Growth Deal announcement for Market Harborough station

Very welcome news arrived on 29th January 2015 when the government announced that Growth Deal funding had been awarded for the rebuilding of the track alignment and platforms at Market Harborough.  The scheme has been the subject of a long-running campaign and was supported not only locally but also by the various Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) covering Leicestershire, Derbyshire & Nottinghamshire and Sheffield.  This is significant because the increases in speed and capacity on the line are recognised across the East Midlands region and beyond.  Market Harborough is well and truly on the main line railway map!  We now await the details and timescale for the work and it is important that it is done before the electrification makes it prohibitively expensive and disruptive.  However, in conjunction with Access For All funding and other Network Rail funds, the scheme will finally allow for the provision of the full-length, full-height, fully accessible platforms we have long campaigned for. It is an excellent illustration that when different groups with different interests come together to present a united voice, the chances of success are multiplied.