Bedford Area Forum (BAF)

Our Bedford Area Forum commences tomorrow, for future invites, join our free email loop via requests to richard.erta@gmail.com. For our other Autumn events which are open to all are on our website's web page: https://ertarail.co.uk/events/ Please have a check and tune in/tap in where you can. We welcome zoom attendees for the forth-coming conference.

We are seeking to build support across the regions, but given we started in Bedford originally, our commitment to not just retain a presence, but interject pro-positively ideas and suggestions which may be adopted and build a team who can work loosely together for such things and bigger and better events, teaming up transport-wise for attending stalls at events and much more, we are leafleting and welcome helpers who can solo leaflet reliably key areas of Bedford and surrounds. 

Leafleting is good exercise, you can hear the birds and give everyone the right to decide whether they agree or to give support via membership in the privacy of their own homes/areas. More the merrier as per assistants in administration, committee work and experience and other CV fillers and we do welcome all offers of help, assistance and support. Some can be fronting, some desktop or remote host and others a mixture. Find your feet, and together we can do more. We have top focuses on Northampton, Great Central Corridors, Guildford-Horsham-Shoreham and a roving interest including Herts and London. Places like Luton, London, Herts, Oxford and Rugby/Leicester will benefit if we succeed. Things are happening, but it is a trickle rather than flow - see last newsletter for more insight. But it all starts and stops with a growing membership, paying the way and active assistant volunteers to inform more and expansion as well as follow up quality improvements. So everyone matters, everyone can make a difference and I hope that is positive! Moreover a kind person is helping to sponsor a leaflet drive and providing we can provide manual support, will enable our message to get out that much more. No, not so high-tech, but can be effective, politicians don't waste their options either! https://dma.org.uk/article/what-is-the-response-rate-from-leaflet-distribution

Minutes from ERTA Bedford Area Group Forum Tuesday 14^th September 14.00 hrs

 

Present: Leonard Lean, David Ferguson and Richard Pill

 

1. Apologies for absence: Simon Barber, Colin Crawford

2. Notes of previous meeting (if any): We mused as how the gap between either side of the pandemic had none-the-less seen progress, changes or not accordingly.

a. High Street being narrowed road-wise, with slightly extended pavement space in places. This is something we have called for, but stops short of complete pedestrianisation and does not provide contra or direction flow cycle/scooter lanes, so encroachment on pavements still an issues and hazard for pedestrians in a busy area. No bus provision either = a 20-minute walk from the High Street and Bedford Midland Railway Station with no bus links between the two.

b. Bedford-Corby electric trains now run with calls for wide and fuller Midland Main Line electrification aplenty.

c. East-West Rail must cater for freight and be fully electrified from day one. It was noted that if it went via old route entering Bedford via St John’s lands then it curves north to face Bedford Midland, out to Northampton and/or Leicester south curve for Nuneaton et al; then current political fix Route E does not provide for this at the design stage in any way shape or form.

d. It was agreed we should flag up in say consultations and other feedback, that Midland Road gives a poor image of the town as a principal route to/from the railway station, is tatty, not pedestrian/user friendly, anti-social, run down and should be treated akin to the High Street as a priority for a make-over with improvements.

Minutes proposed by Leonard and Seconded by David.

3. Consideration of the Bedford flyer: Approved and it was noted Stephen Sleight is putting £30 x 2 into ads on 2 local flyers Richard and David would respectively deliver.

4. St Paul’s Stall Report and plug: £35 August, £10.60 September. Next stall – a double table – is 2^nd October 10am-3pm and ideally, we need 2 volunteers in addition to Richard, please email Richard with offers, especially either 10.30am-12.30 and / or 12 noon – 2pm to cover am and lunch. Security awareness a useful thing as is ability to make eye contact and speak clearly. We are there to promote ERTA and raise money. E. richard.erta@gmail.com with offers. See this link for other details: https://www.antiques-atlas.com/antique_fair/bedfordshires_antiques_collectors_fair_st_pauls/af2055

5. Volunteers for ERTA in the Bedford area: Richard and David so far for leafleting, but need more. Simon to be asked to contact specific Bedford Bureau and try and raise more support esp. reliable assistants for leafleting, clerical work, Forum attendance and general collaboration.

