HRU contributes to Leicestershire County Council’s Scrutiny Review Panel on Market Harborough Line Speed Improvement project

Leicestershire County Council have convened a Scrutiny Review Panel to consider the Market Harborough Line Speed Improvement project.  This is a cross-party group of five County Councillors and within their remit is ‘to gain a better understanding of the project and planned improvements to the track and station’ and ‘to explore and understand…what the benefits and associated constraints are’. The Panel met at County Hall on 18th March to hear presentations from Network Rail and East Midlands Trains. This was followed by a site visit to Market Harborough station.  After that, the Panel reconvened at the Harborough District Council offices with local stakeholders including Harborough Rail Users invited to make representations.  Steve Jones, Chair of HRU, gave a 15-minute presentation based on HRU's response to Network Rail's consultation, though placing this in the context of the importance of the rail service to the local economy and quality of life.  He emphasised the role of the local authorities and the Enterprise Partnership (who also gave a presentation) in supporting and facilitating the scheme including the associated highway implications and other access requirements.  As the scheme is not yet fully funded, we all need to work together to ensure that the rebuilt station is of a high standard both in its construction and in the facilities it offers.
The Scrutiny Review Panel also heard from LANRAC (the Leicestershire & Northamptonshire Rail Action Committee), Harborough District Council and from