News and ERTA Events and Opportunities: Guildford-Cranleigh-Horsham-Shoreham Rail Link Needs Saving as an integral corridor!

Bad News on Guildford-Horsham: 

On the week of 11^th October the Waverley District Council met and decided by one vote after over 2 hours deliberation, to support a canal over the old railway formation. This will scupper the rail hope. ERTA worked tirelessly to alert the public within our means and limited resources. Locally, we felt some sympathy for the railway idea, but the competing interests, the longevity of the closure and the fact the councils seemed at sixes and sevens on what the case was for such a rail link, shows the area had moved on and like so many other places, car is king now with roads as the main transport option, locked-in but loved even as a mirage of freedom and iconic individualism statement. ERTA had pencilled a date for a Horsham Meeting post-pandemic in 2022, but now we need our members to tell us whether to proceed or not. It will be a case of water, water everywhere! 

The canal is not a panacea and their motors do make noise. However, experience elsewhere has taught us that many applications get passed off, then cost, timescales and delivery dates slip for a host of reasons. Obviously we wish the rail was being put first than a canal/other interests, but we are not giving up as the corridor lends itself to expansion and new interpretation and so accommodating a railway, a canal and cycleway/walkway means expansion is to be played for surely? This is a strategic missing link and deserves more strategic support and recognition. It should not be down to us to realise that or the general public, rather this is where leadership, apprehension and direction/action commensurate to filling gaps in the existing rail network comes into its own. Climate Emergency, better links and access, relief to existing lines like the jam packed Brighton Main Line should all indicate a relief link to Reading, Heathrow and Brighton triangulation makes a whole lot of sense if we wish to save land use, cut emissions, reduce traffic congestion and improve greener-cleaner public transport/make it more relevant to more audiences/inform modal shift. Our politics seems very parochial currently with a head-in-sand view of parish pump does it and the rest of the world can go sing a song! We need people with local, regional and nationwide interest and to export best practise and learn from our mistakes to the rest of the world by all means.

ERTA is toying with a meeting committee style in Horsham next year 2022. If you agree with that idea, let us know so we can have some indication of interest. Likewise our events page on our website including our conference this Saturday (23rd) October is free, open to all and all welcome. 

https://ertarail.co.uk/events/ and https://ertarail.co.uk/conference-2021/

I attach our pdf of Guildford flyer currently being distributed. Thanks for your interest and support. Let's pray our nation turns a corner and realises more and better rails can make a positive contribution and that status quo is woefully inadequate. Our website home page has a donations facility now, all contributions welcome to help us fund our activities in the wider public and nationwide interest please. We welcome people to join/affiliate and welcome people to offer to help assist with our work to make it better quality and quantity. We are only as good as our supporters make/enable us. Thank you.

Midland Main Line, Leicestershire and Easing Capacity + Leicester Forum

Leicester Forum 2023:

Leicester Forum

The High Cross, Leicester

Saturday 25th February 1pm food, 2-4pm business Leicester agenda and getting it underway.

The High Cross, 0116 251 9218 103–105 High Street, Leicester Leicestershire, LE1 4JB  https://www.jdwetherspoon.com/pubs/all-pubs/england/leicestershire/the-high-cross-leicester

https://ertarail.co.uk/events/ 

Clearly most of us want the electrification from Bedford-Corby/Market Harborough extended to Leicester, Nottingham and Sheffield and inclusive of Leeds as a logical part of the Midland Main Line. More passenger and freight needs to go by rail for good reasons including, of course, cutting emissions more through choice and access/affordability and thence reducing overall contributions to CO2. Moreover, by improving our rail network, we free up road space for those who have to drive. 

ERTA sees Leicester as strategic. Roads are congestion into and around it, whilst existing rails are at capacity with demand for more by rail growing to a welter which on current lines cannot be serviced and HS2, love it or loathe it, will take another 10 years of growth before any relief claim can be substantiated. 

Our interim agenda is as follows:

1. Reopen a Northampton-Market Harborough rail link which would link East Midlands with the West Coast Main Line more and enable Oxford-Milton Keynes-Northampton - Leicester/East Midlands flows by rail. M1 plies MK-Northampton-Leicester and beyond, yet we don't have a direct rail alternative.

