not just that.
right.
with residential areas you also need to worry about enhanced environmental and noise restrictions legislation.
Given a suitable relocation(maybe Network rail co compulsary purchase on other "dormant" areas of the site, offer to set up new warehouses and gift them a few years free rent...that sort of package most industrial owner would deem as sufficient recompense)
..the move would not be that big a deal.
..plus it is only a handful of entities you deal with....in tems of residential every one individually can object
In the real world there is so much more to consider than simple relocation when dealing with business premises. I will happily admit that my experience may be atypical ( do you have experience of the process to call on?) but I dealt with business and residential relocation in relation to a motorway construction. Honestly, the residential properties were a doddle to sort out. There was a great deal of emotive comment, immense sadness, unhappiness and hot air in relation to residential properties but the actual process was straight forward. Business premises ( many of the sort we are talking about here being light industrial units, small warehouses, vehicle repair sites etc) were a nightmare. There wasnt the emotion but there was straight forward commercial reality.
When I was on the other side of the fence we used every trick we could think of to get a higher figure for the business being moved. Reputational impact, goodwill loss, higher rent, utilities and rates on the new premises, loss of trade, impact on customer access, publicity, proposed premises not suitable, premises too far away from core market, HGV access not good enough, insufficient parking, no public transport, too close to residential properties considering emissions, to far for our workers to travel, replacement equipment because that installed couldn't be moved. Sometimes it was compensation for loss of the business as the move would kill the company off. Anything to run the clock and the bill.
It would be no different here.
On the railway side there is the need to replace the depot, equipment and associated sidings and the engineers stabling sidings. Where are they going to go? How much do you think a modern electrified depot and equipment ( especially fueling and drainage/enviro systems to capture spillages) that meets current regulations is going to cost? The TOC depot serves the trains on the Marston Vale and is slated to maintain the LNWR 319's. They have to stable somewhere and it wont be in the carriage sidings on the WCML as they are full every evening and weekend. It wont be Northampton as that is full and it wont be Camden as that will be lost to HS2 and is full in any event. So where are they goign to go
As for the engineers stabling, where are the new sidings going to go? The new sidings have to work operationally, be accessible 24/7 and not impose excessive transit times on the machines getting to site as that reduces working time and increases all kinds of costs. Of course buying the land for these locations is going to add to your bill as is planning permission. On the engineering sidings side Blethcley has stabling capacity for large machines or for multiple machines and for basic maintenance work to be undertaken and for stoneblower replenishment. There is a full sized grinding train in there today. You have to replicate that facility. If you suggest using a TOC depot that means legal agreements and more cost and operational headaches. Operational headaches or excessive transit times lead to missed shifts and speed restrictions and delayed trains and unhappy customers.
Obviously none of this is insurmountable but it is expensive and far more difficult than posters here will ever accept.
Which is yet another reason why not running from the Marston Vale to MKC is utterly, utterly nuts.
I happen to agree. My point is that constructing said link is not as easy or cheap as suggested here.
only other option would be a tunnel with a portal probably just north of the A5 near to Standing Way at the WCML end whilst at the other end it would be between Bow Brickhill and Fenny Stratford again near the A5. But frankly that would be expensive and the BCR terrible.
Lets have a look at the route & I am assuming a target for the other portal to be in the fields along side the Marston Vale line between Fenny Stratford and Bow Brickhill. I have no idea what the subsurface geology is like in this area so cant comment on the practicalities of boring the thing!
The WCML is in a deep but shallow sided cutting at Standing Way so there is probably space to excavate your tunnel mouth. Above it is a small industrial estate. Your tunnel will have to quite steep at this point to go under the A5 junction, pass under or close to Stadium MK and it's surrounding estate (I assume you will want to miss the Mt Farm lake) under Fenny Stratford (with lots of residential houses to protect including mine) under the canal and the River Ouzel, under the A5 again, under the Marston Vale line ( because it is on an embankment at this point) and out into the fields ( use the massive tree to the south of the railway line as shown on google maps as a target) with a nice embankment to connect the existing line to the tunnel. phew. I think the curve might be easier and cheaper!
PS I am against your tunnel idea for one simple reason: It doesn't improve my journey to work
PPS I also have a feeling the target area for the MV tunnel end may be earmarked for residential development