Second meeting of campaign group which wants a new station in Golcar

Posted on September 4, 2012 by admin

 

 

[from the Huddersfield Daily Examiner, 3rd September 2012]

A CAMPAIGN for a new railway station in the Colne Valley has moved to a second village.

Golcar Longwood and Milnsbridge Transport Campaign (GLAM TRaC) was set up in June to push for a new station on the Huddersfield to Manchester Victoria Line.

Sixteen people attended a meeting about the campaign at Temujin restaurant in Milnsbridge on Thursday night.

Clr Paul Salveson, who helped set up GLAM TRaC, said: “The group has established itself as a good, sound organisation. Discussion centred on opportunities for the proposed new station for Golcar/Milnsbridge opened up by electrification and re-signalling of the line.

GLAM TRaC, which wants to set up a new station at the Old Railway Goods Yard off Scar Lane in Milnsbridge, held its first meeting at Golcar British Legion in June. The group will finalise its constitution at its next full meeting on September 25, when it is hoped Metro chairman Clr James Lewis will attend.

For more information on GLAM TRaC call Clr Salveson on 07795 008 691.

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“Huddersfield train users face massive disruption as £20m rail revamp set to start”

Posted on September 3, 2012 by admin

 

 

[from the Huddersfield Daily Examiner 3rd September 2012]

A MASSIVE upgrade to the rail network will disrupt 270,000 passenger journeys across the Pennines next month.

Rail operators First Transpennine Express are suspending their services from Huddersfield to Manchester Piccadilly for nine days to allow for Network Rail’s £20m improvements at Stalybridge.

The works will affect 30,000 passengers a day as Stalybridge forms part of one of the main rail routes across the Pennines.

There will be no trains between Huddersfield and Manchester, with thousands of passengers having to catch the bus instead.

The affected route – which takes in Slaithwaite and Marsden villages – will effectively cut off the vital rail link to Huddersfield for the duration of the works.

The services will be affected as follows:

No direct trains will be running from Huddersfield and Manchester Piccadilly between October 24 and November 4.

Trains will run from Brighouse and Dewsbury to Manchester Victoria via Hebden Bridge.

A replacement bus service will operate between Huddersfield and Manchester Piccadilly for the duration of the works.

A replacement coach service will operate between Manchester Airport and Huddersfield (two per hour).

First TransPennine Express say the extensive work, which will include two new platforms, CCTV upgrade and track and signalling works at Stalybridge is vital to ensure the future of the line.

Chris Nutton, First TransPennine Express Programme Director said:

“The upcoming Network Rail engineering works at Stalybridge will constitute a £20m investment in railway infrastructure that will path the way for quicker and more reliable journeys to and from Huddersfield and West Yorkshire. Two new platforms will be built and the number of trains running will be increased offering more seats for customers in the future.

“Unfortunately there is no other way to achieve these substantial improvements other than closing the railway in and around Stalybridge for a short period of time, towards the end of October.

“We would like to apologise to customers for the upcoming disruption but assure them that we will do everything in our power to ensure they complete their journeys in as stress free manner as possible.”

But the alternative travel arrangements have come under criticism from rail-users who have seen price hikes year-on-year.

Marsh resident Neil Salmon commutes from Huddersfield to Manchester every weekday.

He said: “I renewed my season ticket at the end of the year to avoid a price hike.

“I still pay more than £2,000 and next year it will go up again.

“The improvement work for October, although important, is going to increase journey times and inconvenience passengers when we are being asked to pay more for the service.”

Mr Nutton confirmed season ticket holders would not be compensated for the disruption despite inevitable increased journey times.

And Slaithwaite and Marsden Action on Rail Transport (SMART) have condemned Northern Rail for suspending their service for nine days on the unaffected section of the line.

Tony Bowers, Chair of SMART, said: “There is no practical reason why Northern Rail cannot run a shuttle train service between Huddersfield and Marsden during the week of the Stalybridge blockade.

“We believe that it will be complete chaos, and passengers at Slaithwaite and Marsden will be unnecessarily inconvenienced.”

