http://www.businessweekly.co.uk/news...rticle_id=9316

The above article implies that the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister
(ODPM) will reopen the Thameslink 2000 public inquiry in September so
that the remaining issues over the scheme, which have now been solved,
can be laid to rest and work can begin.

Interestingly, it also says that DEFRA have commissioned a studies (not
that that means anything useful) into the East-West rail link between
Oxford and Cambridge via Bletchley and Bedford, as part of an
investigation into supporting the new Milton Keynes & South Midlands
housing plans around Milton Keynes. The article hints that they might
actually consider building the houses around the railway line to make
sure there is a rail link to support the growth. (gasp of shock)

Finally, detailed plans are apparently under development for the new
Aylesbury Parkway station a short distance to the northwest of
Aylesbury. It seems as though funding is around too. This would be
supported by something Adrian Shooter said to the Imperial College
Railway Society a few weeks ago.

--
Dave Arquati
Imperial College, SW7
www.alwaystouchout.com - Transport projects in London

Dave Arquati wrote:

Interestingly, it also says that DEFRA have commissioned a studies (not
that that means anything useful) into the East-West rail link between
Oxford and Cambridge via Bletchley and Bedford...

Hahahahaha.
--
Michael Hoffman

Dave Arquati wrote:
http://www.businessweekly.co.uk/news...rticle_id=9316

The above article implies that the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister
(ODPM) will reopen the Thameslink 2000 public inquiry in September so
that the remaining issues over the scheme, which have now been solved,
can be laid to rest and work can begin.

So it actually has funding approval, and as soon as the issues about
building around London Bridge/Borough are rubber stamped it's building time?

What changes will this make to the metro service on the Wimbledon loop?
I'm assuming around a doubling in frequency to actually make it
approaching a metro service?

Dan

Dan Gravell wrote:
Dave Arquati wrote:

http://www.businessweekly.co.uk/news...rticle_id=9316

The above article implies that the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister
(ODPM) will reopen the Thameslink 2000 public inquiry in September so
that the remaining issues over the scheme, which have now been solved,
can be laid to rest and work can begin.

So it actually has funding approval, and as soon as the issues about
building around London Bridge/Borough are rubber stamped it's building
time?

Hmm... the wording with respect to funding approval was decidedly vague
- but at least there seems to be a will from the ODPM to get something
done. In the meantime, they better get a bloody move on fitting out the
St Pancras Thameslink box, or there will be a lot of ****ed off
Thameslink commuters come 2007.

What changes will this make to the metro service on the Wimbledon loop?
I'm assuming around a doubling in frequency to actually make it
approaching a metro service?

Er... sadly not, I'm afraid. TL2K is designed to focus on those
lucrative commuters from further afield, and the service to the
Wimbledon loop would remain exactly the same. The best hope there is
probably for Tramlink to take over the Wimbledon-Sutton section, which
might spur Thameslink to increase frequency to the two remaining arms of
the loop - but don't hold your breath too much.

The TL2K service pattern is on my website (5th heading down):
http://www.alwaystouchout.com/project/23


--
Dave Arquati
Imperial College, SW7
www.alwaystouchout.com - Transport projects in London

Dave Arquati wrote:
Dan Gravell wrote:
What changes will this make to the metro service on the Wimbledon
loop? I'm assuming around a doubling in frequency to actually make it
approaching a metro service?


Er... sadly not, I'm afraid. TL2K is designed to focus on those
lucrative commuters from further afield, and the service to the
Wimbledon loop would remain exactly the same. The best hope there is
probably for Tramlink to take over the Wimbledon-Sutton section, which
might spur Thameslink to increase frequency to the two remaining arms of
the loop - but don't hold your breath too much.

The TL2K service pattern is on my website (5th heading down):
http://www.alwaystouchout.com/project/23

Thanks for the information and the link to your excellent site. I'm
finding it hard to express my rage and frustration at this news, so I'll
sign off now.

Dan

Dave Arquati wrote to uk.transport.london on Wed, 6 Apr 2005:

Interestingly, it also says that DEFRA have commissioned a studies (not
that that means anything useful) into the East-West rail link between
Oxford and Cambridge via Bletchley and Bedford, as part of an
investigation into supporting the new Milton Keynes & South Midlands
housing plans around Milton Keynes.

Would this be the same Oxford-Cambridge rail link via Bedford that was
dug up 40-something years ago?
--
"Mrs Redboots"
http://www.amsmyth.demon.co.uk/
Website updated 3 April 2005

On Thu, 07 Apr 2005 12:17:28 +0100, Dave Arquati wrote:

Dan Gravell wrote:
Dave Arquati wrote:

http://www.businessweekly.co.uk/news...rticle_id=9316

The above article implies that the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister
(ODPM) will reopen the Thameslink 2000 public inquiry in September so
that the remaining issues over the scheme, which have now been solved,
can be laid to rest and work can begin.

If it happens then "hooray". It might get build by the year 2100.

So it actually has funding approval, and as soon as the issues about
building around London Bridge/Borough are rubber stamped it's building
time?

Hmm... the wording with respect to funding approval was decidedly vague
- but at least there seems to be a will from the ODPM to get something
done. In the meantime, they better get a bloody move on fitting out the
St Pancras Thameslink box, or there will be a lot of ****ed off
Thameslink commuters come 2007.

Well exactly. Why on earth they didn't just add the money to the £400m
or so that's been released for the Northern Ticket Hall at KX I don't
know. We have such a stupid parsimonious attitude to schemes that are
eminently logical and which have to be done at some point. It'll only be
more expensive and disruptive to do it separately in the future.

