The Department for Transport was currently looking for a new train operator to replace National Express from April 2011 and was asking for views (by 19 April 2010) on what priorities should be set for the new operator. This was the opportunity for a rethink to give greater priority to local rail users and for a fairer allocation of the 120 new Electrostar carriages which are currently on order.
Read Sir Alan Haselhurst's letter (7 April 2010) to Lord Adonis about the priority being given to airport passengers over hardworking local commuters
'Whose Line Is It Anyway?' asks SSE and calls on Parliamentary candidates to campaign on the rail issue
Read what other Parliamentary candidates are saying on the rail issue: Peter Wilcock, Liberal Democrat candidate (Saffron Walden)
Loucas Xenophontas, Independent candidate (Hertford & Stortford)
Proposals to implement changes to the M11 at Junction 8 and on the A120 at Takeley were due to be considered by the Inspector at the planned 2009 Public Inquiry into BAA's application for a second Stansted runway. Their implementation would have been conditional on the granting of permission for the runway expansion plans. Rail improvements were also due to be considered at the Inquiry. SSE planned to make full representations on both road and rail matters. The road and rail proposals were abandoned in May 2010 following BAA's withdraway of its planning application for a second runway.
Correspondence and other information, including consultation documents relating to these and other surface access matters, can be accessed through the following links:
