HISTORIC PRESS RELEASE : Rail Forum Meeting to Discuss Euston to Northampton Rail Line [March 2001]

The press release issued by the Strategic Rail Authority on 6 March 2001.

The Euston – Northampton Forum met on 5 March, for the first time to discuss the future development of rail services on the Euston to Northampton corridor.

The Forum includes representatives of the Strategic Rail Authority (SRA), Northamptonshire County Council, Hertfordshire County Council, Milton Keynes Council, Bedfordshire County Council, Buckinghamshire County Council and other local authorities along the line of the route. It also includes Members of Parliament, councillors, the Midlands Rail Passengers Committee, London Transport Users Committee (LTUC) and other rail user groups on the line.

The Forum will meet regularly to consider how the needs and aspirations of the stakeholders in the region can be met as part of the further development of the West Coast Main Line and the Silverlink franchise. The Forum has a consultative role and is the focus for fielding ideas for consideration by a Steering Group that is formed of the SRA, local authorities, and the Rail Passengers Committee (including LTUC) who attend the meeting.

The main role of the steering group is to consider options for making the most of current and future investment in the WCML. It has commissioned consultants Booz, Allen & Hamilton to look at ways of improving local and regional services at the southern end of the line. The local authorities and the SRA jointly fund this study.

A wide range of views were expressed on current and future issues, and these will be considered by the consultants as input to the study.