What changes will this make to the metro service on the Wimbledon loop?
I'm assuming around a doubling in frequency to actually make it
approaching a metro service?

Er... sadly not, I'm afraid. TL2K is designed to focus on those
lucrative commuters from further afield, and the service to the
Wimbledon loop would remain exactly the same. The best hope there is
probably for Tramlink to take over the Wimbledon-Sutton section, which
might spur Thameslink to increase frequency to the two remaining arms of
the loop - but don't hold your breath too much.

Having looked at your site I was somewhat amazed to see how poor the
Thameslink 2000 scheme is when you look at the inner area coverage.
Quite why you need 4 trains an hour to Dartford off Thameslink I don't
know when there is no improvement on the Wimbledon loop. And as for not
extending platforms to take 12 car trains at places like Kentish Town
then that's bloody daft. I wonder if we will end up with a battle
between TfL and the DfT (SRA) over the scope of Thameslink 2000 in the
same manner as Crossrail?
--
Paul C


Admits to working for London Underground!

Mrs Redboots wrote:
Dave Arquati wrote to uk.transport.london on Wed, 6 Apr 2005:


Interestingly, it also says that DEFRA have commissioned a studies (not
that that means anything useful) into the East-West rail link between
Oxford and Cambridge via Bletchley and Bedford, as part of an
investigation into supporting the new Milton Keynes & South Midlands
housing plans around Milton Keynes.


Would this be the same Oxford-Cambridge rail link via Bedford that was
dug up 40-something years ago?

Yup. They've decided they need it again.

--
Dave Arquati
Imperial College, SW7
www.alwaystouchout.com - Transport projects in London

Paul Corfield wrote:
On Thu, 07 Apr 2005 12:17:28 +0100, Dave Arquati wrote:


Dan Gravell wrote:

Dave Arquati wrote:


http://www.businessweekly.co.uk/news...rticle_id=9316

The above article implies that the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister
(ODPM) will reopen the Thameslink 2000 public inquiry in September so
that the remaining issues over the scheme, which have now been solved,
can be laid to rest and work can begin.


If it happens then "hooray". It might get build by the year 2100.


So it actually has funding approval, and as soon as the issues about
building around London Bridge/Borough are rubber stamped it's building
time?

Hmm... the wording with respect to funding approval was decidedly vague
- but at least there seems to be a will from the ODPM to get something
done. In the meantime, they better get a bloody move on fitting out the
St Pancras Thameslink box, or there will be a lot of ****ed off
Thameslink commuters come 2007.

Well exactly. Why on earth they didn't just add the money to the £400m
or so that's been released for the Northern Ticket Hall at KX I don't
know. We have such a stupid parsimonious attitude to schemes that are
eminently logical and which have to be done at some point. It'll only be
more expensive and disruptive to do it separately in the future.

It's bad enough that Thameslink passengers have to suffer the blockade,
but the comfort was meant to be that they'd get a brand new station out
of it that can actually handle the number of passengers who now use
King's Cross Thameslink, let alone the future passengers off the CTRL.
They will *have* to fund it sooner or later, if only to avoid having to
close KXTL because of safety issues! I totally agree that they should
have tacked it onto the Northern Ticket Hall funds.

What changes will this make to the metro service on the Wimbledon loop?
I'm assuming around a doubling in frequency to actually make it
approaching a metro service?

Er... sadly not, I'm afraid. TL2K is designed to focus on those
lucrative commuters from further afield, and the service to the
Wimbledon loop would remain exactly the same. The best hope there is
probably for Tramlink to take over the Wimbledon-Sutton section, which
might spur Thameslink to increase frequency to the two remaining arms of
the loop - but don't hold your breath too much.

Having looked at your site I was somewhat amazed to see how poor the
Thameslink 2000 scheme is when you look at the inner area coverage.
Quite why you need 4 trains an hour to Dartford off Thameslink I don't
know when there is no improvement on the Wimbledon loop. And as for not
extending platforms to take 12 car trains at places like Kentish Town
then that's bloody daft. I wonder if we will end up with a battle
between TfL and the DfT (SRA) over the scope of Thameslink 2000 in the
same manner as Crossrail?

The Mayor and co are definitely not too happy about the way Thameslink
2000 has been progressed; I believe many people feel an opportunity was
missed to make better use of Blackfriars - Herne Hill and create new
inner-urban stations at Walworth or Camberwell.

I don't know whether TL2K is pitched to try to attract some people out
of their cars for M25-based journeys, as the "Superlink" alternative to
Crossrail was. If so, they're probably making a mistake - there's not
much rail can do to solve M25 congestion.

I'm not sure quite how they're going to maintain a reliable 24tph-ish
service through the central core when trains are approaching from
9 different southerly origins!

--
Dave Arquati
Imperial College, SW7
www.alwaystouchout.com - Transport projects in London

On Thu, 07 Apr 2005 22:18:25 +0100, Dave Arquati
wrote:

I don't know whether TL2K is pitched to try to attract some people out
of their cars for M25-based journeys, as the "Superlink" alternative to
Crossrail was. If so, they're probably making a mistake - there's not
much rail can do to solve M25 congestion.

It may not solve M25 congestion, but it would allow individuals to
avoid it by encouraging park and ride.
--
Terry Harper
Website Coordinator, The Omnibus Society
http://www.omnibussoc.org