Getting Northampton on the right lines!

https://slp-northampton.com/ 

The English Regional Transport Association (ERTA), is a voluntary membership-based association. We welcome the new Northampton rail connected depot and wish it well. 

We have a number of goals in the Northampton area and would welcome any professional interest to help with ushering them along in the specific and wider interest.

Principally, with Oxford-Milton Keynes being built now, Southampton/Bristol-Oxford-Northampton will be possible direct, by rail. If Northampton-Market Harborough (rail would take-on M1/A508 traffic) were rebuilt, then access from Felixstowe and East Midlands to the depot by rail would also be more apparent. 

Bus Links, Value for Money and the environmental dynamic appeal challenge to get more people to use them.

Buses tend to convey a certain core audience. Privatisation saw decline of bus networks and increased costs at the point of use. Today we have Government touting its investment in buses, but the reality is a sticking plaster and whitewash to the mainstay use enhancement of daily, depending on these fragmented networks. Value for money, affordability, accessibility, reliability, cleanliness, driver attitude, company hands-on management and direction/leadership and the adequacy of integration with rail stations, access to public toilets of a civilised standard and abundance open during bus operations at very least not part-time. These things attract or repel bus usage on a regular basis or not. In Bedford, out of the 3 main operators, Stagecoach, Grant Palmer and UNO, Stagecoach are probably with the edge in professionalism across the piece. Grant Palmer tries, but like the other day, bus failed at the Bus Station (thankfully) but not a word from the driver (10.30am No. 44, Wednesday 14^th July 2021); people had to decide whether to stay or look for another bus at inconvenience to themselves. Likewise, the 28 and 21 wait only a fraction few seconds before departing at the Bus Station and better duration waiting may enable people changing buses from elsewhere around the bus station to have a chance to change, whereas miss it and 30 minutes or 1 hour wait not uncommon. 

Getting off peak buses to link with Bedford Midland and Bus Station has been a post privatisation endeavour, but only of limited response. It should be flagrantly obvious and advantageous. Take buses out and unadulterated car dependency and congestion, add buses in, politicians and car drivers think congestion is compounded, but no! It is a choice and some carrot and stick could draw more to bus usership if the price, convenience and frequency when needed is tuned to what the customer needs and demands. Alas, getting hands-on coordination, rather than aloof science study procedures by people who drive very often is the convoluted order of the day... things must change. Extending the Concessionary Bus Pass to Under 65's and making them obtainable for all who want to use them and merging bus and rail cards to enable more public transport lifestyle/environment usage should be seen as a part of the jigsaw to cut congestion, emissions and pollution. It would also fill off-peak public transport - another goal fulfilled. 

Who pays? We do if we do, we do if we don't, what then tips the balance? Whether you believe in a Climate Emergency or not and are willing to do 'whatever it takes' to optimise the reduction of car lifestyles by choice than dictate. Any Government who gets it right, achieves a great step in the right direction!

There’s a place for nostalgia in our recollection of buses as per this historic bus stationed at Northampton on a special run-about service day circa 2018, by the Historical Society which has some old buses, some of which are from the days when the Civic Corporation ran local services for local people as a staple transport. No thought of profit motive, no disproportionality to incomes of likely users. Now, things are very different and balancing out the environmental efficiency of using public transport, is a sense of ‘who would use it?’ and does it present an attractive alternative to the car/value for money?

You may wish to peruse this link article from the Guardian for a reader:

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2021/jul/19/uk-bus-privatisation-has-caused-poverty-and-job-losses-says-un?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

A vision for a core circular routes pattern to encompass both Bedford Midland Railway Station and Bedford Bus Station. Any takers? Join ERTA and give us your support. Enquiries via richard.erta@gmail.com

Notes from ERTA Northampton Area Meeting

 Notes from ERTA Northampton Area Meeting

30-04-21 15.00 hrs Hosted by Ms Sara Homer

Present: Ms Sara Homer, Owen O’Neill, Cllr Phil Larratt, Colin Crawford, John Harrison and Richard Pill (Chair).

1. Apologies for absence: None had been received.

2. Brackmills Branch Re-Railing: A statement from Sara was issued as follows:

“Brackmills industrial Estate Branch Re railing Project.

All is quiet at the moment with town Elections and Unitary happening.

