HRG Meeting Minutes 20.4.21
Special meeting focus on East-West Rail
Present: Joy Richardson, Hilary Roadley, Nigel Hardy, Marion Hughes, Mavis Gardner, Claire Cock-Starkey, Ranjit Kurrie, Nigel Richardson, Evelynne Hull, Judith Lindeck, Russell Phillippo, Julie Seekings, Susan Pitts, Linda Chruchman, Brian Milnes, Martin Harris, Andy Lawson, Dom Bellamy, Alastair Oatey, Martin Kreetzer, Margaret Greeves, Beki Mason, Clare, Rupert Peace-Gould, Gaynor Hayde, Peter Hayde, Sue Stafford, Diane Heard, Maria King, Christine Heath, Jan nanor, Sian Leech, Giles Pemberton, Beki Korb, Tim Arnold, Alan Sweeting, Brian Williamson, Myfanwy Lloyd.
Presentation by Rupert Pearce-Gould (attached with minutes) of Harston EWR Working Group
It will probably be a year before the final decision is taken.
Harston EWR Working Group is not against the rail line in principle but the business case and route must make sense.
The consultation in 2019 failed to include Harston so it is vital we get out voices heard this time.
Northern route has not been given proper consideration.
Impacts on Harston must be mitigated and maximum benefits secured.
Haslingfield are considering a judicial challenge.
EWR is the second biggest rail infrastructure project behind HS2 – Grant Schapps will make the decision on it going ahead not local planning experts.
The key things Harston residents can do are:
· Respond to the consultation
· Write to MP/local councillors
· Send feedback on the plans to EWR
· Copy any feedback to Harston EWR Working Group so concerns can be shared (their email is ewrharston@gmail.com)
Station Road in Harston likely to be closed which would mean more traffic down London Road to connect Newton and Harston.
Huge increase in rail freight likely, this will be diesel trains which will likely run at night.
Consultation close 9 June 2021.
Questions:
Susan & Andrew Pitts: Where can more information be found on train numbers and environmental impact as the consultation document delivered to homes had nothing on this.
RPG: Website has more information on these details, possibly there will be as many as 4 trains an hour. The first train to actually run on the line is not expected until 2030 so it will be a long process.
Peter Hayde gives a technical overview of the proposed line and says that there has been no detail given on how freight will fit in.
Claire: Understands that the line will not be electrified and that old rolling stock will be used. This means diesel freight trains.
RPG: The general intention is to ultimately make the line fuel efficient but the reality is that it is likely to be diesel initially.
Brian Milnes: Says diesel only trains won’t be eliminated until 2040. However he saw Anthony Browne MP talk earlier who said concessions were being made for example potentially making a tunnel instead of a cutting at Chapel Hill and the possibility of not closing Station Road.
Alastair Oatey: Cycle route from Station Rd to Newton Road could be built which would be beneficial. There are options on the table for Newton Road to stay open but this would mean the trains would run closer to houses in the village and would be on a higher elevation so this is a situation we need to weigh up.
Maria King: It will be an interim fleet, second-hand diesel trains. She reports that meeting with Anthony Browne showed some positivity but that it was important to keep the pressure up.
Mr Gardner: Says he is very much against the southern route in principle and that he disagrees with the HRG-EWR position of supporting the plan ‘in principle.’
Tim Arnold: The ‘in principle’ support refers to the fact that the group supports the idea of rail over road travel.
Chris Lindeck: The plan offers no advantages for Harston, it will badly impact village but he believes the northern route is unlikely to gain traction so argues that we should focus on pushing for the route to go between Hauxton and Trumpington.
RPG agrees that moving the route nearer to a motorway would make sense.
Sue Stafford: Comments that there should be an integrated approach with the planned Foxton travel hub.
Alan Sweeting: Points out that pushing the line further out from the village would reduce the noise created and therefore we should campaign for the route to be as far from the village as possible, possibly knocking down some of the ancient monuments that they are so far preserving in order to protect the village. The only benefit to the village would be if they built a station at Harston.
Brian Milnes: EWR is meant to be an expressway so they do not want to include too many stops.
Dom Bellamy: The PC is looking at the feasibility of a station in Harston and wants to make sure this is factored in as a consideration.
Becki Mason: The line should go much further south where the lines splits. Local government say they don’t want any more road traffic going into Cambridge and yet they are only putting in northern stops on the route so anyone in south Cambridge will have to drive to get to a station. At least if Harston got a station the plan would offer some benefit to the village.
Sue Stafford: A route much further south and away from the villages would be far preferable.
RPG: Says unfortunately the route is already 95 minutes long which is much longer than they had hoped and so pushing the route any further south would add more time to the route and so is unattractive to the rail companies.
Chris Lindeck: Route further south would add to journey times so a route nearer Trumpington makes more sense.
**
EWR public meeting on 15 May 2-4 pm: In person public meeting at Rec with Anthony Browne and Ian Sollom. Tent being donated by Gig tent and Gaynor currently looking at securing a PA system.
Action: Gaynor to sort PA system. Tim to publicise meeting to the media.
Gaynor will be encouraging people to write out their questions about EWR and collect them in a box for the meeting so we can get a good idea of people’s concerns. 10 marshals in high-vis jackets required, more volunteers needed.
Action: Claire to add call out for more volunteers in next newsletter.
Media spokespeople: We need some spokespeople for EWR group and HRG. RPG volunteers to be EWR spokesperson.
Dom requests we recruit more members for the EWR-HRG group.
Action: Claire to put call out in next newsletter.
Litter pick: 67 turned out for the litter pick, our best ever turn out but we didn’t have enough equipment.
Action: Gaynor applying for grants to buy our own equipment.
Greener Harston: Switch to meeting on the last Saturday of every month. Next meet up 24th April at 10.30 opposite Vujon.
Hilary and John are mapping the graves in the churchyard and have put the info up on Harston history website. Hoping to start clearing the ivy out of the churchyard to make it more of a community space to reflect. Hoping to place the memorial bench there.
Planning:
Application to demolish the Pem. PC have logged an urgent motion to object.
25 Royston Road: Application to knock down existing 1920s house and build 3 new houses on the same space.
The Footpath: South Cambs offering a space there as a self-build 4 bed house but the sewer would need to be diverted.
106 High St: Application for a 5 bed house.
PC:
New picnic benches are being ordered for the rec.
New speed cameras on London Road, speeds will be monitored and counted (currently about 700 cars a day). The monitor is portable so will be moved around the village in future.
AGM: Joy went over HRG aims and everyone agreed they were still valid.
Joy re-elected as Chair.
Gaynor re-elected as Finance Officer
Claire re-elected as Secretary.
Jan, Brian and Peter will continue of transport subcommittee.
Next meeting: Tuesday 18 May 2021 8pm