Whilst the focus at the moment is still on the failure to operate a service which resembles the published new timetable , with its large number of cancellations, part-cancellations (as an aside, 21st August saw the total number of cancellations affecting Marsden and Slaithwaite since the timetable change pass the 500 mark) and poor punctuality, there’s still a need to look beyond the day-to-day issues.
SMART’s objective remains a daytime service of two trains per hour, with additional services at peak times. Whilst that may be difficult to achieve before the Transpennine Route Upgrade (whatever that may contain) is carried out, that doesn’t mean that nothing can be done.
Transport for the North (TfN) have recognised the issues with the timetable at Slaithwaite, Marsden, Greenfield and Mossley, and it’s one of the things they are looking at with a view to making changes to provide us with a more coherent and more frequent service.
SMART is one of the stakeholders that TfN have been talking to, and we have made some suggestions as to what changes we would like to see to improve both frequency and reliability.
It’s on the agenda for the TfN Rail North Committee Meeting on 23rd August. Item 4 refers.
TPE North Route Calling Pattern
6.5 Following TPE’s timetable consultation for May 2018, two issues have been raised by stakeholders. These are focused on the North Route, where the intermediate stations between Huddersfield and Stalybridge are covered by ‘skip stop’ operation of the Manchester to Hull train and the Manchester to Leeds stopping service.
6.6 Initial discussions have taken place with regards improvement schemes that could improve the consistency of the calling pattern and reduce the number of calls in the Hull service.
6.7 Rail North Committee is asked to endorse further development of a North Route scheme, with a view to funding improvements through the Service Option Scheme Fund
link is https://transportforthenorth.com/wp-content/uploads/Item-4-Timetable-Development.pdf