I have recently had a meeting with Delapre Abbey, Jonathan Nunn, leader of the Council, the university and a gentleman that works on setting up BIDS across the country. The difference being with this is we are looking to set up a Green Improvement District which incorporates the whole of Brackmills, Delapre Abbey, the university, A new leisure facility which is under wraps at the moment. If this status happens for the area, it will incorporate the Railway line and it may well give us some avenues of funding that we can tap into.

I have sent out the electronic version of our Brochure to all of the businesses on the estate and I have been giving it out to interested parties on and around the surrounding villages around the estate.”

This was welcome news and we wish it success. It was discussed the coming together of interested people and organisation. Special Status and Green Improvement District may leverage special funding which otherwise may not have been available. Key issue is the growth of traffic on the main road feeds to/from the area A45-A43, M1 and A428 which serves Brackmills. A bid for the Railway Study Fund for Bedford-Northampton had been received by the DfT and Bedford Borough may be interested. Some new route between Castle Ashby Estate and Stevington area needs construction anew as old route via Olney is obliterated now. Likewise, the route could be added to the Oxbridge East-West Rail route and be useful for passenger and freight connectivity. Brackmills is a local scheme, serving local need, Bedford-Northampton is an inter-regional scale and amalgamating the two may be a challenge in the future. However, examples of where local services and regional services coexist can be looked at and applied surely. Keeping the corridor clear of obstruction, overcoming the issue of London Road access and elsewhere also needs to be looked at and what special dispensations may be available.

We postponed item 3 until later so someone could join us.

4. Northampton-Leicester via Market Harborough. Some support. Network Rail had done a study a couple of years ago. However, project seems to have stalled and issues like North Westbury Road link lands on the old route near Boughton Level Crossing. The preserved group interest also has a claim as well as utility leisure use like walking and cycling. Maybe a wider definition of the trackbed could accommodate more. New development along the route, without the railway, will exacerbate traffic on A508 and M1 respectively commuting into Northampton and northwards. Freight could also use the line as well as passenger links with Leicester and south of Leicester/East Midlands to Northampton, Milton Keynes and the Oxford links. A new ½ mile section south of Market Harborough would need constructing to link to the Midland Main Line as old route is blocked at the Market Harborough end. However, support from councils and rail industry as well as carrying public with us is required. It offers significant connectivity* (see notes below)

3. Northampton-Leicester via Rugby: Owen O’Neill has pioneered this project and has both received good media coverage and courted MP support. However more Local Council support is wanted and being courted. Owen has met various councils. John Harrison raised the issue of better connectivity and freight as well as Blaby Council potential interest. He flagged up a Nuneaton – Midland Main Line via the Wigston/Leicester direct south curve being utilised. Other discussion was a direct line under the West Coast Main Line for freight and passenger use to avoid Nuneaton and enable faster Coventry-Leicester and vice versa end to end competitiveness with roads for example. * (see notes below)

Richard raised the idea of a direct curve from south of Kenilworth to run direct to Stratford upon Avon from the Coventry direction and vice versa celebrating the regional Shakespeare links and heritage.

5. Northampton-Wellingborough: It was felt challenges were formidable but would link in with MML and Welland schemes. However, priorities it was felt should be Brackmills, Bedford-Northampton and Northampton-Market Harborough. If extra all well and good, but these priorities need our support and interest to keep options alive more.

6. Welland Valley Railway: The project has courted successfully local council interest and support. It would link Kettering with Peterborough via Corby. Peterborough-Leicester and the Melton Mowbray-Nottingham scheme all tie in extra passenger operations and demand feed to each other potentially.

7. Remodelling Northampton Station for trains off the Brackmills Branch. It was felt restoring the bays on what is currently a car park just south of the road bridge south of the station would be one solution and reconnecting the junction with twin tracks to link with the Northampton Loop Lines for further afield business should be looked at and taken into design consideration. Bridges may need renewal and possibly some remodelling.

8. AOB et al: Brackmills Report (above in quotes) downloaded to add to notes. Thanks.

9. Day, Date, Time and Place of Next Meeting is June 25th 15.00 hrs

Contact host: Ms Sara Homer: sara.homer@brackmillsindustrialestate.co.uk

All welcome/open to all. Please encourage interested and supportive to attend. Richard Thanked all present and meeting finished 16.06

cc. Simon Barber/David Ferguson.