2. Stations for park and ride access to the rail network in growing locations like Desborough and Kibworth, need studies and case-making/grant applications and land use tailoring to ensure the growth does not scupper identification of sites. Remember, a location today, unless protected, could be lost.

3. Great Central access at Narborough for Old Oak Common-Calvert-Rugby-Lutterworth-Leicester-Nuneaton line makes sense as well for direct access which HS2, as High Speed, does not give access to interim places. They are growing along the corridor including Magna Park and elsewhere and so keeping re-railing options open is again where planning can be useful if not essential. For example, a blockage today could be relocated and land used for a rail purpose may not lend itself today, but what about 20 years of planning? The Climate Emergency won't wait, the system gets clogged up and too slow and a trading of reports and systems needs counter-balancing with pragmatism and some basic common sense. Traffic is flowing thus, no rail alternative parallel to, so we work to nurture that rail opportunity more.

4. Leicester-Burton commuter Ivanhoe Link: Surely we do need a direct curve from Leicester to run directly onto that line to fulfill the optimum market? So relocation should be being planned and negotiated now, to enable that access to be regained going forward. But interim, the line offers a bypass to Leicester for some freight like MML-Knighton-Burton-Derby and beyond and vice versa, so Leicester as well as Leicester centric freight, can also entertain joined-up passenger services. Does it make any sense to have to change at Kettering to access East Midlands by rail from Bedford, which is due to be on a principal East-West Rail within 10 years? People need better and cost-effective access to public transport for work, commuting and searching for jobs and locations where needs lend themselves for entertaining opportunities beit work, education or business.

This list is not exhaustive, but we need to and welcome talking with Government, agencies and local MP's and bringing people together to get these critical agendas progressed. Otherwise the status quo is unsatisfactory and pollution from exhausts and tyres makes people ill, which again is avoidable if we get our nation re-railed appropriately.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/rail-investment-cut-levelling-up-tories-b1766132.html

English Regional Transport Association (ERTA) Diary Dates 2021-2022

Bedford Area Forum: Tuesday 9^th November 2pm food, 3-5pm business at The Pilgrims Progress Wetherspoons: 42 Midland Rd, Bedford MK40 1QB, T. 01234 363751 https://www.jdwetherspoon.com/hotels/england/bedfordshire/pilgrims-progress We sit at the back under the stairs and can but 2 tables together if need be. Let us know if you wish to join us. There is no cost, but obviously we like people to join ERTA as a member and come on board and help us fulfil our goals.

 

2. AGM will be on ZOOM ONLY: Contact Mr Colin Crawford colin.crawford1@btconnect.com or T. 07836 693977 to register for looping in.

 

3. Horsham Public Meeting Committee Style: Date is Saturday 26^th March 2pm-5pm Further detail to be announced. To be looped in, join our loop via requests to richard.erta@gmail.com

 

4. Leafleting in the Calvert area 27^th October from 12.30pm Any offers to help contact Mr David Ferguson 0208 977 4181 E. daferguson1212@gmail.com or contact Mr Richard Pill for offers elsewhere – you must have own transport, be reliable and sign our declaration form for safety. Dates are 11-10-21-30-10-21 and from 01-03-22 onwards.

 

5. Brackmills and Northampton Area Zoom Meeting ‘open to all’ hosted by Sara Homer, CEO of Brackmills Industrial Estate: sara.homer@brackmillsindustrialestate.co.uk to register and richard.erta@gmail.com for related email looping. Date is Friday 22^nd October 3pm-5pm

 

6. Public Meeting, Saturday 26^th February 3-5pm at the Northampton Quakers Auditorium Quaker Meeting House, Wellington St, Northampton NN1 3AS https://www.quaker.org.uk/meetings/northampton Guest Speaker is Cllr Phil Larratt. Contact sara.homer@brackmillsindustrialestate.co.uk for further details. ERTA hopes to have a small stall at the meeting. All welcome/open to all.