6. Campaigns:

a. Kempston Retail Station on Bedford-Bletchley Rail Link: It was agreed this is a good idea. Unsure about meeting at Mulberry Bush unless we have more support/people to swell presence. Maybe as an extension meeting in 2022.

b. Stations North of Bedford – Sharnbrook, Irchester, Desborough, Kibworth (Leicester is cut off): Desborough: David to contact local town council and ascertain the latest policy on a station and site and raise it for inclusion at the Leicester Forum with Richard Clarke and also incorporation/offering a liaison with CRIL for mutual benefit.

c. Ampthill Station – exact same model as proposed Wixams, both have own merits and we need both: It needs a fresh initiative and new people. Maybe a leaflet relaunch in 2022?

d. Better and integrated buses – railway station/bus station inclusion, Railway Station-High Street loop service: It was agreed as per the leaflet we need a circular bus from Bedford Midland Station, linking the bus station, the High Street and maybe Borough Hall and back either Prebend Street/Ashburnham Road or Horn Lane, Midland Road/Ashburnham Road?

e. Traffic reduction, pedestrian and cycle segregated support/progression: Midland Road should be revamped and bear these issues in mind.

7. Green Fair: Cancelled due to a lack of money and active, able people currently. Leafleting may change the dynamics. Current goals are: leafleting Bedford, holding the bi-monthly forum to feed into, doing the St Paul’s Stall reliably and seeing how that works is as much as we can manage for now, notwithstanding more and younger people coming on board i.e., 18-60 years old for example and proving reliable.

8. Marston Vale Railway – timetable, trains running, reliability, plans and updates. Stephen Sleight says Bank Holiday services are running, but not Sundays currently. However, part time train-bus cacophony and this needs to stop with just trains taking the strain in a reliable all-day manner we felt.

9. Any Other Business: None.

10. Date, Time, Place of next Forum Tuesday 9^th November 2pm food, 3pm-5pm business via Pilgrims Progress, Bedford. All welcome – please help spread the word.

Meet at the back of the Pilgrims Progress Wetherspoons under the stairs/merge two tables together if possible/notify Richard of numbers in advance. The Pilgrim’s Progress, 01234 363751 42 Midland Road, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK40 1QB https://www.jdwetherspoon.com/pubs/all-pubs/england/bedfordshire/the-pilgrims-progress-bedford e. richard.erta@gmail.com All welcome.

ERTA Newsletter 39 Autumn Edition

As we emerge from the Pandemic ERTA continues to forge ahead with our agenda. Yes, we want local, conventional rail more for more people and goods to access and use nationwide. But ERTA has sometimes been mistaken for just focusing on rail, when our foundations are also inclusive of integrational agendas. That means buses which link with principal railway stations inclusive of bus stations, cycle lanes which join up for an inclusive access to principal bus and rail stations and pedestrian access being transparent, of good standard and inclusive whereby disabled people don't have to search for a disabled ramp around a corner or access 'normality' via a back entrance exit which could potentially be a muggers paradise!

I was interviewed about a launch by the Government of investment in buses and gave it as I saw it and sadly was edited out, come the news bulletin! They only wanted smiles and good news, not talk about the impact of privatisation, affordability and cuts!

On the principal east-west Oxford-Bedford-Cambridge former X5 coach link, whether it is cuts, whether it is Covid or political, the changes I feel are detrimental. X5 does only Oxford-Bedford now and is being increasingly substituted by double-decker buses. Some blue coaches do run, but despite a duration of 2.5 hours between Oxford and Bedford each way, the toilets are locked out of use. The double-deckers have no toilet at all and can neither carry bikes nor luggage space. This a service for everyone, but was also courting students who tend to have 'baggage' for all sorts of practical reasons.