Notes:

1. A north-west curve could run into DIRFT to/from the Leicester direction

2. Leicester A46 road upgrade and bypass scheme has stalled, but other schemes and development are in the pipeline. We must keep an eye on such threats where they may impinge on rail reopenings like St James’-London Road Northampton road link which assumed old railway land/Brackmills Branch and scuppering access off GC/new build railway to link with Leicester-Nuneaton lines in the west of Narborough area for example.

https://ertarail.co.uk/events/

Brackmills Branch Northampton, UK - it is time to re-rail it for passenger, freight and capacity use.

 If anyone wants to be emailed the brochure, it is free via richard.erta@gmail.com 

We welcome support and interest in the rail scheme and enquiries/join our loop via: richard.erta@gmail.com https://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/news/transport/transport-group-sets-out-pitch-to-build-northamptons-own-park-and-ride-shuttle-train-3152212

Press Release 02-10-2017

02 October 2017

Press Release

Why should investors be interested in our projects?

ERTA advocates a number of inter-connected projects. We believe these deserve better consideration and championing at various levels and we would wish to see more interest with a view to forming consortia and taking them forward to next stages. One of our main focal projects is Bedford-Northampton rail link. It has been studied before with positive credentials by Connex looking form paths on the West Coast Main Line and accessing Rugby from the south.

It offers:

a.       Regionally arcs 3 regional boundaries (Southeast, Eastern and East Midlands)

b.       Links Luton Airport with Northampton/West Coast Main Line (WCML) portal and vice versa/M1 end to end alternative/market capture

c.       Current bus link takes 1.5 hours to do just 21.5 miles, disincentive to trade between Bedford and Northampton, non-London centric commuting, localism and footfall and spend to Northampton, Bedford and Olney*. *Olney has a 5-mile radius population catchment of some 33, 000 people, even though the town is just 6500.

d.       Bedford has a wealth of schools, Northampton more jobs and sport profile.

e.                   Is the only way to create more paths along WCML and more services for accessing Milton Keynes Central which lack adequate baying.

f.                    Potential for freight by rail with East-West Rail links at Bedford, Felixstowe-West Midlands ‘not via London’, freeing up paths, servicing A14-A45 arc corridor (rail alternative), Brackmills Industrial Estate and DIRFT en route.

g. Stands on own two feet, second route to London from Northampton, lends to cross-country services, same tracks, multiple aspects.

h. Needs rebuild. Main blockages are London Road, Northampton (no level crossing) Olney (industrial units and offices) and Turvey (luxury housing). These are technically surmountable if the case and backing is robust enough – business case studies, environmental impact, realignment options and interception with Midland Main Line at Oakley.

End of Press Release

For any further comment contact Mr Richard Pill 01234 330090 / richard.erta@gmail.com

http://midland-airport.com/

Better Rail Links for Northampton

Re: Northampton-Bedford rail link restoration

Northampton’s strategic position means it gets a lot of north-south and east-west traffic. A key logistics and population centre it reaches gridlock congestion and a high content of juggernaut lorries on both M1 and the east-west A14-A45-A43 and vice versa cross roads based on urban Northampton. This cannot continue to grow without some rebalancing between road and rail. For that to happen we need Northamptonshire County Council to see the strategic need and case for reopening the rail link, the benefits for Northampton and wider county and table a cross border consortium to vie in the market of calls for reopenings nationwide for this specific reopening regardless of other projects, agendas or happenings. In short it needs a sustained, incremental nurturing which softly-softly delivers a realisation that it is a strategic missing link with a new revitalised role to play and robust market to serve in the 21^st century.

There need be few costs. Tabling the Consortium and gathering support from private and public sectors, realising funds for commissioning a proper feasibility study (Bucks County Council allocated £100, 000 for one looking at rebuilding a new High Wycombe-Bourne End link for Thames Valley – East-West feeder arc).

Northampton-Bedford has many attributes as to why reopen passenger and freight and some of these are detailed in my booklet published earlier this year priced £4.50 + £2.00 postage. But integrated Thameslink (Luton Airport/Northampton link via Bedford) and Northampton-Bedford-Cambridge East-West Rail integration. If Bedford-Cambridge has an east-north axis rail link, then Felixstowe-West Midlands freights can go that way via the Leicester south curves. However, Bedford-Northampton enables access to Brackmills, Northampton, DIRFT AND the West Midlands. Side benefit is the freeing up of many paths on the West Coast Main Line (capacity) to enable more passenger and freight services, all taking traffic and wear and tear off our roads, cutting pollution and contributing to better public health and ambiance (sell-able asset!). We must not throw this away, we must nurture support – University of Northampton and stewardship of the trackbed bordering their Waterside Campus an early winnable port of call, getting Olney Town Council to believe reopening is do-able and to protect a route around the town – a new route or recovery of a route is required is a study in itself. But the key gain for Milton Keynes is more trains serving Central Station, without Bedford-Northampton West Coast paths are premium and restricted, informing over-crowding, pricing management and more traffic on local roads than otherwise could be the case. Nice as letters saying “I/we support…” are what we need is for you to:

·        Work at forming a consortium

·        Gather support

·        Work with us/liaise

·        Keep it as informal as possible until we get a break through of all on board end to end of the line.

