Well it is crunch time for the project to re-open Littleworth Station. We still need to raise around £5000 to get the feasibility off the ground. Unfortunately EMDA have turned us down because they only finance large regional projects.

Reply from EMDA. Quote:

 “At the strategic, regional level we often play an active role in helping fund with partners, or commissioning direct ourselves, technical assessments and feasibility studies to help influence and inform the investment decisions taken by Network Rail and others.  We prioritise how we use our limited funding to focus on the key strategic rail and other transport priorities for the East Midlands.  Given the local nature of this proposal, I would suggest you approach some of your local or sub-regional partners, such as the Local Authorities in which the line is located, or the County Council as the Local Transport Authority.  We are unable to provide any direct assistance in the form of funding,”

Peterborough City Council has also declined because of the lack of funds available.

We have as you know approached SHDC & LCC for funding but you guessed it. ‘No funds available.’

So you see unless funding is available from other sources the project will shortly have to come to a close. The downturn to this is of course there will be no improvement in commuting is the local area even when the 2400 homes are built in Holland Park causing even more congestion and maintenance costs to our roads. This is when we are getting an upgrade of the line in 2011, a possible rail hub which could open up the line to more passenger traffic because the line will be accessible longer during the day.

WE should be looking at 20 to30 years down the line as to what our future needs are going to be, not rushing at the last minute to provide a much needed resource at an inflated cost.

The meeting on Thursday will bring up some of these questions and we hope many people will turn up to air their views.

Hope to see you there. (details of the meeting are on our home page)