ERTA Ampthill-Flitwick Transport Forum and associated news and events.

ERTA Ampthill-Flitwick Transport Forum

~ Seeking an Ampthill Parkway Station and associated issues. ~

Saturday 11^th February 2023 1pm food*, 2-4pm business

Venue: The Swan Pub, 1 Dunstable Road,

Flitwick, Bedfordshire, MK45 1HP

T: 01525 754777 E: steph@theswanflitwick.co.uk https://www.swaninnflitwick.co.uk/

 

All Welcome.

 

Contact and convenor: Mr Simon Barber, 20 Fitzherbert House, Kingsmead, Richmond, Surrey, TW10 6HT T. 0208 940 4399 E. simon4barber@gmail.com

~ Everyone is responsible to pay for their own food and drink. ~

Background and now: This is your invite to our quarterly forum – be part of ensuring the adequacy of public transport capacity (rail), bus links and adequate lands for fostering more. Help us with shared ownership and responsibility. Triple stacking car parks solve one problem but create others. This in a context of growth of a 10-mile radius. Growth is inevitable whether on our own doorsteps or in a wider area contact beit Central Bedfordshire Unitary Council area or stretching from Milton Keynes/off the M1 to Marston Vale to Wixams arcingly and out to say the A6 Clophill/Silsoe sort of areas/A507 corridor. We have to give recognition that for many reasons people for London tend to drive south, saving money and drive-time to themselves for example. Wixams Station can deal with local residents accessing the local rail services, but will also have people bypassing Bedford Midland Railway Station (parking and congestion issues) and will land at Wixams to catch a commuter train to London or one of many destinations on that network. Also, a triple stack car park at Flitwick, will be courting a large and growing volume of traffic pitted at the twin roundabout single bridge linking east and west Flitwick, Tesco, the Station and other outlets. It is busy now, and what about better facilities for pedestrians and cyclists and denting car/vehicle dependency, the ambiance of the place, getting to/from Dunstable Road and much more? Is it being driven through as political expediency or is it being thought through as to how things will be in say 5-10 years’ time? ERTA believes the time has come to look at a new relief additional railway station on the industrial site at Ampthill. Ampthill and Flitwick would both gain with relief, sharing growth and the additional footfall, spend and visitorship such a gateway could usher in reviving local bus links and serving Woburn to Wrest Park and all in between including local schools and businesses. ERTA believe an Ampthill Parkway Station could be a win, win and therefore lands need protecting east and west of the site for a railway station. Studies need to be done and build the case with courting public support. Please join us and come to the forum, have your say, debate and work constructively for a more balanced picture in Central Mid Bedfordshire area.

Available on: https://ertarail.co.uk/publicity/ or via requests for the free pdf version via richard.erta@gmail.com

We (English Regional Transport Association/ERTA) have put together within our limited resources, to highlight some key issues which we believe are local debates around planning, development growth and conserving land-take, quality of life and ambiance. It is a fact that pollution from exposure to exhaust and tyre particles harms human respiratory and other health related issues: https://moderngov.kingston.gov.uk/documents/s21745/I_Vehicle%20Emissions_WG%20Report.pdf and https://blog.greenflag.com/2019/tyre-particles/ and https://www.kcl.ac.uk/news/study-supports-link-between-traffic-related-air-pollution-and-mental-disorders Whether fossil fuel powered vehicles or electric vehicles (EVs) the one emits harmful gases to respiratory and causes other health related issues and evs of themselves may 'cure' that, but tyre particles causes harm and evs do not deal with unadulterated rising volumes of vehicle dependency and proliferation in the wake of large scale developments without alternative infrastructure like an Ampthill Parkway Railway Station may inform. To pretend otherwise is to put head-in-sand and we need to stop, think and do alternative approaches within respective powers and advocacies now. 

To keep the option of a fully working Ampthill Parkway Station, we need to:

1. Protect lands west- side of the Midland Main Line and north of Froghall Road for relocation of a few business units, parking and riding facilitation and an access road off Fordfield Road from A507 and to Centre Parcs within walking and cycling distance.