·        Encourage business to be involved – less congestion helps them, therefore it is in their interest to lend support, acumen and leadership

·        Win over the East-West Consortium to give it credence by making the case of what a ground changer this project could be for all its projects and interests.

ERTA holds events and tables an informal forum in Northampton and we welcome people to meet with us, offer support and work with us to move things forward, which is the only way chances for success can be realised. You can see our diary on: https://ertarail.com/events/

The reality is that development goes on regardless, to make development sustainable we need the rail link restored. It has been on the Secretary of State’s desk twice in the 20 years I’ve been involved with the campaign, one of which was 2004 with the London South Midlands Multi Modal Study (LSMMMS). Network Rail’s GRIP process escalators projects towards recognition and potential adoption. We must not think of the branch line steamy past, but of a robust passenger and freight by rail opportunity, save the countryside and cut urban squalor and blight congestion informs. The railway would boost footfall and spend to both our ancient town centres and restore local sense of underpinning and a sense of well-being whatever the future throws up. Thank you.

Yours sincerely,

Richard Pill

ERTA Chairman

Could people respond to this consultation and suggest that a Northampton-Bedford rebuild rail link should also be integral to Oxford-Cambridge railway renaissance for inclusion and to ensure the freight by rail shift aspect is not compromised? http://www.englandseconomicheartland.com/Pages/engagement.aspx

Speed up delivery of local rail links not speed up speed!

Rail Magazine has both a Heathrow rail link from the south article and extension of Borders Rail to Carlisle = good = rail/less road reliance. However it seems we have a media blackout beyond local letters pages and that every rail scheme except what we want is being pursued the length of the country. I will write in to the Bedford Local Plan as an individual, the central issue is loads of houses urban and rural, throwing loads of cars onto existing roads, urban congestion/sky high parking demand/cost and trade offs and didley rail agenda - the railway needs to be done and dusted by 2035 and it will only, if done, be started by then, let me spell out:

1. Oxford-Bedford 2024, that's 40 miles ish of wire brushed relaid track on an existing rail course with stations and some form of rolling stock = 2 trains per hour hardly intensive - X5 timetable should be the normative template from day one - contrast HS2 120 OOC-B'ham 2026 - just 2 years after opens. In short Oxford-Bedford should be do-able much earlier especially now we have a bypass of Network Rail to do the works - so why the delay? Technicals and legals must be pitted with HS2 the same but more and yet it is to be done and dusted asap in relative terms. Plus we're getting a new £3.5 billion road - not needed - the aim should be to take volume-capacity via the rail corridor incrementally to X5 + x8 X5's to a train-load x 4 per hour = modal shift (passenger and freight). Something is deeply wrong I feel, but am on the outside looking in and even a planner said at the Harpur Centre "some of our questions are not being answered".

2. Bedford-Cambridge. My view is Bedford-Sandy is enough minimally and the Ickleford curve for a start to be opened same time as 2024 Oxford-Bedford for a basic through route/relieve into, across and out of London freight + passenger services:

a. Stevenage - Bedford (Thameslink integration/stock use)

b. Bedford-Cambridge (new)

c. Peterborough-Bedford (Thameslink/stock use)

Then 2024 do across to Shepreth to relieve Hitchin-Royston

Then look at options for bypassing Cambridge (freight). Having visited Trumpington Meadows and seen the curtain of housing across the trackbed going in, compulsory purchase and returning to rail looks a bridge too far!

3. Oakley and Sharnbrook and Wymington are needed MML/electrification which should also have a plan for making consistent 9'6 freight clearance for London-Bedford-Northampton-DIRFT container relief to West Coast = more trains for MK Central.

4. Ampthill and Wixams needed - they serve different catchments and demand centres. Flitwick has poor road system, overload from Olney, MK, M1 and Marston growth areas and south of Wixams infill - Ampthill with western Steppingley access could mop up these wider commuter/growth catchments. Bedford-Olney-Northampton would stem it further out.