 

7. Station Stalls 2021-2022 Email Simon Barber for details and offers to assist: simon4barber@gmail.com

 

8. ERTA Christmas Bash 1pm Thursday 9^th December at MK Wetherspoons: https://www.jdwetherspoon.com/pubs/all-pubs/england/buckinghamshire/wetherspoons-milton-keynes 

Further information or wish to join us: 

email richard.erta@gmail.com

 

General Note: on all occasions, everyone is responsible for their own transport and for paying for their own food and drink.

Grant Shapps Pledges for Rail Reopenings - we need it applied now!

Make of this what you will: https://www.express.co.uk/news/politics/1500522/railway-lines-cuts-reversed-train-travel?fbclid=IwAR13c9KTCUYmQFnvlJZ4qo_amMCvnznvFAEiGmkmmFX4k5kgiys9U0EC_HA 

However, by now, 2.5 years into Government and given Cop 26 and a Climate Emergency, a practical need for modal shift from road to rail and rail filling gaps in haulage and logistics more, we should be seeing the PLAN now, with a timescale and costing mechanism going forward. Alas it is talk at a Party Conference, so could again be wishful thinking or opportunism with random 'stuff happens' whereby it is claimed x or y is a result of Government will, but may be per chance. As some of you may have seen, the letter from Chris Heaton-Harris MP held little if any support for Guilford-Horsham-Shoreham and many other lines not mentioned. 

Due to many urban sites, junctions and other pieces of infrastructure being lost, redeveloped over and so forth, critical decision beyond government, i.e. delegated to third party agencies as we see with HS2 and East-West Rail to tackle thorny issues of routing where there is not route and the upheavals involved, remains the hard railroad ahead. It is essential for national well-being, but does the Government have the grit, determination and coherence to push it through or be faithful to former routes and move what is in the way or find deviations to reduce impacts? 

Yes, we need more detail and in what timescale will we get it? It should be top priority, electrify as you go by all means, but we need a line plan for every railway line to generate and contribute to logistical modalshift now. Bedford-Bletchley is bus substituted lion's share, getting through Bedford Midland 'box' is another deterrent to running traffic along the branch and onwards and the long wait for joined up rails between Bletchley and Calvert means HS2 stone trains - about 18+ per day from Derbyshire, are going on existing lines to London Willesden and up the Chiltern Line contrast saving 50 miles extra journey is they went via Bedford-Bletchley-Calvert. This is but one example, lines not there, roads are both lead and default context we operate in. Please give ERTA your support to help inform a sea-change to the current theatre pro affirma for better and more local-conventional rail links. Thanks.

Bedford like many places has chronic congestion and has had for over 2 decades in parts. Bypasses come and go and the road building agenda is a political and media sop to be seen to do something, whereas the historical root is the closures of local rail links of the 1960's which locked-in road dependency. We need choice. ERTA does not support the northern route E for a variety of reasons, but crucially you get more for the £1 by going on the old route to the Willington area, then north of Blunham to the Tempsford Plains and thence physical rail connections with the principal north-south main line the East Coast Main Line (ECML). Instead we have Network Rail Reports espousing this connectivity for Southampton-Midlands Multi Modal Studies and 2019 consultations onwards advocating segregation where the east-west and north-south lines cross with a station complex. 

Route E may seem logical on a map, but is not a straight line, rather a camel's back shape! It would be a steep gradient contrast the flat old route along the River Great Ouse Valley basin and is longer and more intrusive. Suffice to say, were the spend on studies to examine how to push the line north of Bedford on or off existing tracks been committed to solutions to Cardington Road and Priory entrance, we may be seeing the old route in a more happier context. Instead housing on the old St John's is in the ings, destroying and locking in either no rail service Bedford (east of) or bypassing Bedford with a load more upheaval. I feel some campaigners are in denial and we have a political fix, which whilst a need for delivery is urgent, if not fit for purpose, will again be a 'wrong type of railway'. A steady speed of 25 mph - 60 mph with no obstruction gets you to Cambridge quicker than anything roads, parking and bus riding can offer, so why do we need 100 mph plus? It must cater for freight as well as passenger needs. But here is the rub, if you come through Bedford Midland from Route E, you push all passenger and freight through the platforms interfaces and given capacity issues now with passenger services held up outside the station 'box' and Bedford-Bletchley suppressed to be optimized to full pelt operations due to pathing through Bedford, our route suggestion offers east-west to avoid Bedford Midland freight-wise whilst also pointing east-north freight in the right direction. Route E does not offer this and that should be taken back to Whitehall to 'think again'/what are we trying to achieve?