2. Club together to study the matter, make the case and court further support and funding. We need councils to be interested and supportive. We have been told lands west of Midland Main Line and north of Froghall Road Road are earmarked for housing by 2030 some time ago, so why not use this opportunity to ensure it is used for the rail-based development instead which will alleviate Flitwick and Ampthill whilst revolutionising visitorship on a sustainable basis? Greenbelt can be saved and conservation pocketed in designs more if we ensure the strategic public transport people actually use - rail and station access - is kept as and progressed as a viable option. 

3. Please appoint a liaison rep and send to our Ampthill-Flitwick Transport Forum to help us in deliberations and moving the matter forward please. We have an email loop specific to this matter and all are welcome to join it for liaison via requests to richard.erta@gmail.com Thank you.

The future can be brighter if we get this transport matter positively handled, if we block it, refuse it or scupper it amidst development of the wrong sort without public transport infrastructure, we harm the people we purport to serve and throw away an economic source of positive input. Please don't let that happen. 

As an addendum, Biggleswade is getting enhancement following many years of campaigning and will reap benefits from that. Likewise Flitwick Rail Station is secure and getting improvements, but is land locked to cater for a lot more regional growth, unless you triple stack parking. Few want that and the roads certainly will struggle with the volumes. Ampthill Parkway Station could share the growth load and balance things out more. That is both our conviction and aspiration and we welcome you to join us in it and invest for the medium term. Thank you.

Ampthill Flitwick Forum Notes from meeting at The Swan Pub, Dunstable Road, Flitwick, Bedfordshire MK45 1HP 1pm food, 2m business.

Present: Colin Crawford, Simon Barber, David Ferguson, Richard Pill and Mr Stephen Anderson, Center Parcs, Woburn Forest, Fordfield Road, Millbrook, Beds. MK45 2HZ.

1.     Apologies for absence: Ms Jodie Irwin, Principal Strategic Transport Officer, Place and Communities Directorate, Cllr James Jamieson, Leonard Lean. 

2.     View of Centre Parcs: They are reviewing sustainable travel issues and only a low percentage comes by public transport, most by cars/vehicles. The resort is back at pre-covid levels and a station at Ampthill with access west-side for Fordfield Road could be handy for workers and others visiting the centre, giving more options. It was suggested that an arcing bus from Milton Keynes Railway Station (West Coast Main Line) – Ridgmont (to be part of East-West Rail (Oxford-Bedford) and Flitwick (Thameslink/Midland Main Line to principal cities, airports and Eurostar could become a winner.

3.     The case for the new Ampthill Parkway Station: Ampthill is an important addendum attached to the area, but the Parkway Station would serve a much wider and diverse area. Currently commuters come to Flitwick from Milton Keynes, M1, A507, Marston Vale, Ampthill-Flitwick conurbations and out to the east to and from the A6 catchments. It was noted that people tend to London commute – drive southwards for private space and to save on cost. Thus 36, 000 South Bedford + 18, 000 upwards.

4.     Background and arguments:

Kempston would drive south to the new two-platformed Wixams Station, but all at Wixams and south would continue to Flitwick. Flitwick is land-development locked-in and so unless they triple stack the car park (blight) there is not a lot of expansion potential. Moreover, the increasing all-day volume of traffic centred on just one bridge spanning the railway is a major pinch-point and congestion in all directions with local residential conflict and objection will only get worse. The overall volume of traffic, station apart is up. It would be a nice thing to have a bridge zebra crossing to enable safer and easier access from station to The Swan Pub (accessibility) especially for disabled people. Current arrangements are lack-lustre and inadequate. In 2004 Ampthill Town Council paid for a outline pre-study by Scott Handley Partnership which indicated you could slot a station into the busy and frequent timetable. More Ampthill background can be found on our Publications site: https://ertarail.co.uk/publicity/

Wixams and Ampthill could coincide together without conflict as of 5 trains per hour, even twice hourly stopping at Ampthill would be a benefit and the London-Corby electric trains could also make a stop (a few). As for close proximity stations, Luton and Luton Airport Parkway are closer than Ampthill – Flitwick gap and a Thameslink Train at approximately 70mph took all of 37 second between old Ampthill site and Flitwick. If we add 5 minutes to calling at an Ampthill Parkway Station ‘all in’ do the gains as a relief station in a context of growth make that sacrifice worth it for greater gains on and off the railway? Ampthill has walking, cycling and bus + vehicle access/parking + kudos of being on the national railway map and the marketing potential of weekend breaks and visitorship close and easier is something for a wider area to benefit from surely? Woburn to the west, Wrest Park to the east.

