New station for Claydon Junction ?

Several residents have raised with me the benefits of a station on the East West Rail line at the Claydons where the Aylesbury branch to the south meets the main East West line from Oxford to Bedford.

It would serve the Claydons and all the villages around, who would once again have a train service to Oxford, Bedford, Milton Keynes, Bicester and Aylesbury (from where trains could continue to London and even eventually Heathrow Airport).

It would be at the mid point of the line between Bicester and Winslow stations so would be a logical stopping point.

Travellers between Aylesbury and Oxford (where there are no direct trains) would have their journeys shortened significantly.  Under current proposals they would have to continue to Winslow before they could change to the southbound or westbound line.  A Claydon Junction station would save many unnecessary miles and minutes of travel.  Trains from Aylesbury to Bletchley would be travelling very slowly at this point on the chord line between the two tracks and a stop would add very little to the journey time.

Please get in touch with me to share your thoughts on a new Claydon Junction station on the East West Line.

Update on East West Rail

Network Rail has announced its plan for construction of the western section of the East West Rail link between Bedford and Oxford, Aylesbury and Milton Keynes, as part of their five-year strategic business plan 2014-2019.

The East West Rail Consortium, which includes all the local authorities along the proposed route, has successfully promoted the re-instatement of a rail link between Bedford and Oxford to enhance rail services both within the region and beyond.

With the support and financial backing of the Department for Transport, the Consortium will now work with Network Rail to develop and implement the project, with the aim of having East West Rail services operational for passengers and freight by December 2017. The route between Bedford and Oxford is also proposed for electrification as part of a wider scheme to enhance passenger and freight services between Southampton and the West and East Midlands, and the Consortium and Network Rail will be examining ways in which the two projects can be integrated.

The next steps are for Network Rail and the Consortium to complete environmental impact assessments and obtain any necessary planning consent.

Patrick O’Sullivan, Rail Consultant for the East West Rail Consortium, said:

‘Support for the East West Rail has been tremendous. We shall be talking to parish councils, local residents, businesses owners, rail users and other stakeholders shortly to ensure that we achieve the maximum benefit from the railway and to address any concerns at this early stage in the project. Network Rail and the Consortium expect to start formal consultations in Autumn this year.’

The East West Rail link will enable new journeys and faster journey times, linking major economic centres and centres of economic growth within the region. It will remove traffic from already congested roads and also avoid the need for people to travel via London.

It will also connect with national mainline services East Midlands Mainline (to Derby, Nottingham and Derby), West Coast Mainline (to Birmingham and the North West of England) and Great Western Mainline (to Bristol and South Wales) becoming an important part of the national strategic rail network.

Electrification of the line between Oxford and Bedford will provide the infrastructure for quieter, cleaner and more efficient electric trains.

HS2 compensation consultation closes 31st Jan

The High Speed 2 compensation consultation closes on 31st Jan.

Advice from the Stop HS2 action group:

With the prospect of a few days off work for many of our readers, we thought you might like to take the time to put together a response for the compensation consultation or the safeguarding consultation which are going on until 31st January 2013.

Main link to the Consultations home page: http://highspeedrail.dft.gov.uk/consultations-0

Overview of the Property and Compensation Consultation http://highspeedrail.dft.gov.uk/consultations/property-compensation-london-to-west-midlands/maps-and-plans

Full Property and Compensation Consultation document (49 pages): http://highspeedrail.dft.gov.uk/sites/highspeedrail.dft.gov.uk/files/9213-DfT-HS2-01-PCCS01_TAGGED.PDF

How to respond (on-line and paper doc)  http://highspeedrail.dft.gov.uk/consultations/property-compensation-london-to-west-midlands/how-to-respond

We’d love to see a copy of your response: if you want to share it with us, please email a copy to info@stophs2.org

Tips (if you are writing a short response, some of these might not be relevant):

• Start with a direct response to each question such as “No, I do not agree with …. because ….”  If you do not provide the summary of your key points, you leave it to the person analysing your response to make their own summary of your argument – and remember that they are probably temporary staff/students on low wages who know nothing about the issue!
• Do not say things like “as I said above”. The analyst is not allowed to guess which bit of ‘the above’ you are meaning. If it needs saying again in relation to a particular question, then say it again in your response.
• Feel free to use bullet points, numbering, bold and any other device to make your argument and all of its supporting points crystal clear.
• Please remember that all residents (all your family members) can respond.  If you wish to do this online you will need an email address per respondent as the system only allows one reply per email address.
• Look across all of the questions and stick to the specific issue of each question. However, if there is no place for a particular argument then add it in against the ‘next best’ question and ENSURE IT IS INCLUDED IN YOUR SUMMARY. It is notable (and bad practice) that there is no section for ‘any other issues’ in this consultation. If you need such a section then put it in.
  • The Government says it is interested in
    • whether or not you agree with its proposals
    • why you agree or disagree
    • any additional evidence that you feel it should consider in reaching its final decisions
    • and we are invited to attach additional evidence to the response form, making it clear which question it refers to.

AVDC funding fair 12th Feb

Funding information is being made available to community groups, charities and voluntary organisations across Buckinghamshire.

The Big Lottery Fund, Heritage Lottery Fund and Lloyds TSB Foundation are among the scores of organisations attending a county funding fair in Aylesbury next month.

The free event, organised by Aylesbury Vale District Council, is being held at the Gateway Conference Centre, Gatehouse Road, on 12 February between 1pm and 6pm.

There will also be an opportunity to participate in active workshop sessions about funding, talk directly to grant makers and organisations offering advice, and understand more about how to apply for funding.

Information stalls will be available on a drop in basis all afternoon. Groups are advised that places are limited for the workshops, which have previously proved very popular.

Lynne Maddocks, AVDC Community Engagement Officer, said: “The funding fair provides a fantastic opportunity to obtain funding for voluntary and community projects. Last year’s fair generated a total of about £40,000 of grant funding for five organisations from contacts made on the day.

“As with previous years, the event will have a wide range of information stalls and workshops to attend and enjoy. It’s important that people can have a good time participating in the event whilst also getting the essential information they need.”