Bedford Central Interchange or Marginalisation?

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

I attach details in recent Beds on Sunday Newspaper of a meeting to be held discussing cancellation of fast trains stopping at Bedford which would be a downgrade in the services we currently have. I have signed the petition and even put the details on our Blogspot in a display of solidarity. But it enjoys the support of the Mayor, MP Moh. Yasin and the great and good. Obviously if asked, I will give my penneth worth but it has capable people leading it. If only we had the same support for Bedford-Northampton as an integral solution to the bottlenecking problems Bedford faces, we'd be laughing together!

Alas life is unfair and disproportionate and we learn to live with it, getting on with what we believe to be the best option which is that if 2-3 trains run on to Northampton from Bedford, it clears paths through Bedford for more trains to call. Likewise if the new Ford End Road Bridge caters for realigning tracks from St John's for the full East-West Rail from the East as well as West fine and if the new station goes top of Midland Road on car parking not on track corridor spaces fine and good, bodes well. If also the land where the derelict Engine Shed is west side of the railway is used for a second entrance, booking hall and  car park that capacity can deal with growth, however if developed for flats, we lock in tailbacks pending new stations for Oakley and ideally Rushden area too to stem the flood of cars seeking rail access over a radius of 20 miles. That includes any growth along the A428 corridor too at 2.5 cars per new house. So 1000 new houses translates to 2500 cars additionally and where will they all go?

It is vital that freight can go from Felixstowe to West Midlands via Cambridge-Bedford and Bedford-Leicester south curves to free up paths into, across and out of London. That requires a east-north curve at St John's. It cannot be understated, if politicians trivialise or dismiss that call, they throw away East-West Rail's ability to take a fair share of freight. Oxbridge always enjoyed a healthy freight tonnage and only policies to divert via London to save (then) London lines. Likewise it is vital all East-West trains run into Bedford Midland Station for interchange and so coming into Bedford via St John's makes critical sense as does adequate land for baying. Indeed is it really so ludicrous to suggest that the other side of Platform 4 could be made a long terminal siding for trains from London to terminate at Bedford? You could take a point south of the River Bridge, new single track bridge over the River and bay Thameslinks there or make a new loop going north. Alternatively you could take a road link from Dallas Road Kempston, put in a new road bridge to serve the Queen's Park side car park mooted above from the south. The goal must be to stop all day congestion along the Prebend Street which exposes communities to canyoning entrapment of fumes from exhausts and some of our best people seem wedded to the car lifestyle and are entrenched on ideological grounds to make any changes and it is interesting, those churches bidding for new buildings, will they have cycle racks and disabled access improvements? Not just car parks!

Finally, please do consider coming to our October Rail Reopenings Forum with Guest speaker Peter McBeath on the Lower Thames River Crossing. Getting orbital transport around London must be a part of solutions to free up capacity. All welcome. 

Yours sincerely,

Richard Pill

AUTUMN RAIL RE-OPENINGS FORUM,

SATURDAY 14 OCTOBER in the Function Room,

1pm Food and Social*, 2pm – 4pm Business

Possible Guest Speaker: Mr Peter Mcbeath to give an illustrated talk on the 

Lower Thames River Crossing Project 

followed by a discussion.

The Tavistock Pub, 117 Tavistock Street,

Bedford, MK40 2SB, All welcome.

The purpose of the event is to discuss and review the progress or otherwise of rail reopenings generally and our own specific efforts where more people and team building support can make a real difference. Offers for guest speakers at future events is always welcome to entertain providing you bring your own equipment and give freely of your time and without cost to ERTA.

Be part of the change that you would like to see!

https://ertarail.com/events/

e. richard.erta@gmail.com T. 01234 330090

*Please note everyone is responsible for paying for their own food and drink

Support our Bedford-Northampton rail link campaign

We face an inner road scheme at Northampton, piecemeal development and multiple development threats at Olney and Bedford junctioning remains under a cloud of uncertainty. The railway would play a role in creating more capacity through Milton Keynes Central Station in terms of a loop off the West Coast Main Line (Bletchley-Bedford-Northampton/Rugby) and feed more business into the supported East-West Rail link (Oxford-Bedford-Cambridge/Corby). This scheme (Bedford-Olney-Northampton dubbed 'The Cobbler Line') needs professional support, interest and champions. We should not let a strategic corridor be assassinated by piecemeal developments, and we therefore ask you to help us get the official and strategic support we need.

