Harborough rail users
Improving the quality of Market Harborough's rail service
The Department for Transport has today issued the shortlist of bidders for the next East Midlands rail franchise, which it describes as a 'key' part of the Midlands 'engine for growth'. The shortlisted companies are:
In making the announcement, Rail Minister Paul Maynard referred to the contribution a flourishing rail network makes to the region it serves and therefore the government's investment in rail. He said: "Network Rail is working on improvements which by 2019 will enable the next East Midlands franchise to deliver more carriages and faster journeys over the whole route, including almost twice as many seats into London St Pancras in the peak hours." The full DfT press release can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/news/east-midlands-rail-franchise-3-firms-make-the-shortlist. Harborough Rail Users await the public consultation on the next franchise; this consultation has been delayed from its intended start in December 2016. We will then submit our aspirations for the train service from Market Harborough The Department for Transport (DfT) published its prospectus for the next East Midlands franchise on 16th November 2016. Its purpose is to set out guidance for potential bidders for the franchise and it is subject to change in the light of further consultation, starting in December 2016. It identifies the DfT's aims for the franchise in terms of growth and innovation. One snippet that caught our eye was on page 23 of the document, where it says "There is an opportunity to further invest in and develop the commuter market between South Leicestershire and London from December 2019 onwards, following the addition of a sixth path from St Pancras to serve Corby. This will allow bidders to consider how the provision of services can be used to enhance additional capacity for commuters on this route, while also creating journey time improvements on services to Nottingham and Sheffield."
We in HRU await the launch of the public consultation. In the meantime, the prospectus is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/569286/east-midlands-rail-franchise-competition-prospectus.pdf In March 2016, Leicestershire County Council published a draft Rail Strategy for the county. It was prepared in the context of the major growth in rail traffic and a recognition of the importance of the railways to the economy and prosperity of the area. A significant factor is the government’s commitment to building HS2, the eastern leg of which passes through north-west Leicestershire but without any local stations. The draft Strategy seeks to ensure the best advantage to the area from HS2 despite this. Overall, the draft Strategy is positive towards rail and sets out numerous ways in which rail services in the county could be developed.
Key Priority 1 in the draft Strategy is Maximising the benefits from increased investment in the Midland Main Line railway infrastructure and services and this is clearly of great importance to HRU. In our response, we supported this aim, with particular reference to ensuring that we retain suitably high-quality rolling stock after electrification so that we are not downgraded to an outer-suburban service. Though the Strategy understandably focuses on Leicester and its aim to get within 60 minutes of St Pancras, we stressed that the other stations on the line, particularly Market Harborough, should not be overlooked. With that in mind, we reiterated the need for our station to be brought up to proper modern standards, including accessibility, under the linespeed improvement project. We also supported the various potential improvements to inter-regional services to the West Midlands, via HS2 to the North and via East-West Rail to the Thames Valley and East Anglia. In all of this, however, we noted that the role of the local authorities and LEP is chiefly one of facilitating and lobbying for improvements rather than directly providing them. We therefore support the draft Strategy and hope it will be formally adopted by both the County and City Councils. On Thursday 25th June the Transport Secretary, Patrick McLoughlin, announced that electrification of the Midland Main Line was to be 'paused'. This is part of a national rescheduling of major Network Rail investment schemes following delays and cost overruns including the Great Western Main Line electrification - though that is going ahead as a priority.
The delay in electrifying our line is a disappointment but the Transport Secretary did indicate that speed and capacity improvements can still go ahead without electrification. He is right about that and the track realignment through Market Harborough must now be a priority. This has been debated for long enough. There is wide-ranging agreement amongst the rail industry, the local authorities and Local Enterprise Partnerships and others, as well as user groups, that this scheme is of great benefit to the whole line and the places it serves; not just Market Harborough. For us, if done properly it means the provision of a modern station at platform level, with full accessibility from street to platform and from platform to train. HRU will press for the scheme to be delivered and we need to know exactly what is now proposed and exactly when it is to be done. Then, not only will the station be properly fit for purpose, it will also be ready for electrification when that is finally authorised. 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.
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