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ISSUE 08 11 JULY 2012
BUFFING UP FOR SUMMER Pages 18 and 19
Time TV • BANDS • MOVIES • SOUNDS • FEATURES • RADIO • LOCAL BANDS Pages 13-16
EXTRA
Shocking Police response to Leanne case witness claims - The Third Man page 12
ELECTRIC SHOCK - PLUG COULD YET BE PULLED PENDOLINO: Could be on the East Midlands track soon? A DECISION on a £500million rail project vital to the economic future of Northampton communities including Corby, Kettering and Wellingborough is set to be made later this week. The Extra has learned that a Government announcement on whether the electrification of the Midland Mainline will get the go-ahead is imminent. The announcement will reveal if the scheme has been included in
Network Rail’s investment schedule for 2014 to 2019. Campaigners say that electrification is the key to vital economic growth and the development of much needed jobs. And industry insiders now believe that the project is likely to get the go-ahead. It would mean the reinstatement of Kettering’s half-hourly service north and one-stop fast trains to London. Times of journeys to Lon-
don and the north would also be cut. The upgrade would also improve matters for Corby commuters – with better connections north. At present electric trains already travel on the line from London St Pancras up to Bedford but, after that, only diesel engines operate to Wellingborough, Kettering and Corby. Transport Secretary Justine Greening has confirmed the Government is looking at the Midland Mainline electrification project as one of its options for investment and has said it has “a strong case behind it.” Council leaders and business groups from across the East Midlands have joined forces in the fight for the project. They include Northamptonshire County Council leader Jim Harker and Paul Southworth, chairman of Northamptonshire Enterprise Partnership.
In a recent letter to Mr Osborne and Mr Cable, the leaders asked the Government to support proposals to upgrade and electrify the route to boost the regional economy. They said: “The upgrade and electrification of the Midland Main Line will improve the economic performance of towns and cities across the Midlands and north of England, which together are already home to over five million people and 2.1 million jobs. It will meet business demand for rail freight. “It will help to sustain both population growth (projected to increase by 800.000 by 2020) and regeneration and contribute to the re-balancing of the national economy.” Kettering MP Philip Hollobone has no doubt about the benefits. Speaking in a recent Commons debate he said: “Upgrading and elec-
Corby Town Supporters Trust The Corby Town Supporters’ Trust steering group are pleased to announce that the Corby Town Supporters’ Trust is now officially recognised as a legal entity, having been registered by the FSA under the Industrial and Provident Societies Act 1965 on 3rd July 2012. The Corby Town Supporters’ Society (Registered Number: 31667 R) was actually formed before this date, with the model rules signed by the first four original members of the trust; Pat McMahon, Rory Clark, Clare Pavitt and Daniel Douglas on 15th June 2012 after months of hard work by a vast number
of supporters and the CTST steering group. Despite the ongoing work that the trust has been undertaking, last Tuesday was the official date when the registration was approved and CTST became an IPS, which provides us with a special status as a non-profit-making, democratic organisation with one member one vote, and totally separate from the club and it’s directors. Corby Town Supporters’ Trust chairman Robbie Dunion said “I am delighted that we have had our application accepted by the FSA and that we can now start really getting our hands dirty” CORBY TOWN: Chaiman and Manager
of Stamford
32 St Mary Street, Stamford PE9 2DS Tel: 01780 765318 Open Monday to Saturday 9.30am to 5pm A warm welcome awaits...
£10,000 REWARD THE family of a pensioner found dead in his Wellingborough home are offering a £10,000 reward in a bid to capture his killer. Hungarian-born Karoly Varga, 76, known as Charlie, was discovered at his property in Cannon Street on July 30 last year. He had been struck a number of times with an axe-like weapon. CONTINUED ON PAGE 4
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trification will bring higher speeds, which will not only make the service more attractive and have a positive commercial benefit, but increase capacity to meet the increase in passenger numbers. “That should generate £450m of wider economic benefit to the region. For Kettering and neighbouring Corby, it will mean better connections north to Leicester - a route currently served by only one train an hour off-peak -and the travel time from Kettering to London should be cut by an average of five minutes, and potentially by more than 12 minutes. “Travel times from London to Sheffield could be cut by 14 minutes. Upgrading and electrification should enable Midland Mainline to increase its train services from five to six per hour, so Kettering could get three trains per hour, rather than
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MURDER VICTIM: Karoly Varga
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