5. Retail Interchange Kempston - 19, 000 population Kempston, 000's of cars to Retail Park/parking demand and long queues per day - the station informs more footfall and spend, alternate access and town centre may also benefit indirectly.

6. New Bedford Midland with Midland Road pedestrian isle for town gateway access 'clean and green' Bedford, not congestion, fumes, smoking on narrow pavements and high volume everything 'harmogenised' without cohesion = relative chaos in growth context.

7. Tracks into and through Bedford from St John's need sorting with 3rd under A428 Bromham Road which needs widened bridge span or third span inserting, can be done I believe.

In sum, Olney is easier than Cambridge now for recovery/reopening purposes. We do need a Cambridge rail link but ideas of going via Twinwoods, St Neots, Cambourne and new towns to Chesterton seem daft as you still need - at great cost and upheaval to get to the Newmarket lines for the East and you are entering Cambridge from the north and West?

I feel Bedford is the junior to Milton Keynes is it all, the Consortium seem MK centric than shared coexistence focus inclusive? It should all be done by 2026 if HS2 can, so should these. Otherwise it is going to be gridlock, congestion, fumes and parking issues galore. Bad for business and the environment but where does the supreme buck stop to address? Dft, Parliament, The Monarch?!

Tailbacks down St Cuthberts from Lurke Street Lidls are becoming more common-place. Could a Lidals be allocated to Goldington/Brickhill to spread the load and give more options off the radial road system and/or bypass? There is a plot of land on corner of Caxton Road/Goldington Road corner - near Hatters, likewise field off Cleat Hill/Woodlands with a through bus lane for Grant Palmer to serve? Personally I know many middle class people prefer Lidls to some other supermarket chains and as many new houses will be semi's more Lidls seems logical to avoid town centre proliferation of tailbacks? Plus safer walking and cycling options.

Finally, the path from Newnham Rail Bridge - Beach Pool-Tesco needs drop down kerbs, widening for cycle-pedestrian access share, more litter bins and cycle racks. Path to Tesco is a dumping ground for fly tipping and rats are in the bushes having regular food deposited. Is it time to ask Mr Tesco to work on a joint improvement plan?

Northampton town centre and Bedford have common issues and only the rail link can properly address them going forward.

With all the housing promoted in the new Bedford Local Plan 2035, it will all be heading to urban areas for work, education and commuting, will demand land take for more parking and put pressure on families as travelling to and from venues takes longer and commuting ever more for the £'s to make the costs-incomes meet.

We need an inquiry as to:

1. Why is East-West Rail taking so long to deliver

2. Why the defined route to Cambridge is not being done with more haste and land protected amidst development growth

3. Why Bedford-Cambridge via Shepreth is not being done at one and the same time as Oxford-Bedford so 2024 is a 'finishing date' than 'start up date'?

4. There is no excuse not to speed up as we have a mechanism from Chris Grayling, Secretary of State for bypassing Network Rail schedules.

Likewise Bedford-Northampton should be being pursued alongside East-West as integral to it and also the benefits in cutting emissions of a Luton/Airport-Coventry arc via Bedford and Northampton spinal core missing link agenda. 

Everyone is seemingly sworn to silence including local media and that is not in the public interest. The public want the railways restored and our elected representatives must put grist to the mill to find means and ways for delivery sooner than later - our town centre economies depend on such for sustainability. To just crest of the wave 'let the market decide' is akin to putting a bet on the horses - flimsy prospects - only sustained effort and push can inform delivery vehicles are found to deliver what we need in a timely manner. There seems no excuse.

Hope of interest,

Richard Pill

Bedford Borough Plan - where's the rail infrastructure?

