More on new service proposals

A letter in the Huddersfield Examiner, 20th October 2011, from Councillor Hilary Richards (Labour, Golcar)

NETWORK Rail is planning major changes in the local train service between Huddersfield, the Colne Valley and Manchester Victoria.

At present, local trains from Huddersfield stop at Slaithwaite, Marsden, Greenfield, Mossley, Stalybridge, Ashton-under-Lyne and Manchester Victoria.

In order to accommodate six fast trains each hour between Leeds and Manchester, the planners want to remove the stopping train and have one fast train stopping at each station each hour.

This will result in a loss of connections to neighbouring communities along the line and mean commuters having to use the less convenient station at Manchester Piccadilly.

We need the trains to connect between the communities along the rail line on each side of the Pennines. Our present train service helps to bind us together and encourages local tourism in the South Pennines.

Instead of trying to put a ‘quart into a pint pot’ the sensible thing would be to enlarge the existing four ‘fast’ trains an hour to six coaches and provide a much-needed additional stopping service between Manchester and Leeds.

Network Rail should be looking to improve capacity on the route for both passenger and freight services by adding additional tracks and re-opening the disused rail tunnels at Standedge.

The proposal to run six express trains an hour between Huddersfield and Manchester without any extra track capacity also means the end of the campaign for a new station for the people of Golcar, Longwood and Milnsbridge, which the Labour Party has been campaigning for over several years.