“Cambridge – Northampton was identified as a priority pair for testing due to the potential for journey time competitiveness (compared to car travel) and enhancement (compared to existing rail)... Whilst the journey time saving of Cambridge – Oxford and Cambridge – Northampton are the same, the faster journey time possible between Cambridge and Northampton means that a higher level of transport user benefits and GVA commuting benefits are generated, meaning that Cambridge – Northampton emerges as a higher overall priority.”

Source: East West Rail - Central Section Conditional Outputs Statement, East West Rail Consortium Final Report 8 August 2014, Page 64.

For further information or offers of help please contact: Chairman, Coordinator, Media and Bedford-Northampton Rail Link Contact:

Mr Richard Pill, 24c St Michaels Road, BEDFORD, MK40 2LT T. 01234 330090. E. richard.erta@gmail.com

Take a look at this article

This article says so much people who have been marginalised, laughed at and mocked over the years advocated and yet now those very same groups and organisations are now beginning to let the penny drop!

Take a read and let us have your feedback richard.erta@gmail.com

http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk/2017/08/new-age-train

Bedford-Northampton should be in the top 100 reopenings if not the top 10.

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

Bedford's Links or not!

The closures up to Serpell and post Serpell BR Rationalisation took us to a core route, that is now hemorrhaging and Government has put itself into a fiscal corner so cuts and reductions are on the cars sending more journeys onto the roads which also are full and commuting south to other stations like Flitwick which then clogs up their expansion plans and road system, which is inadequate for growth. Wixams may suck up some growth, but Ampthill needs to be in the frame also. 

Local Councils need to form alliances to ensure joined up strategy here, than dumping the problem to quangos who make for good new stories but it is actions on the ground which add up to forming the agenda we need let also wish for. 1.5 hours commuting time to Northampton is dreadful for a commute half the distance of London and where jobs are to be had and vice versa them commuting to all stations on an integrated Thameslink to Luton Airport for example. Bedford-Cambridge now looks like going out to Willington, turning north easterly across the river, taking the south bank post Barford Road, avoiding Blunham, serving a new station + settlement somewhere at Tempsford and then alongside ECML/crossing over up or down and under/over somehow to Sandy. East of Sandy, I think it is Shepreth, as getting to and post Chesterton is problematic and into Cambridge via Trumpington equally. 

If HS2-3 the bulldozers just turn up and that is it, any conventional line reopening/rebuild and it is a different ball game of light touch approaches and deferring any blight or litigation as much as expedient. Work on ECML interaction and maybe a new arrangement at Shepreth (existing) junction may unlock capacity on the tracks issues and cater for the east of Fulbourn option. But good as it is, all too slow, too little , too late for 3 generations. The short of it all is it was an error to close it in the first place but like now, Government strapped for cash and HS2 the exception is a different pot apparently. But tolling roads and using some of that money for a rolling programme of reopenings maybe a domestic option worth considering. Blunham is problematic not insurmountable. Visual impact is a consideration and as long as the railway can equal that of the 1962 DMU of 55 minutes Bedford-Cambridge commute for half the price and distance, that commute - given Cambridge house prices and Bedford's need for diversity of options for more local commutes, would bode well for a new generation seeking work and commuting and living within a reasonable distance of the two catchment areas. 

But the Stevenage-East Beds-Bedford and Peterborough-St Neots-Bedford angles should not be lost on us either. It is all sustainable footfall and spend minus the menace and parking demand of car legs. Pandering to the car may be popular, but carried land use issues for parking in ancient built urban areas - a common allocation dilemma when competing demands for nearby employment and access using walking, cycling and public transport - lifestyle choices we should environmentally be nurturing. Good radial cycle lanes to Clapham, Bromham and Kempston for example, but try cycling across between those places 'not via central Bedford' and you're stuck especially at 6.30pm in a wet winter's evening! 