5.     Taking it forward:

a.     Simon and Colin to have an exploratory meeting with Ms Jodie Irwin, Principal Strategic Transport Officer, Place and Communities Directorate and to try and see what scope for working with the council in taking it forward planning, case making, building support, bringing key land owners and others together to our forum meeting and/or elsewhere. Given we were told the Paddocks west of the Midland Main Line and North of Froghall Road were to be developed by 2030, time is running out to salvage a road link off Ford Field Road for the station, space for a 100 car park and exiting/access to the 2 slow line platforms (see Wixams model for detail of design) and possible relocation to the west for some immediate industrial outlets to enable east-side access to a small booking hall, ticketing booths and maybe a coffee lounge and toilet facility and maybe a click-send, click receive parcels facility?  

b.     Decided to meeting Flitwick the Swan Pub for time being. This and June 2023 date for next meeting would be reviewed by the Executive Committee. Ideally local people would warm and adopt the idea and advocate it informing a small team. Alas we do not have that, so more leafleting is required with a message which strikes the right tone.

c.      Colin and Simon to have a meeting with Cllr Mark Smith – Ampthill Town Councillor, Central Beds Councillor, Bedford Voluntary Bureau Officer and key orchestrator of objections to plans to development across Central Bedfordshire. The station would make any development – which is happening regardless of infrastructure now – more sustainable and manageable surely?

d.     Richard to produce a new flyer/pamphlet but needs help with Speed, Distance, Time Calculations/more volunteers generally. Meeting finished 14.40pm.

All enquiries via richard.erta@gmail.com Offers to help are welcome please. You don't have to be just a local either!

See our website publications page for more: https://ertarail.co.uk/publicity/ 

 

ERTA Ampthill and Flitwick Forum: Saturday 30 April 2022

Agenda for Ampthill-Flitwick Forum: 

Saturday 30 April 2022, 1pm food, 2-4pm business, The Swan Pub, 1 Dunstable Road, Flitwick, Bedfordshire MK45 1HP T: 01525 754777 E: steph@theswanflitwick.co.uk It is adjacent to the Thameslink served railway station and with ample parking and bus links too. https://www.swaninnflitwick.co.uk/menus/ Everyone is responsible to pay for their own food and drink.
 
1. Introduction and welcome by Chair of the Meeting
2, Apologies for absence
3. The pros and cons of an additional Wixams style station on the slow lines for Ampthill with foot-cycle access off of Froghall Road, motor and bus access from both Industrial Park entrance and from the west off Fordfield Road (linking A507 west with Steppingley and Flitwick West side of Midland Main Line for parking and foot/cycle access). See: https://www.bedfordindependent.co.uk/preferred-design-of-wixams-train-station-revealed-with-2024-completion-still-on-track/ For an idea of what a new station like Wixams could look like.
4. Local needs and issues: public transport, better access, footfall and spend, connectivity with elsewhere and equal spread of opportunities.
5. Environmental considerations: traffic versus wider journeys by public transport
6. Growth of development for the two towns and how that is best managed in terms of wider impacts
7. Commutes/commuters, landscape constraints and better links for cycling and buses between the two towns and principal others like Milton Keynes and Silsoe/Shefford A507 corridor?
8. Any other transport-related business.
9. Next steps: Forum facilitation, canvassing support for updated studies, Area Rep/Join ERTA and raise public support generally.
10. Date, time and place of next meeting, ideally in Ampthill
To help with leafleting or general enquiries contact either Mr David Ferguson –

E. daferguson1212@gmail.com Mr Simon Barber – E. simon4barber@gmail.com T. 0208 940 4399

Write in support of a new station to:

1. Ampthill Town Council: https://www.ampthilltowncouncil.org.uk/contact

2. Central Beds Council: https://www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/directory/14/a_to_z/B

3. MP for Mid Beds: Ms Nadine Dorries https://members.parliament.uk/member/1481/contact

https://www.ampthilltowncouncil.org.uk/council/categorised-document-archive?category=18

