Key quotes:<\/p>\n
“As one campaign ends another begins”<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
“There have been worries about the stopping service between Huddersfield and Manchester and we will have to keep a careful eye on that.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
from the Huddersfield Daily Examiner, July 17th 2012<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Colne Valley politicians on guard as major rail plan announced<\/strong><\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
HUDDERSFIELD passengers will benefit from a multi-billion pound upgrade of the rail network.<\/p>\n
But people in the Colne Valley were last night warned that yesterday\u2019s announcement could hit their services.<\/p>\n
Prime Minister David Cameron unveiled \u00a34.2bn of new investment in the rail network yesterday.<\/p>\n
The package includes \u00a3322m for the so-called Northern Hub, an ambitious plan to electrify the line from Liverpool to the outskirts of York.<\/p>\n
The investment will mean the number of hourly fast services between Leeds, Huddersfield and Manchester will increase from four to six.<\/p>\n
Journey times between Leeds and Manchester will be cut from 54 to 45 minutes.<\/p>\n
Colne Valley MP Jason McCartney welcomed the new spending yesterday.<\/p>\n
“I\u2019m absolutely delighted. Having campaigned for more than a year for the Northern Hub, it\u2019s great to know that the Government has agreed to fully fund the Northern Hub,” said the Conservative backbencher.<\/p>\n
“This is great news for the North.”<\/p>\n
But Mr McCartney added that the investment could hit the stopping service between Huddersfield and Manchester Victoria, which calls at Slaithwaite and Marsden.<\/p>\n
“The rail operators will submit their new timetables in two years and the thinking is that we can keep all the stopping services,” he said.<\/p>\n
“It\u2019s top of my agenda. As one campaign ends another begins \u2013 to ensure these improved services have good connectivity.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Golcar Labour man Clr Paul Salveson last night warned that train services in the Colne Valley could be disrupted by the Northern Hub changes.<\/p>\n
The former Northern Rail senior manager said: “It can only be good news that this investment is finally going ahead but the devil\u2019s in the detail about how local communities are affected.<\/p>\n
“There have been worries about the stopping service between Huddersfield and Manchester and we will have to keep a careful eye on that.<\/p>\n
“There are only so many services you can run between Leeds and Manchester every hour and if you run six fast services it has implications for the stopping train.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
The Northern Hub also includes:<\/p>\n
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- Two extra fast trains an hour between Manchester and Liverpool.<\/li>\n
- Cutting the journey time between the two North-West cities from 50 to 35 minutes.<\/li>\n
- An extra platform at Manchester Airport station and two new platforms at Manchester Piccadilly.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Mr Cameron, along with Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, announced the new spending at a press conference in Smethwick in the West Midlands yesterday.<\/p>\n
“This investment will mean faster journeys, more seats, better access to stations, greater freight links and a truly world-class rail network,” said the Prime Minister.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Work will begin in 2014 and should be complete by 2019.<\/p>\n
Other major projects announced yesterday included:<\/p>\n
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- An \u00a3800m electrification and upgrade from Sheffield to Bedford, completing the full electrification of the Midland Main Line.<\/li>\n
- Some \u00a3600m to electrify the line between Cardiff and Swansea.<\/li>\n
- A \u00a3240m upgrade to the East Coast Main Line between Newcastle, Leeds and London which will lead to greater capacity and faster journeys.<\/li>\n
- Investing \u00a3350m to lengthen platforms at London Waterloo.<\/li>\n
- Building a \u00a3500m link between the Great Western Main Line and Heathrow.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Railway\u2019s big boost<\/strong><\/p>\n
[editorial in Huddersfield Daily Examiner, July 17th 2012]<\/p>\n
THE massive investment into northern railway lines is great news for the area.<\/p>\n
Electrifying the line will mean the number of hourly fast services between Leeds, Huddersfield and Manchester will increase from four to six.<\/p>\n
Journey times between Leeds and Manchester will be cut from 54 to 45 minutes.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s the good news, but the devil may be in the detail.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It could mean that some trains no longer stop at the smaller stations such as Marsden and Slaithwaite.<\/p>\n
Many people use these stations now to take advantage of the free parking, saving themselves the hassle of having to pay to park in Huddersfield town centre.<\/p>\n
People who use those services need to put the pressure on to keep them on the right track and Colne Valley MP Jason McCartney has vowed to fight their corner.<\/p>\n
If more people are to be attracted on to the railways these local links must be preserved. Speed is not everything.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Key quotes: “As one campaign ends another begins” “There have been worries about the stopping service between Huddersfield and Manchester and we will have to keep a careful eye on that.” from the Huddersfield Daily Examiner, July 17th 2012 … Continue reading