Please peruse and tap into our meetings and network with us: https://ertarail.co.uk/events/ We are pro rail, not anti, but where savings and a better job can be done, we welcome that to be considered as was for 23 years from 1997, albeit we accept part of the original would need revised route specification now due to developments north of Sandy which just keep going in, without the critical support infrastructure to go with ever more housing.

ERTA News and Views - Please give us your support and join in with us

Greetings. The recent panic buying at petrol stations, whatever the fears or risks of to do or not to do, underscores that as a nation we are hopelessly dependent on fossil fuels and road-based transport for EVERYTHING! This must change for fairness, balance, choice, freedom as well as good environmental well being. Grant Shapps, Secretary of State for Transport talked much in the early days of this government of 'Reversing Beeching' Agendas and yet, unlike Dr Beeching, we see no plan nationwide. We have at best dribs and drabs, a smattering here alongside making the existing network work-able; but no grand scale reopenings, rebuilds and select new-build of a local-conventional passenger and freight capable rail link network to fill gaps. Borders Railway carried over 3 million people in its first years and has proven a success - a long siding serving mainly rural areas with scant stations - bucked many models and predictions! It need to be block replicated elsewhere across the nations and regions, but alas, whilst Government finds money for carbon dioxide and £27 billion for new roads, the reopenings agenda is absent from debate in many cases, when in practical terms it needs moving from icing on the cake to capstone absolute foundational necessity. Some may find this article interesting: https://www.newstatesman.com/uncategorized/2017/08/new-age-train

On other fronts as follows:

1. If any are willing to assist in working up diagrams from rough to look pretty and be ascetically coherent for our use, please let me know. Every diagram must include a key, our current website, a date and my email for further information. The programme we use is Microsoft Visio If interested in trialling, please let me know as we seek to build our support teams.

2. ERTA Zoom Conference: Details via our web page: https://ertarail.co.uk/conference-2021/ Please encourage others to take an interest. We have a good line up of speakers and a good networking opportunity.

3. All other events are on our events page: https://ertarail.co.uk/events/

4. ERTA has invested in some leaflets and is progressively doing from Calvert to Rugby along the old Great Central corridor as well as urban Guildford. Bedford will be done at a later stage, beit October or 1st March 2022 when weather starts to pick up again! Any offers to help, please let us know. Reliability is key. Door-2-door is what we seek for consistency of targeted area cover. Flexibility and ability to negotiate, always valuable qualities.

5. We want to build our Westminster Team, if interested, please contact Mr Simon Barber: Simon Barber <simon4barber@gmail.com> You may wish to write to your own MP/email: Look them up on this site: https://members.parliament.uk/members/Commons If we can get MP's supportive, they in turn can help bridge and get councils and Government interested and then chances to progress are that bit better. No panacea, but way to go from a small band such as we. We have about 35 members, and ERTA is only as effective as our members enable/inform. In crude terms, it could be this: Work for a living? Donate, Unemployed? Volunteer Time! Somewhere between the two and retired younger people, there's probably something for everyone to assist, be part of a team and work towards leadership by example of what you can do/offer rather than opt outs or excuses.

6. I believe ERTA is making progress. We campaign grassroots upwards and that top-down is even talking about these agendas as a reality possibly, is credit and kudos to ours and select others' labours over the years. Like it or loathe it, East-West Rail is winding its way from Bicester to Bletchley and Bedford and discussions remain on routes for East of Bedford. You may find this consultation of interest: https://placebuilder.io/futureofthearc Question is, are there similar consultations going on in your area which you could flag our causes and case more? Please do and again copy us in and/or write/email your council and MP and if such still exists, local media outlets/newspapers!

7. We have long supported a rebuilt Matlock-Buxton/Chinley rebuild of a railway for Derby-Manchester direct rail access and give more rail-based access to the southern Peak District. Please give your moral support at least: https://www.matlockmercury.co.uk/news/transport/plans-to-reopen-train-line-between-buxton-and-matlock-gain-traction-3395854 

Letter from the Minister!

