{"id":418,"date":"2011-11-09T12:25:49","date_gmt":"2011-11-09T12:25:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.smart-rail.co.uk\/?p=418"},"modified":"2012-01-26T10:18:45","modified_gmt":"2012-01-26T10:18:45","slug":"network-rail-will-do-the-impossible","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.smart-rail.co.uk\/?p=418","title":{"rendered":"Network Rail will do the impossible"},"content":{"rendered":"

We strongly recommend that local people who use the trains read through this press release and then have a look at the Northern Hub Website.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

NETWORK RAIL CHALLENGED TO CORRECT NORTHERN HUB CONSULTATION ERRORS<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Threat to local train services revealed<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Network Rail has been challenged to correct serious errors and omissions in their high profile Northern Hub Consultation process.<\/p>\n

In a letter to Network Rail, Councillor Richard Knowles<\/em> (Opposition Leader TfGMC) said<\/p>\n

\u201cYour consultation brochures and web site focus on increasing the speed and frequency of inter-city journeys between Manchester and Leeds, Sheffield and Liverpool and almost completely ignore the important and growing market for local train services on these corridors. The Northern Hub investment must support and enhance both inter-city and local rail services.\u201d<\/p>\n

Network Rail\u2019s Northern Hub website \u00a0<\/span>www.northernhub.co.uk<\/a> claims to present evidence for every station in the Northern Hub area which consultees can access to see what the effects of the Northern Hub investment would be on services from their local station. Councillor Knowles visited this website and found that in Greater Manchester on the North TransPennine route two stations – Mossley and Greenfield – are omitted. He eventually found Greenfield mis-classified under Cheshire, which undermines confidence in Network Rail\u2019s knowledge of its rail network, whilst Mossley does not appear anywhere.<\/p>\n

Councillor Knowles\u2019 letter notes that on theNorth TransPennine route the only comments on the website for the local stations of Marsden and Slaithwaite are \u201cup to 6 trains per hour to Huddersfield from Manchester to Leeds\u201d which does not benefit either station. There is no mention of re-opening the disused single line Standedge Tunnels, even though it is shown on the Northern Hub map, nor is there any assurance that the existing all-stations trains between Huddersfield and Manchester Victoria will be either retained or increased to half-hourly frequency. Indeed other evidence circulated by TfGM suggests that Network Rail are thinking of removing the Huddersfield to Manchester Victoria all-stations trains and replacing them with skip-stop services into Manchester Piccadilly which would sever direct rail links between Mossley, Greenfield, Marsden and Slaithwaite and with Ashton under Lyne and Manchester Victoria.<\/p>\n

Councillor Knowles told Network Rail<\/p>\n

\n

\u00a0\u201cI am really concerned that whilst you are investigating electrification of the North TransPennine route between Manchester and York, you are failing to guarantee train paths either for the existing all stations local service between Huddersfield and Manchester Victoria or for an increase to half hourly frequency which the huge growth in patronage justifies especially from Greenfield and Mossley.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOn theSouth TransPennine route however for Dore station you state \u201cnew tracks between Sheffield and Manchester allowing fast trains to overtake slower trains\u201d which is shown in the same shading as Standedge Tunnels on the Northern Hub map. You also state that Dore station will have \u201cfaster services into Manchester Victoria\u201d when Sheffield to Manchester trains are supposed to run to Manchester Piccadilly.<\/p>\n

These significant errors do not give me confidence that you are conducting a balanced consultation.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Councillor Knowles has challenged Network Rail to:<\/p>\n