Drew Haley, stakeholder manager at Northern Rail, said:

“The plan for the blockade involves a complete rescheduling of both Northern and TransPennine Express services over the Leeds to Manchester lines.

“We have worked closely with local stakeholders, Passenger Transport Executives for both areas, TransPennine Express and Network Rail to produce the best possible replacement services during this upgrade.

“Running a rail shuttle service to Huddersfield from Marsden is simply not possible to fully resource while at the same time, providing robust enough cover on other busier routes we service.

“We have provided a bus service to connect these towns into the train service in order to reduce the impact on our customers. This service will also be supplemented by buses outside the peaks directly into Manchester.

“We understand our customers will be inconvenienced by the forthcoming works and would like to apologise to those who will experience disruption.”

Posted in Marsden, Northern Rail, October 2012 closure, Slaithwaite | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

“Calling time on the ale train louts”

Posted on August 23, 2012 by admin

(from the Huddersfield Daily Examiner, August 23rd 2012)

CALL it a victim of its own success or a sign of the times.

Either way, an idea designed to promote real ale pubs and to support hard pressed licensees has backfired on some of the quiet villages the real ale route was intended to benefit.

Business is booming along the train route that stops at real ale pubs in Huddersfield, Dewsbury, Slaithwaite and Marsden. But with that success has come a whole load of problems.

And it is the villagers of the Colne Valley who are bearing the fall-out from big groups of drinkers, often stag, hen and birthday parties, who some say have hijacked the trail.

While many enjoy themselves and behave reasonably, others undoubtedly don’t. And as usual, it is that minority who are hitting the headlines.

The list of anti-social behaviour contains the usual complaints where drink is involved. Rowdiness, littering, urinating in the street and gardens, often in broad daylight.

Discussions have been held on how to deal with those unable to drink and behave at the same time. But with a Bank Holiday weekend approaching, it is little wonder that many are concerned.

There appears to be little yet in the way of a real plan on how to deal with behaviour that has grown beyond the nuisance level and is becoming a real blight.

Problems should be reported and if they continue unchecked, resources will surely have to be found to prevent the kind of behaviour villagers should not have to deal with. It’s time to call time on the louts.

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Railplan 7 to be amended to include Marsden & Slaithwaite

Posted on August 6, 2012 by admin

Metro have now set out (in summary) their proposed changes to Railplan 7 in response to public consultation.

Regular readers may recall that for some reason which is not altogether clear, data and proposals about the train service at Slaithwaite and Marsden were absent from the draft Railplan which went out for consultation.

SMART is pleased to note that several of the points we raised, particularly in relation to the Huddersfield to Manchester local stopping service, cross-boundary fares and improved Sunday services, have been accepted either partially or in full.

The following table summarises the key messages and proposed revisions to RailPlan.

 

 

Key Feedback Messages Proposed Revision to RailPlan
Requests for improved connectivity – more frequent services, to more destinations and quicker journey times. Phase 2 of the Yorkshire Rail Network Study will seek cost effective and affordable ways to improve connectivity throughout West Yorkshire and beyond. Plan to be revised to explain that specific proposals to provide new services will be considered following completion of this study.
Requests for specific new stations to be included. New stations at Kirkstall Forge, Apperley Bridge, East Leeds Parkway and Low Moor are identified.

Plan to be revised to set out the criteria/conditions for considering further new station locations e.g. sufficient new passenger demand and a strong financial and economic business case.
Fares are too high. Plan to be revised to set out that fares (especially cross boundary fares) will be reviewed as part of the re-franchising and devolution work, and that the introduction of smart card ticketing will enable customers to be offered the best value for money ticket.
Details of Huddersfield – Manchester local stopping services have been omitted. Plan to be revised to add the detail for the line, consistent with other routes.
Requests for more early morning, evening, Saturday and Sunday services. Plan to be revised to refer to improved services at these times.

 

 

Posted in Campaigning, Marsden, METRO/WYCA, Rail Strategy, Slaithwaite | Tagged , , | Leave a comment