Yes, during Covid usage has taken a tumble, economies have to be made, but will there be a day when we see light at the end of the tunnel and a full bodied coach consistency is restored fully? There is no rail alternative, 2028 for the rail alternative is too long to wait, we need it joined-up now. Therein is the gap and we feel the pinch. It is dysfunctional for disabled people, not all disabilities are visible. The Bedford-Cambridge 'gap' now the Oxbridge service is severed at Bedford, is another double-decker, is a new route taking longer 1.5 hours each way contrast 1 hour formerly as X5. It is now called the 905 route and really reverts back to a 'all round Will's mother's' configuration. Good for Cambridge commuters, poor for cross-country travel and rewarded for doing such by public transport. Owing to the complications of Northern Route E, a Bedford-Cambridge Rail Link could well take until the mid 2030's. The design is unsatisfactory and polemical stances means you may win some, but lose others depending on your viewpoint. We should not have been here. For decades Councils allowed old routes to be systematically targeted, blocked and lost. Now we have a political fix, but expensive, higgledy-piggledy in nature and no direct linkage to a Northampton or Leicester South Curve direction for freight to go on to West Midlands for example and challenge the A14 trunk road. How much freight contrast that approach really wants to go Felixstowe-Cambridge-Bedford-Oxford with no access to the north and west, but veer south to places like Southampton and/or Bristol? Not as much as if via the old route (with pieces of new build) which via St John's would face north and west. Northampton is a strategic place (1.5 hours each way for just 21.5 miles from Bedford); but you would not know it based on radial rail links and poor bus services from Bedford which link to the previously much promoted Oxbridge principal coach service, now in fragments and downgraded.

We are not just confined to North Wessex and Mercia! We continue to take interest in London, South East, increasingly the West Country and North of Northamptonshire into Leicester and the East Midlands. A lone voice sometimes, but as a membership based association open to all, we also seek to tell it as it is, use what we purport to espouse and feed-back truth to power sometimes. Enjoy your Autumn and if inclined, please work with us where possible.

For pdf copies of our newsletter please email richard.erta@gmail.com and join our list. For past newsletters, see how the story unfolds, see our Newsletter page on our website: https://ertarail.co.uk/newsletter-archive/

Great Central re-rail corridor concerns and opportunities

Please see below link to zoom meeting.

Given that EEH have now published their phase 2 passenger rail study

https://www.englandseconomicheartland.com/documents/422/EEH_Passenger_Rail_Study_Phase_2_Report.pdf

and also the freight Solent to Midlands study

https://www.networkrail.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Solent-to-the-Midlands-Multimodal-Freight-Strategy-Phase-1-V3.1.pdf

We need to review the degree to which projects along the GC corridor align with these strategies.

Contact: Owen O'Neill <*@oweno.info> to join.

Reader to consider:

Personally, I feel the project faces considerable challenges with:

a. Grendon-Calvert

b. Calvert

c. Brackley East

d. Woodford-Willoughby

e. Connecting to WCML Rugby, Northampton Loop, Daventry - e.g. would Harry's proposed Daventry Parkway-Northampton Loop link have a north-west curve for running into Rugby?

f. Catesby-Rugby GC-new flyover-Lutterworth area linking with your Rugby link (Midland) onwards to common links with Leicester-Nuneaton Lines.

If the above is unfeasible, however informed, what can be done, what can be redeemed, what are the options and what timescale?

I note page 18-19 in Rail Magazine Edition 938 mentioned the Calvert theatre with HS2 and access for Aylesbury-Milton Keynes.

We must find solutions to these conundrums, otherwise corridor development will just default to roads and existing overcrowded domestic lines. The pattern repeats elsewhere. The idea was, we have a trackbed as a basis and deviations and other links off it. Now we have umpteen proposals with no trackbed hitherto, virgin railway routes and doubtful plan on freight access.

I attach the agenda for completeness, although do feel free to deviate. Thanks very much. We do need to consider and come up with solutions to these challenges pro-affirma of a re-railed corridor.

ERTA Publicity Page has documents on Great Central Corridor today: https://ertarail.co.uk/publicity/

Rebuild a Great Central Rail Corridor for more capacity and route options south of Narborough to Rugby and Calvert for

East Midlands, Oxford, Aylesbury and beyond links and opportunities to declutter roads

and clean up the environment.

Let’s stop the rot, protect the corridor and keep options open!

It is Vital that:

Ø   

The corridor is protected from further blockages and realignment land likewise by pro-active Government policy and action

Ø    You add your voice to reopening the railway – write/email to your local MP c/o House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA https://members.parliament.uk/members/commons and these Councils (Google them): West Northamptonshire Unitary Council, Rugby Borough Council, Warwickshire County Council, Leicestershire County Council, Buckinghamshire Unitary Council and Leicester City Council.

