Member Article

Cumbria calling for investment in better train services for whole county

Authorities and agencies in Cumbria have united in calling for major improvements in services and standards on the county’s rail network- specifically in the form of investment via the Department for Transport from 2016 and beyond.

Cumbria County Council and Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) have submitted a joint response to the Government’s public consultation on the future franchise arrangements for the Northern Rail and TransPennine Express networks.

It is the first time since 2004, when both franchises were last awarded, that the county council has had the opportunity to significantly shape the running of services on these franchises for future years and lay out the county’s case for increased investment.

The consultation covers rail lines all over Cumbria: the Cumbrian Coast Line between Carlisle and Barrow, the Settle-Carlisle Line, the Tyne Valley line between Carlisle and Newcastle, the Lakes Line from Windermere to Oxenholme, the Furness Line from Barrow to Carnforth, and Anglo-Scottish services on the West Coast Main Line.

Among Cumbria’s key ‘asks’ for the new franchise arrangements from February 2016 are:

- Ensure greater frequency and capacity of passenger services on the Cumbrian Coast Line, including the operation of Sunday services and expanded evening services, so that the service is a viable commuter option for major West Cumbrian employers such as Sellafield.

- Investment in electrification of lines, including the Lakes and Furness Lines. The Lakes Line should have seven-day-a-week services and a longer timetable day.

- Maintain and increase the number of direct services to Manchester International Airport from Barrow, Windermere and from the Anglo-Scottish route. First arrivals in Barrow should be between 6.30am and 7am to support commuters and there should be a last departure from Manchester to Barrow between 22.30 and 23.00.

- Invest in high-quality rolling stock to support the growth in tourism and commuting by train, improving the current situation where the average age of Northern Rail rolling stock is 24 years old; an increase of 5 years from 2007/8.

- Investment in station facilities and access arrangements, with station upgrades at key interchanges, including Carlisle, Barrow, Oxenholme and Lancaster.

- A commitment to longer term financial and operational support for the Community Rail Partnerships and development companies.

Cumbria County Council and Cumbria LEP are also urging the Government to ensure that the franchise arrangements are ‘future-proofed’ so that they can accommodate future growth and be flexible.

This follows the last 10 years where Northern Rail has been tied into a franchise arrangement which has not given them the flexibility or incentives to keep up with demand or invest in their services.

The consultation response makes it clear that the county council and LEP strongly oppose the DfT’s proposition to reduce elements of the existing service, with fewer calls at low-use stations, driver-only operation of trains, and reduced staffing levels or station facilities.

The consultation response also calls on the Department for Transport to halt the of skip-stopping of services through Penrith and Oxenholme on the West Coast Main Line.

Cumbria’s response was supported by face-to-face passenger surveys and discussions with key employers to get a fuller understanding of how rail services can be improved from 2016.

Cllr Keith Little, Cumbria County Council’s Cabinet member responsible for transport, said: “The last round of franchising 10 years ago pretty much put the brakes on investment and improvement on these lines, with the industry failing to anticipate and accommodate the huge growth in demand for rail travel we’ve seen in recent years.

“The result is a rail network which in some areas is not fit for purpose compared with other networks across the country.

“This time the Government can’t make the same mistakes, and needs to lay the tracks for a rail network that attracts and incentivises even greater levels of usage. We need the right services, the right infrastructure and the right commitment from rail operators to make train travel in Cumbria a really viable day-to-day option for the general public.

To deliver this, we can’t have a system where we just revisit our ‘needs’ every 10 years – it needs to be more flexible and more forward-thinking.

“Our joint response with the Cumbria LEP on this issue is an important part of the broader discussion we want to have with Government about the infrastructure the county needs.

“ Cumbria is a key voice in the current Northern Futures debate around investment and infrastructure in the North of England. Rural areas have just as vital a role as urban ones in creating a strong network of local authorities in the north all striving for growth as one.“

Stephen Broughton, Cumbria LEP Board member and owner of Mountain Goat travel company, said: “This is the time for more investment, not less, in our rail network.

“The right rail infrastructure will help us drive forward economic growth within Cumbria - as well as enabling Cumbria to deliver on the Government’s own nuclear and growth agenda.

“Bearing in mind the major amount of investment due to take place around the perimeter of Cumbria with all the travel that will create, the Lake District is now seen as the major focus of travel plans for international visitors to the UK after London.

Tourism is a vital part of the economic growth in the county and there is a clear need to improve connectivity by rail to Cumbria from regional cities and airports as well as the link to the south.“

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Simon Malia .