The Government found £27 billion for new roads, a mere £500 million for Rail Reopenings Fund. We need to cut the 'middle man' of bureaucracy, high sided costs of demand for studies and get straight on with delivery. This is a Climate Emergency, land is a precious resource and time on numerous fronts is running out. The Government seem to be part time on these issues and rail seen as 'existing fine, new... steady on there!" sort of attitude. Land must be set aside for protecting routes for new local-conventional rail links across the regions of Britain, currently at best we have a trickle, but no where near what a 'Reverse Beeching Plan' should or would look like ... another 'social care plan' which never existed/was half-baked... why are we waiting if 'ready to go'? No the Government needs to be held to account and nothing stopping opposition parties producing their own reopenings plans and again shaming the government over spin, false dawns and expectations informing chaos on the roads and inadequate rail resilliance to tap into markets door-2-door. Local deliveries by road remain essential, however, lion's share could be done by rail if only the glaring gaps in our rail network were addressed now! Join our email loop: richard.erta@gmail.com and consider getting involved. Write a reply to the Minister and copy in your local MP. Ask us if unsure.

ERTA London Forum Minutes Friday 17th September 2021 - All Welcome!

Minutes of ERTA London Forum Friday 17th September 2pm food, 

business 3-5pm The Barrel Vault, Unit 23, St Pancras International Station, Pancras Road, London N1C 4QP 020-7837-5151 https://www.jdwetherspoon.com/pubs/all-pubs/england/london/the-barrel-vault-st-pancras Convenors Messrs Simon Barber and David Ferguson T. 0208 9774181 E. daferguson1212@gmail.com  and Mr Simon Barber, T. 0208 940 4399, E. simon4barber@gmail.com

Present: Colin Crawford, Simon Barber, David Ferguson and Richard Pill

 

1. Appointment of someone to chair the meeting and someone to take notes: Simon Chaired, Richard took minutes.

2. Apologies for absence: David Shamash, Josh Welby, Conway Castle-Knight and Cllr Mohammad Butt.

3. Covid-19 Consideration Impact:

a. Taken as read.

b. has affected travel and public transport cuts a concern in the light of less footfall.

c. However, according to Colin, freight by rail is up, which is positive.

4. London Pamphlet Review – what’s in, out, likely, unlikely, supported or not?: Pamphlet approved and is ERTA policy. New ideas need compiling, research and to be worked up with a running by Councils to see their views and also recruit volunteers to work on projects. Us 4 cannot do the whole nationwide transport work and advocacy, so planting ideas good, but we need more on-board to enable progression.

5. Muswell Hill Metro: David and Simon to forge better links and encourage them and them us also.

6. London Underground Extensions: Epping-Harlow and discussion was had on both St Albans – Hatfield and Croxley Link at Watford. Needs more people to help usher along.

7. London Orbital Railways: OUR FOCUS must be Woking-Heathrow-Old Oak Common direct linkage with Chiltern Lines for Aylesbury-Guildford arcingly including Brackley GC and Banbury Chiltern-South Coast arc and London orbital.

David suggested M25 corridor from South West Main Line be looked at by him. He would sound out local councils and MPs with Simon and report back any interest/research more. It was suggested Leonard Lean writes to councils and TfL not us and reports on fruits of his letters to those who have more power, authority and enablement to research and produce studies to assess his ideas.

8. Links to/from and through lines with Heathrow any and all directions: Must be focused and united in supporting a through, joined up link north-south. Simon and Colin to do Skype meetings with Chiltern, Southern Heathrow and others to review the potential scope of support and sense in taking some interest in it.

9. New Lower Thames Transport Tunnel: Decided to ask Peter McBeath for updates, but we want rail only, not road and rail.

10. Silvertown Tunnel – should be rail, walking and cycling not roads. See 13 b below for actioning. But basically, no to more roads, yes to traffic reduction alternatives.

11. Crossrail: Colin said it was a great scheme and would be reviewing it with colleagues. Colin to liaise with Josh Welby, Simon and David and work together. Others welcome.

