Bee oven Bonanza
The other works in the programme are Beethoven's Egmont Overture and his First Symphony. "The Egmont is one of my favourite pieces," enthuses Catherine. "It's so dramatic - really thrilling. It comes from some incidental music which Beethoven wrote  r a play about a now-forgotten real-life hero, who fought for freedom but ended up being executed. But his ideals live on - it's a
T
he Buckinghamshire Chamber Orchestra will be giving its first
ever concert in Olney on 22nd October. The performance, which starts at 7.30 in St Peter and Paul's Church, includes two works by Beethoven and the much-loved Mozart Clarinet Concerto.
very inspiring piece." The Symphony is an earlier work, the first major step in the long path Beethoven  rged towards the glorious Fi h and Ninth symphonies that audiences know so well. It's  l of wonderful melodies, dramatic moments and surprising humour.
"We've been wanting to play in Olney ever since we started nearly two years ago," says the BCO's musical director, Catherine Rose. "I've lived here for ne ly 20 years and I've o en been involved in concerts in the Church, which has a lovely acoustic. Now it also has good heating and a loo, so it's a wonderful venue in every way!"
Bedfordshire Railway & Transport Association
The orchestra was formed in February 2004, and has already performed a number of successful concerts in its home venue of Gawcott Church, as well as in Buckingham Church and in Buckingham's twin town ofMouvaux in France. "We know there's a lovely,
 The soloist for the evening is
clarinettist Koren Wilmer. Although a
professionally trained performer, Koren
has devoted her working life to music
therapy, working in her own private practice in St Albans. She has already played four concertos with the St Albans' Symphony Orchestra. "The Mozart is such a wonder l piece," says Koren. "All clarinettists just adore it. It really lets the beauty ofthe instrument's sound shine through, as well as showing o  some of the fireworks. "
welcoming audience in Olney, and we're re ly looking forward to our first meeting with them." •
 Milton Keynes and South Midlands: The Judgement is made: the Strategic Rail Authority failed the Litmus test  r delivery on East West Rail Links!
South Midlands Sub-Regional Strategy Public Examination March/April 2004 Report of Panel (avai b ftom h :/go-em.go  uk  nningl consultation or contact OJ159719971
'newer trains' have airline capacity  r ·   'bums on seats' but have lamentable   space  r luggage, legroom,  t people 
business will emanate to and from), are  iling to serve the public interest. How are people to move when the local roads  e gridlocked and what ofAgenda 21 and Sustainable development?
"An over- ching issue raised in the context of transportw agenerallackofcon denceinthe
are what has actually happened is cherry picking on su ciently attractive and frequent to encourage
Government's long-term commitment to socially necess y routes and services such as
General comments: Our supporters will make of these statements what they will but our responses will be to raise the need and priori  of reinstating BON in the government's deliberations. Likewise E t of Bedford, crucial
if the decision the Development Control Commirree to grant an rowing lake on the basi.<
of the rail interest have any chance of holdirl )
rural links, evening and weekend services. Secondly, the shortage of funding, coupled with the Health and Safety upping its game and the belief in some of the 'gold plated railwa  costs have risen considerably, eating into funds that are available. The railway is a whole, an integrated arterial structure and unless investment is across the board then it will be unbalanced and cease to  nction e ectively. The SRA has been totally ice cold on the concept, idea and possibility of reopening in England. Whereas Scotland (thanks to devolution) h  about 5 re-openings in the pipeline (Larkenhall, Stirling-Kincardine, Bathgate-Airdrie, Queen Street to Gl gow Airport and the Borders Line to Galashiels) and and logicall  Labour are afraid to put up taxes Wales h  2 (Vale of Gl organ and Ebbw because that is unpopular but leaving a shortfall Vale), England has none. Yet England is the
funding necess  transport infr tructure in step with  e housing and economic growth that it is intended to  cilitate. It was a widespread view that the Sub-Region already su ers substantial 'transport de cits' as a result of transport investment failing to keep pace with development in recent decades." Page 25. 3.10
up in the
the northern perimeter of Olney for that marrer!
Although the report establishes a need and "deficit" on sustainable transport, it is very short onactualandspeci cschemesandmisseskey ones out such as the missing link between Northampton and Bedford completely. The re on  r this becomes de . There is a  nding gap, government either cannot or will not pay
next 5 - 1 0 years or
development on
in the public  nances. Moral questions of most populous, busy and prosperous p t of
The report mentions Milton Keynes­ Bedford-Northamptontriangle(2.11.pl5)but fails to identi  need for BON rail li ! If there is one criticism ofthe last 5 ye s it has to be the plethora of reports and inquiries and yet not a single new piece ofrail line h  been laid on the East West axis in the South Midlands  ea nor East Anglia  r that matte  The time has come  r action - deliver or go! For the SRA the red card h  already been shown and they have le  the pitch. Unless the government produces a stronger deal  r the East W t Rail and BON in terms of hope and funding, it too may receive a canning from the electorate. Yes we give our political m ters h d t ks - to f  it and give us more all at the same time and on a limited budget. This challenge will remain  r whoever gets into power, meanwhile the Dep tment  rTransport  sumes the strategic controlling hand, albeit twisted by the Tre ury!!
whether tax is in relation to the ability to pay abound, but Tony Blair is unwilling to tackle the issue head on  d re rm the national and local taxation system. The Tories would cut taxes if they thought they could get away with it, but that would mean a straight "no" to any spending on rail improvements and yes, it is all very well to talk about allowing the free market and free rein to invest in rail projects, but the evidence is a mixed bag.
Britain and has the scarcest land capacity, so why build motorway style development at many £millions more than rail, eating as it does the land needed  r housing, employment, f ming, leisure and conservation? The SRA damping down, rubbished re-openings  r England such   Bedford-Sandy-C bridge and Northampton-Bedford, even Cambridge- St Ives-Huntingdon (which would have a link to the proposed Alconbury rail connected  eight depot, but without the C t.Iron route, would lack a direct rail link to the E t Co t port of Felixstowe where the majority of its
For example the Channel Tunnel - private  nance got it built, but it is £8 billion in the red. Likewise Virgin Voyagers and other such
RichardPill BRTA, www.brta.org.uk
PAGE 52 PHO B 
Ticketsftom  rds Bookshop on  gh Street South, or byphone on 0128 ) 824721, or on the door.  ckets are £10, with under 16sftee. Senior Citize concessions (£8) are avai b  in advance on6( All adult tickets on the  or £h. 1
and inadequate supply of
provision  r the number of people a  .b a.org.uk
  train carries at any given moment. Likewise places, there is still a long way to go be re the bus de-regulation w  supposed to open up MKSM towns will have comprehensive town­
toilet 
competition and private sector investment but wide public transport systems that
safe, pro table routes and abandonment of asigni cantmodalshi ". Page26,3.14
"It bec e evident to us that, despite the laudable e orts being made in some