There is a consultation in the Harpur Centre on the Bedford Local Plan 2035. See www.bedford.gov.uk/localplan2035. Email: planningforthefuture@bedford.gov.uk 
Check those houses at Bromham and relation to a clear access for Cobbler Line trajectory. 
Closing date is 9th June.
Questions via 01234 718300. Things we want is as follows:
a. Station at Oakley north of Lower Farm Road.
b. Retail Park Station on the MVR not MML!
c. East-West Rail sooner than later with Bedford-Sandy being delivered same time as Oxford-Bedford ideally - what are we getting for £10 million allocated?
d. All build results in road saturation and progressive gridlock. Same style houses being rolled out Bedford, Northampton, Milton Keynes, Cambridge... this results in ever more cloning of towns/residential estate areas.
e. Unless there's a more focused and coherent plan for the rail projects a-c by 2035 not after 2035, we will have a short fall of footfall and spend, informing closed shop syndrome and spiraling diminishment of traditional town centres, more out of town pressure to pander to the car. Empty properties abound domestic and commercial and more directives to fill and amend those first before green field expansion should be looked at.
f. Bedford-Northampton should be progressed with East-West not addendum to it/afterthought.
g. Network Rail must be flexible on level crossing and bridge adaptations, Cardington Road Bedford and Bridge Street Northampton need rail accessibility to be retained.
h. Wixams and/or Ampthill should be pursued together or incrementally, both serve differential markets - Wixams declutters commuting into Bedford for rail, Ampthill declutters Flitwick off the M1/A507 and all south of Wixams e.g. Marston Moretaine/A421 development corridor.

Flying Pigs Need Earthing!

Reflection and appeal: Northampton-Olney-Bedford would enable Northampton-Cambridge and Northampton-Luton Airport direct by rail and Olney too. This would revolutionise public transport in the area as buses could link in with a new Olney rail station. For that to happen, ambitions to extend Olney north on adjacent fields need to be curtailed and attention needs to be given to mop and disinfect the towns bus shelter opposite the dilapidated Bull Hotel stop adjacent to the market. 
It's basics upwards and bread and butter downwards which needs to be looked at not series of rounds of discussions with speculative development in mind. The case for reopening this rail link is beginning to be appreciated at a higher level and grassroots like town councils and their leaders can show some interest and work with us to implement the Handley alignment. 
Then development can be tailored, including more parking for the town as it is a continuous flow of traffic along the A509, a bypass would be the death-knell but a lack of parking and the traffic which does not stop causes considerable aggravation and delay. 
The railway would be a boost to Olney and inform regular flows of footfall and spend, sustaining local businesses and helping relieve congestion. Win, win, is why we need to work together to save the old trackbed and keep the route open for the new, so options are kept open and not have a mindset of development solves problems, it doesn't without sustainable fixed infrastructure link a Northampton-Olney-Bedford rail link would be. 
Join us and help us, help the cause for better public transport. Giving choice and freedom for all ages and pockets.
http://www.northamptonez.co.uk/news/new-infrastructure-on-northamptons-horizon/

Help Save Northampton from a road folly and protect a rail solution corridor

Help Save Northampton from a road folly and protect a rail solution corridor

The great town of Northampton deserves better. Like Bedford, despite growth over many years the town centres suffer from a problem of rising rents and mediocre footfall and spend sufficient to sustain small to medium sized business'. Congestion has informed bypasses get a string of out of town development and the congestion has just proliferated with added issue of land-use and parking conflicts facing every town like ours. 

Given both the A45-M1 clogs up and Victoria Parade clogs up and London Road also clogs up, how will adding more traffic from St James' alleviate the situation? Moreover, that traffic queuing back from the junction lights emitting fumes and noise in a now, largely residential area with thinner walls to what solid brick houses withstood? 

Consider this: A rail link from Northampton-Bedford is not 'pie in the sky' it is within our grasp if we act now. Already this very month we have £110 million for early completion of Oxford-Milton Keynes and Bedford with £10 million from the National Infrastructure Commission (NIC) for Bedford-Sandy-Cambridge rebuild/new build project, estimated to be delivered by 2030, some 18 years ahead, may seem a long way off, but in planning and strategic terms within Planning terms cordons of acceptability. Where do we wish Northampton to be in relation to these developments by then? 

Train paths are already at a premium on the West Coast Main Line (WCML) through and south of Rugby to Bletchley. This limits scope on new flows of passenger and freight services the line can take. These constraints affect Northampton going forward. It is therefore in our view, imperative that Northampton keeps it's options open and whereas for Oxford a change of train at Milton Keynes Central may seem reasonable, to go south to come back up to Bedford before setting off East would seem less-than ideal. 

A Northampton-Bedford rail link would enable direct modern, fast seamless train access to Bedford, Luton, Luton Airport Parkway as well as joining for on-wards Eastern bound services for Cambridge, Stansted and beyond and vice-versa - inward flows of footfall and spend to the town centre, sustaining it, minus the traffic and checking the impact of development and growth in a sustainable fashion. 

