Minutes of the ABFLY committee

Wednesday 17th January 2018 at 37 Bucknalls Drive, Bricket Wood

Attending:

  • Trevor Gurd (TG)
  • Roz Devlin (RD)
  • Robin White (RW)
  • David Charlton (DC)
  • Peter Brooks (PB)
  • Robert Yorke (RY)
  • Kevin Ambrose (KA)
  • Richard Haywood (RH) (by phone link)

Apologies:

  • John Burke (JB)

Peter Brook & Robert Yorke were welcomed to their first meeting of the committee.

1.Hertfordshire County Council Local Transport Plan 4

KA’s draft response considered. Agreed to add:

  • Through running to London
  • Vital link between St Albans and Watford as roads liable to flooding
  • Refs to investment in Q3
  • Ref to Shuttle Bus link in Q3

Action agreed:

KA to modify & send to HCC

2.Dept. for Transport Community Rail Consultation

KA’s draft response considered. Agreed to add refs to:

  • Extending concessionary bus pass to community rail schemes
  • Emphasise that same senior delegate should attend each CRP meeting to ensure continuity as well as commitment

Actions agreed:

  • KA to modify & send to DfT
  • Send copy to CRP (TG & KA)

3.Feasibility Study

RH finalizing accounts of money received from Spacehive campaign. Meeting with Railway Consultancy fixed for 5th February (RH & KA attending). RH working on data which Sanjay had received from West Midlands Trains on business case. Feasibility Study needs to consider how franchise agreement could be modified to incorporate any improvements emerging from Study.

4.CRP

Next meeting provisionally fixed for 20th March (presumably in Bricket Wood Parish Centre)

Action agreed:

Peter Brook to be main Abfly delegate (KA to inform Edna Woname)

5.Abfly Public meetings/AGM

KA advised that Abfly needs to book St Stephens Parish Centre for 2018 meetings to ensure we get adequate sized rooms for public meetings.

Agreed:

  • 21st May Public Meeting
  • 19th November – Public Meeting & AGM
  • KA to advise parish clerk

6.Report back from recent meetings

Abfly reps had attended the following meetings:

  • Railfuture (Beds & Herts Branch on 25th November 2017) - KA had previous circulated notes
  • Watford Rail Users Group (4th December)
  • London North Western launch (Northampton, 11th December 2017) - - KA had previous circulated notes

7.Developing links

Meeting discussed need to update Abfly contacts and ways of getting high profile people to endorse Abfly.

Actions agreed:

  1. Trevor to ask Dave Horton for data base of contacts (TG)
  2. Update contacts with LNW Railway (TG)
  3. Update CRP contacts/membership (PB)
  4. Seek “names” as potential Presidents of Abfly – Robin to write to Lord Adonis (former Transport Secretary & promotor of light rail scheme for Abbey Line) (RW)

8.Abfly membership

RW proposed scrapping fees, invite donations and focus on e-mail lists for communicating with supporters. It was noted that the decision to cease printing & posting newsletter would save considerable costs. RH reported that 114 responded to recent survey – but relatively few were commuters

Actions Agreed:

  1. Drop membership fees in favour of donations subject to advice from Roz (as treasurer) on running costs (RD)
  2. Develop a consolidated e-mail list of supporters (RW/RH)

9.Survey Results

RH reported on the recent on-line member/supporter survey. Main issues to be pursued:

  • Later running of trains on Watford FC evening match days
  • Bus passenger usage (would concessions create a modal shift to rail?
  • Sponsorship/free travel (noting success of Santa Special)
  • Value of Watford BID (Business Improvement District) becoming members of Abfly & CRP

Actions Agreed:

  1. Above points to be raised with CRP (PB)
  2. RH & KA to include in discussions with Railway Consultancy

10.Other Business

  • Trevor reported that St Albans City Council were consulting on the new Local Plan between 9th January and 21st February. Abfly should submit representations to promote line in Plan
  • The Abbey Line CIS screens now promoting Abfly

11.Next meetings:

Dates Agreed:

19th March - Committee at TG’s house

21st May – Public Meeting (St Stephens)

17th September - Committee at TG’s house

19th November – AGM & Public Meeting (St Stephens)

Kevin Ambrose

2nd February 2018

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