BRTA calls for Leicester Rail investment
The British Regional Transport Association (BRTA) is calling for more investment in rail access and capacity into and throuygh Leicester from all existing rail directions and new-build ones as well. Putting it in the context of government pushes for growth and development, making it sustainable with local rail solutions is essential.
The British Regional Railway Association (BRTA) wants the following rail improvements for the Leicester area for more and diverse rail dynamic appeal to both more freight and people by rail as a principal choice for transport.
- Northampton-Leicester via Market Harborough (see web page/link). This offers continuum of rail-based services from Watford and Oxford to Milton Keynes Central to Northampton and the East Midlands and beyond and vice versa. New Northampton Depot could get more freight by rail were the link restored in full. A south to west direct curve at the Northampton end, would also enable direct running to Daventry International Rail Freight Terminal (DIRFT) from East Midlands the North and Felixstowe for example and vice versa. New flows, new routes, new capacity.
- BRTA calls for an electric shuttle service between Bedford and Leicester on the slow lines with modest twin track platforms, booking halls and parking for 100 cars at the following locations:
Oakley, Sharnbrook, Irchester (serves Rushden), Finedon, Burton Latimer, Desborough, Kibworth Harcourt and Wigston (Midland Main Line). An hourly passenger all stations stopper service would link Bedford seamlessly with Leicester (Gateway to the East Midlands). Operator remains to be determined. It could be part of extended Thameslink; it could be part of East Midlands Railways (EMR) or Great British Railways informed. It would feed into principal existing stations like Bedford, Wellingborough, Kettering and Market Harborough and Leicester. It would inform additional capacity on and off the rails, like parking and enable more and better services.
BRTA CEO Richard Pill said "The decision by government to delay electrification to Nottingham and Sheffield via Leicester is head-in-sand wrong. It is vital that more track and platform capacity is provided at Leicester and electrification between Felixstowe-Leicester and Birmingham goes hand-in-hand with other capacity improvements for more local lines, trains and modal shift, lowering emissions for communities."