Already an embryonic consortium was being formed to bring players together to advance the Northampton-Bedford interest and this piecemeal road link puts a block on the reopening when so much potential benefit is at stake for Northampton. The University will be a major traffic generator, it could have a station for it's students and cohortic intakes, plan-train-campus, no-nonsense, just one change, one train, one ticket and door to door seamless interfaces. All that is put at stake by this road which severs the railway corridor, is the cost really worth it? 

May I ask you to think again and invest in studying the credentials of what's in it for Northampton if you put the railway idea first? You have nothing to lose at such a critical juncture or face a concoction of congestion locked-in and unsustainability for many years to come, compounding all the old niggles which the Chronicle portrays every week locked in.

Please support and work with us for nurturing this rail link and help Northampton have more options. If you want to be kept informed more please let me know. But this road link is bad for Northampton's well being and should be put on hold pending further research of what the rail link may offer please. Thank you. 

Contact erta.rails6@yahoo.co.uk if you wish to support more and get involved.

Northampton Depots and the Roads Agenda v Rail

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

Another rail depot, measuring five million square feet, planned near Northampton... metres from original eight million square feet scheme

Another rail depot, measuring five million square feet, planned near Northa... A second rail depot plan that would place five million square feet of warehouses in countryside just outside Nor...

These new developments face the conundrum of what capacity there is on the West Coast Main Line. Facing media blackout in Northampton currently. However Northampton-Bedford-Bletchley loop would offer capacity for non-time-critical and empty movements for example and that would free some paths through Milton Keynes and Northampton. NIMBYS don't want these depots citing loss of countryside, but more road expansion is not opposed - strange coincidence! Likewise the Government reigns over austerity but has loads of money to splash on big projects like Hinckley, HS2, Trident, road schemes and Heathrow.

More road widening and yet 30 year old units on Marston Vale keep breaking down and a new generation needs to be commissioned - yet we are told no money, take recycled underground stock instead or go bust. There is a role for campaigning on these things and one way or other, it is indispensable albeit we need new blood to come forward to take on front line and active parts to foster a new wave of support. So rare, per chance between a hard rock and hot place with pushes to work, lack of slack with welfare cuts and workaholism being lauded as morally right when balance is more nearer to what wisdom would counsel, not least if you lose your health through over work and tarrying, you're in a worse state than a steady pace. Meanwhile Northampton is worth us working on and directing new team players to wade into. New buildings at the Olney Industrial Estate I observe. 

It is a fragile stay of execution, but if frivolously thrown away or dismissed or not pursued with equal vigor to Oxford-Bedford, Bedford-Cambridge, it must be pursued now not as some later addendum 2050! Yet that is the fob off we're getting one way or another. My report will be published in March and will put down a marker that opportunity to move the railway forward exists now, 5 years hence, may not be the case. By that time we'll be reaching gridlock saturate in our town centres and politicians need to realise you can't build your way out of it, rather re-balance the logistical apparatus to give people a fighting chance. Clean Air is not just about what sort of engine one has in ones car, but on fostering the rail alternative. Chicken and egg, no wagons equals can't do when someone asks about freight by rail, to have wagons a demand is required and so it goes on, lorry is cheaper, more versatile and easier to get hold of. But even that is reaching saturation point, so containers stack up, the system slows down and costs rise - enter inflation pittied on diminutives. ERTA may fold, but I as an individual will keep on with producing reports as a rader until we lose our route, then all is lost but for a turning off of the oil supply and making people pick up their bags and walk more. 

That is not fantasy but we should plan to prevent it by nurturing the sensible rail choices. It is cynical devils who bemoan and yet won't hire/pay me by the hour to work on this and then say "hey, we're volunteers who work, we don't have any spare time" - so nothing happens x generations relative to the road lobby who have an all encompassing in-built system whereby everyone has cars, everyone wants roads, every user demands cheap fuel and the politics and votes work their way out to lock-in recycling of the pattern. Rail has no mechanism to do likewise as it is fragmented to introverted parts caged by the contract/franchise and reps do not speak freely, they represent the particular interests of their members which is a fix point for xtown and a new pipe for ybox. Cracking the Northampton nut is pivotal to whether we grasp the nettle or concede defeat. Feedback: e. erta.rails6@yahoo.co.uk

http://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/news/another-rail-depot-measuring-five-million-square-feet-planned-near-northampton-metres-from-original-eight-million-square-feet-scheme-1-7655713