Can our Council get a plan for addressing that, maybe a new bridge between Great Denham and Hill Grounds and a river side cycle cum pedestrian walk-way off road with porous gravel for similar/smooth edged wood chippings surface for example. The wood absorbs moisture and avoids mud baths. If the Canal project were to navigate with canal sections to Wolverton via Clapham and Pavenham with a new Blisworth Tunnel style coming out near Carlton, that would probably be easier and less problematic than ziz zagging between M1 and Brogborough then hoised over 40' and the weaving through various use lakes to reach Kempston plan? Just think what more navigation could do for the pub trade in the villages it could serve? They can DIY at their leisure and celebrate incremental land marks. 

Brogborough seems problematic to a layman and hugely expensive. Just think of what a Falkirk Wheel might look like stuck on top of Brogborough Hill?! I think we need to think again. It has been suggested that we have rowing up until the railway bridges and punting from Queen's Park to Kempston Mill with a coffee shop and facilities beside the river.

All aboard the Flitwick vanity trip! Reopen Ampthill Railway Station for relief.

The reality is that Flitwick is about 10 miles south of Bedford Midland Station on the Midland Main Line and a 10 mile arc at least, draws a load of people from outside Flitwick including Milton Keynes overflow, M1 via A507, Marston Vale extensive new developments and Wixams all commute by driving south and catching a train. That arc east-west of some 15 miles won't want to drive along the busy A421 to Wixams but go south, saving fuel and rail costs to Flitwick for Thameslink to the City of London et al. ONLY an Ampthill Station can give the land-use capacity needed to ensure the long term relief to Flitwick and Ampthill of being a large on-street car park for non residents. Central Bedfordshire Council are opportunist and head in sand if they believe anything different. 10 years growth will render current development plans inadequate and besides Flitwick has not got the road layout for peak time overflow of traffic. Bypassing from Westoning to A507 east of Flitwick for A6 access via Clophill may be something to consider, but if infill housing to Greenfield goes in, then a bypass is scuppered locking-in the congestion and single bridge concentrate. 

http://www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/news/april/flitwick-regeneration.aspx

See also and join us: https://www.facebook.com/ReopenAmpthill/

ERTA is the successor to BRTA. We have updated and changed our contact details, posted below this email. Please update your records accordingly. 

Those keen on an Ampthill Station can follow these links:

https://www.facebook.com/ReopenAmpthill/

https://plus.google.com/u/0/+ERTAAmpthillStation

https://twitter.com/ReopenStations

We very much welcome any support. Main website is: https://ertarail.com/ampthill/

Please follow the links, supporting does not have to be heavy or a chore, but many hands make light of hard work. The campaign can be successful, but it needs local people willing to come forward and to team up. Meanwhile if you wish to be on this list the email is ampthillstationreopen.brta@gmail.com In any case we will keep people updated if anything turns up.  Ourrichard.erta@gmail.com is the main email address and all on it get our pdf electronic newsletter.

Many thanks. If you don't wish to be on any email, let us know, ideally sending original email to help us locate you. 

Please do feel to pass on to friends and all are welcome to our meetings for liaison, interest and networking opportunities. Thank you.

Mis-Guided Busway is no substitute for a proper local railway!

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

This news story may be of some interest. Our predecessor organisation with RDS and others fought a hard fight to try and get the tracks reopened - they were still dormant - but the Cambs Authorities u-turned from 1992 supporting of the rail option to Guided Busway and here's the result! Those buses could be redeployed elsewhere like the lack of links other than Cambridge Cambourne has for example. 

Our meetings and fixture continue, please try and support them if you will, they are good networking opportunities.

We need donated books and magazines for our stalls, if you wish to donate please email me back. Thank you.

Please peruse our updated website: https://ertarail.com/events/

We continue to fight the good fight for an East-West Rail Link which serves Bedford via St John's and Bedford Midland Stations, not bypasses the town centre as some have argued! People won't drive and park and ride to go to Cambridge when they would be half way there by the time they boarded a train if it lands at Wixams. Likewise an Oxford-Bedford rail link must link to Bedford-Cambridge for a fully integrated east-west rail link. Yet we have yet to see a diagram with east-north curves into Bedford and the Midland Main Line North via St John's or Wixams, so ruling out freight unless it is implemented. 

Here's the news story... in a time of for some of us 'austerity'!

http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/news/cambridge-news/flawed-busway-scheme-127-million-13387301