Ø   

English Economic Heartlands (EEH) c/o England’s Economic Heartland Business Unit c/o Buckinghamshire County Council, Walton Street, Aylesbury, HP20 1UA or for general enquiries please contact Business Unit Manager Lyndsey Cox on 01296 382703 or englandseconomicheartland@buckscc.gov.uk

Ø    Join ERTA

and help inform a growing team of pro-active support.

Ø   

Put nature reserves, cycleways, canals, roads and development elsewhere not on the route of a potential new-build/re-build rail corridor.

Join our free email loop via requests to richard.erta@gmail.com

More on our website publicity page: https://ertarail.co.uk/publicity/ 

Good Article - we need alternative options affordably to be fostered.

re: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-56748346

We have pro-rail alternatives which, if adopted now will help ease such land-use taking and guzzling issues. Planning must not be simply more for rail, but modal shift say 45% of M1 x other motorways and trunk roads within 9 years (2030) and what that requires (at very least our Bedford-Northampton-Market Harborough) links and GC corridor re-railed/plough through. 

Someone holding the Government to account on Reversing Beeching (can't just election time spin things like that when such an environmental and practical need to send more by rail and ease the road-based logistics pain), and delivery would be a something, but the Government in turn to enable others more to just 'get on with it'. We have Vivarail to supply recycled trains, we need a similar set up to purchase old trackbed, realignment spaces and provide track relaying services. Delegating delivery reduces Government fear of risk-cost thresholds and spreads the load more, but then organisations like EEH and TfN would have to get on with it than at best simply making cases and being lobbying vehicles 'of Government' once removed? Government Organised Non Governmental Organisations GONGOS is something floated about a few years ago. Ross-on-Wye needs re-railing. Borders Model proves it can work. 

I fear genuinely that dualling the A421 between Black Cat and Caxton (Bedford-Cambridge) will increase the volume of traffic and it will end up blocking junctions more and causing overload on the urban interfaces especially Cambridge. The system is not working, it is not delivering and cost is a factor which means opting for a better pro rail solution. ERTA remains open to work with anyone or organisation to progress these sorts of issues more. Time is not on our side and only Grant Shapps both giving go ahead and reforming the system to enable more can make it better. 

The tilt towards roads rather than local rail must also be equalised or tilted in rails favour. On Bedford-Northampton, tough decisions need to be made now, including ploughing through a wodge of £500, 000 upwards developments or a brand new route further north. In 10 years, ploughing through will be the only option in many cases particularly at urban junctioning interfaces and main line station access for many will be built on. Guildford-Shoreham direct is needed with a south to west curve at Shoreham being looked into for optimising passenger (Brighton) and non-deep-sea freight (from the west and port landed also). The point is these principles ripple and repeat scenario elsewhere nationwide. We do local, export best practise global potentially.

We need all weather-proof campaigning as there's never a good time, just as Churchill said 'blood, sweat, toil and tears' or something like that - ardur v endeavour, the step forward is leadership in the right direction. Please work with ERTA and help swell our membership to boost potential. Otherwise electric or otherwise, it is carmageddon!

ERTA Events Page is progressively updated, please encourage others to give us support: https://ertarail.co.uk/events/ Thanks.

Ressurrection of ERTA London Forum (physical meeting) now 17-09-21 14.00 hrs

Please find attached details of our London Forum and Pamphlet and we would welcome your interest and support. The English Regional Transport Association (ERTA) is voluntary and membership is open to all. We welcome support and advocacy of our campaign aims as well as reliable volunteering. Please refer to our website for wider read and we welcome your kindly encouraging others to take an interest and give us their support also. https://ertarail.co.uk/events/

Please liaise with Simon and David and together, come to a consensus with a view to working collaboratively to take things forward. Thank you.

Interesting read: https://www.mylondon.news/news/east-london-news/london-underground-town-21-miles-21281601?fbclid=IwAR0Et4lqzCv4jMv_fhjwUW0ERQzjPuvzRV4y4RVbwnqIwSIiEui4yQqHelQ

Solent to Midlands and Beyond corridors for more modal shift

re: https://www.networkrail.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Solent-to-the-Midlands-Multimodal-Freight-Strategy-Phase-1-June-2021.pdf

Clearly if we are to see growth and sustainably predicated, and if we accept existing rails and roads are at capacity, modal shift and reducing emissions and congestion means shifting more freight and people back to rail and that in turn demands more rail routes, duplicate routes and capacity creation. Southampton-Reading-Oxford-Birmingham/West Midlands and beyond, fanning out across a wide spectrum of the country, means we need creative thinking and planning now, not some way-off date of 2050 when the threshold of irreversible climate change is 2030! https://www.un.org/press/en/2019/ga12131.doc.htm Whether you believe in Climate Change or not, we cannot keep taking land share for widening roads, catering for congestion, pollution and delays. We have to get more by rail. 

