressed. Simon said he wanted a meeting with Colin and Brackley Town Council to try and establish common ground. Woodford does have some blockages which various opponents have flagged up. Land and growth – we need route protection and Plan B to be adopted with a conversion from opposition or neutrality to pro-affirma support for the rail. Discussions with Parishes was to be welcomed to foster good relations and appreciation of what a railway could offer and Simon to seek a meeting with Woodford Halse P.C. too.

c. Woodford-Willoughby. Re-railing Great Central has the issue of Catesby Tunnel and the wind tunnel use of it. Parish Clerk against re-railing options.

d. Getting into Rugby required yes, Rugby to be on board but also, studies on best options. ERTA has a view.

11. MP’s et al. See elsewhere.

12. Overall it was felt:

a. Getting ASDA on board and similar was worth pursuing:

- ASDA Executive – can they input strategically

- insights

- how to take things forward

- Invest in studies

Be a conjoiner to projects

b. demand and assessment led not just of today, but future forecasting with a 10-year scope. What will it be without the railway, what contribution could a railway make positively?

c. Putting together a business case, getting professional support – City of London and then Westminster. KPMG was mentioned. But we have to have a good business case first to interest them as investors.

d. Get Amazon on board – they need to start using rail. Warehouses the size of football pitches springing up everywhere. Simon/Colin to approach these bodies for preliminary sounding out.

e. Look at Local Distribution Networks and Karl Watts – get him on board as focuses on Parcels by Rail Services.

13. Owen O’Neil happy to assist with Rugby-Leicester focus after February and collaborate with Sam Peach.

14. No other business.

15. Date of next Zoom Meeting 29^th January 2021 15.00 hours.

Meeting finished 15.40 Richard thanked all for attending.

Note: Clearly a need for focuses respectively. ERTA has a view, a wish, a plan but can only interject ideas, it is for professionals and those so orientated to take on board, work up and court wider support. We support Great Central corridor re-railing with variations on a theme and rebuilding a new Northampton-Market Harborough rail link and will table meetings and direct activists and would-be campaigners to those ends as our contribution. People are welcome to join ERTA as members and offer to volunteer to help us. To register for the next Great Central Zoom Meeting, please contact Mr Simon Barber Mr Simon Barber: T. 0208 940 4399, E. simon4barber@gmail.com. Please encourage others to get involved and liaise with us. My loop via richard.erta@gmail.com is ‘open to all’.

ERTA can:

1. Facilitate Zoom Meetings

2. Plant Ideas

3. Bring people together

4. Make suggestions

5. Input to consultations

6. Network

7. Head hunt professionals elected or in business who can take an interest and move the propositions on to the next stage.

 

Interim we do need:

1. Local and Government (all tier) support for route protection and realignment/deviation spaces

2. People to join ERTA as Members - helping us

3. Offer time and talent as volunteers - things like website maintenance skills, designing maps and diagrams for general use and helping inform a team more to take on stewardship and growing support for the bigger picture of re-railing, with local chunks acting as patchwork places for growing and nurturing collaboration.

The issues are massive, but what if we do not re-rail? More development means more traffic and congestion with pollution and then what? So, now and going forward, in all interests to cooperate and take heads out of the sand.

Please note, all discussions on Northampton-Market Harborough rail link are held on the Northampton Meetings. If you wish to also register for that meeting contact Mr Simon Barber respectively.