The End Of A Month Of Bus Replacement

Posted on September 29, 2025 by admin

We are now at the end of four weeks of bus replacement during the Huddersfield station closure.

It has been mostly reliable, but with just enough occasions when buses have gone off route, departed early or not turned up at all to undermine passenger confidence.

We have seen instances of Buses going up to Marsden and Slaithwaite stations, buses going on magical mystery tours of Hill Top.

Whilst things improved through the period of bus replacement, there has been plenty of time to get it right. There were about 20 weekends of bus replacement earlier in 2025, which should have given ample opportunity to identify and solve problems.

Everything we hear from passengers about buses not being at stops at or close to the appointed time reinforces the need for real time tracking of buses, something we have requested repeatedly over at least 18 months. We understand there are difficulties in providing this in a fragmented railway industry, but again there has been ample time to overcome those difficulties.

Compared to the number of passengers who use the trains, relatively few people used the buses. It is not surprising. If you can work from home instead of having a commute doubled in time, then you will.

The big advantage of the trains is the journey time. With rail replacement buses, that advantage is lost. The people who still used replacement buses are those who, for whatever reason, don’t have a better option available to them.

So far as the need for real time tracking is concerned, TPE are now acknowledging how useful it would have been to passengers. We hesitate to say we told you so, but ………… we told you so.

Posted in Huddersfield Railway Station, Marsden, Slaithwaite, Transpennine Express, Transpennine Route Upgrade | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Feedback on bus replacement arrangements in September 2025

Posted on September 9, 2025 by admin

We would prefer this month of bus replacement, which inevitably is hugely disruptive to passengers, to be uneventful.

However, things sometimes go wrong, and when this happens this needs to be fed back to Transpennine Express.

For any reports to do with the Rail Replacement Buses, please can we have full details such as

  • Date
  • Time
  • Direction
  • Location
  • Registration number
  • • Single or Double Decker
  • • Any other useful information

Comments such as

“last night”

“one just passed me by”

are not detailed enough to see any patterns or for TPE to investigate.

Posted in Marsden, Slaithwaite, Uncategorized | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Slaithwaite and Marsden Action on Rail Transport Update – September 2025 

Posted on September 9, 2025 by admin

We’re one week into the line closure – three weeks to go!

Closures: Further detail can be on the SMART or TPE websites. All being well, things should be back to normal from Monday 29th September – though direct trains from Slaithwaite and Marsden to and from Leeds at peak times will resume (to get the stopping trains out of the way). This is because there will only be two platforms at Huddersfield until Autumn 2026, so the direct service will cease again once there is more capacity at Huddersfield (though SMART will continue to press for the reinstatement of direct trains to and from Leeds on a permanent basis).

Rail replacement issues: Please contact SMART with the location, direction, time, date and bus so we can also flag any issues directly to the project. Slaithwaite and Marsden rail users have been in contact almost every day this week to raise issues about delayed, cancelled or lost buses. SMART representatives will be meeting with TPE on Tuesday 9th September (and probably in subsequent weeks as well) to discuss rail replacement bus issues so anything ahead of that is very helpful.

Transport Committee and BBC Radio Manchester phone in: We wrote to Parliament’s Transport Committee to flag the disruption we are facing whilst still lacking clarity on what the service pattern will be after the upgrade. We continue to press for two trains an hour throughout the day. We also spoke on BBC Radio Manchester this week, receiving a commitment from Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham that he supports this ambition.

West Yorkshire Mayor Transport Consultation: This is open until October. We would encourage rail users to complete either questionnaire here to ask West Yorkshire to continue to push for two trains an hour for the stations at Slaithwaite and Marsden. A more regular service would be good for encouraging public transport use, can be integrated with the proposed Weaver Network in the future (a single ticket system across trains, buses and the proposed tram system like other areas!) and good for the local economy and environment too.

Posted in Campaigning, Marsden, METRO/WYCA, Slaithwaite, Transpennine Express, Transpennine Route Upgrade, weekend rail services | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

September closure – Brighouse car parking options

Posted on August 26, 2025 by admin

For anyone thinking of driving to Brighouse and parking there during the September closure:

From Thursday 28 August to Monday 29 September, Brighouse station car park will be unavailable as it will be turned into a temporary bus interchange.

Alternative parking is available on-street in the local area (limited – a lot of the surrounding streets have residents’ only restrictions) or within Daisy Street pay and display car park operated by Calderdale Council, which is about 400 metres’ walk from the station.

https://new.calderdale.gov.uk/parking/car-parks-and-street-parking/car-parks/daisy-street

Other Brighouse town centre car parks:

https://new.calderdale.gov.uk/parking/car-parks-and-street-parking/car-parks?circuit=67&zone=3&town=brighouse

Pick-up and drop-off provision is available on Railway Street. Pedestrian access from Birds Royd Lane and Blue Badge parking (for badge holders only) will be maintained throughout.

Posted in Transpennine Route Upgrade | Tagged | Leave a comment