KETTERING
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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 electrification will bring higher speeds, which will not only make the service
£10,000 REWARD
Lottery win for Wicksteed Park WICKSTEED Park has been awarded more than £1million from the Heritage Lottery Fund to support the restoration of its magnificent main lake. The restoration will entail dredging and deepening the lake,and new sluices will be installed. Reed beds will also be planted alongside areas of grass wetland to improve biodiversity and wildlife habitats.
Other works involved in the project include the conservation of the currently redundant roundhouse, a 1924 lakeside shelter, which will be repaired bringing it back into use as a focus for lakeside activities. Emma Sayer, Head of Heritage Lottery Fund East Midlands, said: “We at the Heritage Lottery Fund are delighted to be able to support Wicksteed Park
with this £1million grant.” The main lake at the popular Kettering attraction is an important landscape feature and a reminder of park creator Charles Wicksteed’s original vision. It was created between 1919-21. The lake was used for regattas, swimming, boating and water polo, with the park advertised as “The Gateway to Health and Happiness”.
of Stamford
32 St Mary Street, Stamford PE9 2DS Tel: 01780 765318 Open Monday to Saturday 9.30am to 5pm A warm welcome awaits...
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.
LOTTERY: Wicksteed Park is a winner.
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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 the current two, and that third train could have a journey time of 48 minutes, rather than 62.”
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MURDER VICTIM: Karoly Varga
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