Re: Corby

In message <1193816809.096034.93200@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Mwmbwls <robertg.robinson@xxxxxxxxxx> writes
Ann Black, 63, of Occupation Road, said the station was good for Corby but added it was a shame that there were no plans to provide a northbound service.

She said: "Most of the people in the town travel to Scotland.
I understand the sentiment but, even given Corby's historic Scottish connection I don't think anyone could really substantiate the statement "Most of the people in the town travel to Scotland".

I travel by train twice a year and have to get a bus to Peterborough."
A whole *twice* a year?! Wow, we should provide this lady with a dedicated heavy rail service at once!

unquote
Okay, perhaps I'm being uncharacteristically sarcastic there (for which I apologise). However, this is an excellent example of how what people's own individual journeys entail tends to cloud the public's judgement about what rail (and other modes of transport) can provide. In our spread out, multicentric world rail (and to a lesser extent buses) can only run on routes where there is (or can be developed) a proven demand for transport.

Rail South from Corby could well gather passengers; North would be a different matter I'd contend. (Though I would be happy to be proved wrong.)
--
Ian Jelf, MITG
Birmingham, UK

Registered Blue Badge Tourist Guide for London and the Heart of England
http://www.bluebadge.demon.co.uk
.

Relevant Pages

  • =?ISO-8859-1?Q?Getting_back_on_track_=2D_how_my_part_of_the__=A31=2C500_?= =?ISO-8859
    ... Scotland to formulate its own transport strategy. ... Transport Scotland was created as an agency of the Scottish Government ... services and the rail network at a devolved level within Scotland. ...
    (uk.railway)
  • Public Finance Magazine - Christian Wolmar predicts a host of problems
    ... On the face of it, the railways are the least of the problems facing the new transport secretary, Douglas Alexander. ... Moreover, there is talk of a high-speed line between London and the North, and the fourth anniversary of the last fatal train accident caused by the railways, Potters Bar in May 2002, has just been marked, an unprecedented safety record in the 175-year-old industry. ... The new Channel Tunnel Rail Link is scheduled to be completed on time next autumn and within the construction budget of GBP 5.2bn. ...
    (uk.railway)
  • Re: Is anything about the railways better than it was before 1997 ?
    ... Martin Vander Weyer>From The Spectator's special supplement on the Blair years: ... Not that transport ever took up much of Prime Minister's time: ... government left a legacy of underinvestment and unresolved planning ... issues - and, above all, the dog's breakfast that was privatised rail. ...
    (uk.railway)
  • Re: Manchester Railway Seminar - February 27th 2008 - Opportunity to discuss an old favourit
    ... Anyone wishing to attend the rail seminar is asked to register by ... The Department for Transport has admitted a tunnel linking ... Manchester Council. ...
    (uk.railway)
  • Deja Vu all over again - ECML
    ... Rail franchise talks collapse ... TALKS between National Express and the Department for Transport (DfT) ... over the future of the east coast main line have reached an impasse ... heavy losses from its current deal with the government to run trains ...
    (uk.railway)