12. Pitsea-Rayleigh support/someone to do research, make the case/take photos (see 13) Simon to work at recruiting support. David to write to councils on Heathrow, through links and lines and gauge interest external to ourselves. To work and jot down on paper with modern maps and ascertain overground or underground and what blockages maybe encountered.

13. Area Reps./ Volunteers – any offers/North East, South East, Central and North West wanted:

a. Simon to contact Voluntary Bureaus for someone to help with North East London/Essex border area for Pitsea-Rayleigh, making a case, and courting support.

b. Simon to contact https://stopsilvertowntn.com/ with a view to mutual links, support and interest. We felt it should not be road based, but rather rail, cycle and pedestrian. Cutting congestion, exhaust fumes and pollution generally was held as an important goal and outcome of our proposals and we should form links and alliances with groups and organisations heading our way or objecting to roads impositions.

c. Colin to contact Railfuture on Grants for our costs and also court support for our pamphlet and schemes. It was felt some were competitive and dismissive in some areas sadly.

14. Any Other Business:

a. Simon and David to approach John Stewart of HACAN to see whether he would be willing to be a Patron.

b. Josh Welby confirmed as ERTA London North Western area rep. He is warmly encouraged to attend future meetings and liaise and see what he can do to encourage the priorities set out in our Pamphlet.

c. Rugby Forum approved for Saturday 30^th October 14.00 at https://www.jdwetherspoon.com/pubs/all-pubs/england/warwickshire/rupert-brooke-rugby Rupert Brooke 01788 576759, 8–10 Castle Street, Rugby, Warwickshire, CV21 2TP

d. Colin Crawford to host Great Central Zoom Meetings or share with Iain Sear. It was felt inappropriate for Owen O’Neill to host such zoom meetings if he doesn’t see any business case for reopening/rebuilding a GC Corridor railway between Grendon-Calvert-Brackley East-Woodford-Willoughby – Rugby et al. However, Colin would encourage Owen to help us elsewhere, commit to working with Sara Homer on delivering the Brackmills rail link rebuild and other projects including Rugby-Lutterworth-Narborough and Welland Valley Railway link to Peterborough. That seems plenty to be focusing on for him plus his other commitments.

e. David Ferguson to deliver Guildford flyers. Inside A3 urban domestic door-to-door cordons first then post A3 cordon urban areas door-to-door without any deviations. Avoid commercial outlets.

f. David Ferguson to deliver GC flyers in this order Buckingham-Bicester bus No 18 Bicester-Buckingham Bus: https://bustimes.org/services/18-buckingham-steeple-claydon-bicester

Then Brackley, Woodford, Willoughby, Rugby before 30^th October Forum. Simon to market it. David to do 250 flyers per outlet each. Richard given cheque for bulk printing costs of £200 worth for this exercise.

g. Simon to contact Transport for All (TFA) for flagging up disabled access and associated access to public transport issues and make common cause.

h. Colin flagged the idea of one EC meeting per month and one Forum per month, two forums was felt excessive given everything else we are doing. However, Richard said Forums help focus on specific regions and areas of campaign work and where it is attended by people, makes for expansion.

i. Simon liaising with Iain Sear to get the Events page up to scratch asap and continually ensuring all relevant information is done.

15. Day, Date, Time, Place of Next Forum Physical Meeting and/or Zoom: Saturday 5th February 2022 14.00 food, 15.00 business at The Barrel Vault, Unit 23, St Pancras International Station, Pancras Road, London N1C 4QP 020-7837-5151 https://www.jdwetherspoon.com/pubs/all-pubs/england/london/the-barrel-vault-st-pancras Convenors Messrs Simon Barber and David Ferguson T. 0208 9774181 

E. daferguson1212@gmail.com  and Mr Simon Barber, T. 0208 940 4399, 

E. simon4barber@gmail.com

If people don’t bother to communicate with these people, it will be assumed they will not be attending. We reserve the right to change business section to the St Pancras Grande for more space, peace and focus. Meeting finished 16.00 hours.

Details of our London pamphlet can be obtained by scrolling down our Publicity Page: https://ertarail.co.uk/publicity/ or pdf via email requests to richard.erta@gmail.com