Please seek a skype meeting and sound out on station, a. any objections, b. what and why details, c. have they read the report and other stuff on our website? d. what are their solutions? e. Wixams example of twin track slow line station could be made to work and feed local buses more. f. If local buses go, rail is likely to be more permanent. g. Housing comes to A507 now, so immediate and wider commute/P&R possible. Safer cycle/walk to Engine and Tender Pub/High Street via Station Road and/or along bypass to The Parklands, all possible more for any so minded. Town centre about 10-20 minutes walk for most people. Connecting bus loop for wider area not impossible. h. Wider catchment, Flitwick is in a part valley, all lands built around, so expanding parking a capacity issue with growth including commuting to London from Marston Vale as well as access to Centre Parcs. i. These combinations makes me feel land protection, investment in studying further and supporting the aim, goal and principle is worthwhile courting support where it counts surely including a public survey? j. the putting Ampthill on the railway map would bring footfall and spend, more kudos to the location and boost options for residents in access terms. 

These pro-points should be born in mind surely/are they?

Support, join our loop and help us make progress: richard.erta@gmail.com

Ampthill delusions and exclusions! The saga for keeping options open remains our quest!

On the 2^nd March 2022 we received the notice of deliberations of the Ampthill Town Council regarding the station idea for the said town. It had a well-used station until 1959 and was closed due to economy more than usage. Population has doubled since then even locally and 20 years ago, when a study showed it could be done still, the objection was too far from the town centre! Now subsequent development has filled in the gaps so that it is continuous development between Town Centre and A507 former bypass onwards to the industrial estate. The town council’s views were:

·                    Ampthill is adequately served by Flitwick Station,

·                     Active travel and public transport links to Flitwick exist, and ATC’s priority is to support and work towards improving these,

·                     ATC is concerned about encroachment onto Greenbelt land beyond the mainline,

·                     Current railway development proposals (such as East West Rail) are towards fewer stations well supported by active travel and public transport links.  A proposal for a station at Ampthill is contrary to current trends and therefore not a good use of council time or investment.

·                     If you support the railway station lands being protected to keep the option open, the station idea being studied further and pursuit of reopening please write to:

1.Ampthill Town Council, Ampthill Town Council, Park Lodge, Ampthill Great Park, Woburn Street, Ampthill, MK45 2HX.

2. Central Beds Council, Priory House, Monks Walk, Chicksands, Shefford, Bedfordshire, SG17 5TQ 

3. For emails and elected councillors see websites: https://www.ampthill-tc.gov.uk/ and https://www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/directory/14/your_councillors/category/67

The ERTA Response:

1. Ampthill and Flitwick are close to each other, but that is not unique on the rail network. Luton and Luton Airport Parkway are just one local example.

2. The railway station at Ampthill would provide more capacity for rail usage, parking and riding which Flitwick, due to the fact the lands around it are all built up with non-railway development, cannot expand more. So as growth returns to the network post-pandemic, these issues and that of local aggravations through on-street parking will be exacerbated more.

3. Buses are being cut left, right and centre and are not a fixed asset. Whereas railways, especially a main line are more permanent notwithstanding a complete outburst of Government folly! The railway station, serving all south of Wixams, Marston Vale, Milton Keynes, M1-A507, Centre Parcs to the west and A6/Wrest Park/Silsoe to the east would serve about 15, 000 catchment, leaving Flitwick with an equivalent amount. People tend to drive south in the commute to London, as it saves fuel costs and gives drive-time which many value for time to themselves.

4. Land west of the Midland Main Line to Fordfield Road, was tabled as to be developed by 2030, so ideas of Greenbelt seem at odds with that intention? Relocating the Industrial Estate in part to the west with road access from the west, enables more and a station which could benefit all, not least year-round footfall, spend and visitorship as well as employee access minus land-use parking demands.

5. The comparison with possible proposals to close stations on the Bedford-Bletchley Railway as part of as plan by East-West Rail are hardly comparable with the spread of distance or demand for stations on the Midland Main Line served by Thameslink’s on the slow lines which could, at 4-5 each way per hour could be staggered in any case to ensure a good half hourly or thrice hourly frequency.