The English Regional Transport Association (ERTA) has done a 13 page response to the Solent-Midlands Report which I trust you will find of interest.

Principal rail options are:

1. Western flank Chippenham-Kemble-Hereford via Ross-on-Wye onwards to Shrewsbury, for non Birmingham centric freight by rail and passenger services to ANOB areas which have upgraded progressively A40 trunk roads, but are a desert for rail. Likewise bringing Malmesbury and Cirencester back onto the rail network makes a lot of sense, ditto Witney in passenger terms, but we need end-to-end connectivity also.

2. A new build off the Winchester line (north of Winchester) to Newbury-Didcot could help declutter Reading as well, but issues of new build and accessing the Oxford lines at Didcot via a flyover, are a challenge. 

3. Broadening out South Coast Portal handling with more through Portsmouth, Shoreham and elsewhere is another aspect. WE have called for a Shoreham-Guildford reinstatement of a direct rail link, which would give access from Oxford and north, direct to Brighton 'not via London' and quicker than changing at Reading for example. However we also call for support for more joined-up design and planning with the proposed Southern Heathrow Link: https://heathrowrail.com/heathrow-southern-railway-limited-welcomes-uk-transport-secretarys-invitation-proposals-privately-financed-southern-rail-access-london-heathrow-airport/

It must go on to interface with the new Old Oak Common (OOC) Interchange and via a tunnel, to physically link with the Chiltern Rail Network with radial links to Oxford, Banbury, a new domestic Great Central spinal line alongside HS2 to serve Brackley (east of)/A43/Silverstone via a new Parkway Station and onwards to Rugby, Lutterworth and the East Midlands via Narborough/Leicester and also a curve in the Nuneaton direction.

4. Birmingham should have the freight centric to it, not be lumbered with freight for beyond it and not specifically for it. That will free up pathways and enable more modal shift to rail with subsequent environmental benefits as well as wider shares of footfall and spend based on sustainable transport modes.

Please have a perusal and help get MP's on board and urge the Government to speed delivery up. East-West Rail must physically link with the East Coast Main Line in the mooted Tempsford area for completeness. Likewise, given existing north-south rail lines are at capacity now (a basis for arguing HS2's contribution eventually), the spinal resurrected Great Central corridor including Calvert-Grendon for quick domestic access to OOC and beyond, would enable East Midlands specific freight and cross-country operations to access without recourse to London, Birmingham or existing lines more, enabling more with benefits. We need a joined-up vision that delivers, not the status quo. We would really welcome your support and interest. However good existing rail upgrades are, Reading-Oxford is at capacity now, so alternative routes are required to keep things moving and cut road reliance more. It is in everyone's interest to do so: https://blog.greenflag.com/2019/tyre-particles/

For perusal of a copy of the 13 page ERTA response, please see and scroll down our Publicity Page: https://ertarail.co.uk/publicity/

ERTA Brackmills and Northampton Area Zoom Meeting

Greetings! Our Brackmills and Northampton Area Zoom Meeting is due to take place on Friday 20th August at 15.00 hours. Please contact Ms Sara Homer Email: sara.homer@brackmillsindustrialestate.co.uk to request to be sent the link to join the meeting. Northampton, part of the Golden Triangle, has a massive win, win for rail, transport and the environment if it can get the rail links back in a timely manner. Bedford-Northampton with new build, Northampton-Market Harborough with a widening of the 'green corridor' to enable more, Rugby-Lutterworth-Narborough for Leicester and much more. We need your interest, contribution and support. Business people are coming together and agreeing we must have choices to reduce road congestion and that means re-railing. All are welcome. An agenda is attached. Please feel free to pass on and recommend us to others. Membership is logical and helps resource our efforts. We seek to build teams which can usher along the rail improvements we wish to see, local to Northampton and nationwide. Thank you.