Scrapping Rail Service Will Impact Passengers and Tourism Says Cllr

Cllr Denis Healy is appealing to Northern Rail to reconsider its proposal to scrap Beverley’s direct train service to Doncaster and Sheffield and beyond from next May.

The train operator is consulting stakeholders about a proposed new timetable to take effect from May 2018, which will see the end of through trains from Beverley.

Any changes would mean that passengers will need to change at Hull to travel to Doncaster or Sheffield, with a waiting time at Hull station of at least 25 minutes.

Commenting on the news Cllr Healy said;

“It appears that Northern Rail is running a very limited consultation exercise on a new draft timetable in which they are inviting comments from a small number of stakeholders by 7th July. However, there doesn’t appear to be a mechanism for the general public to comment on this proposed change, and I want to make sure that Beverley residents have their voices heard.”

“We have had through trains from Beverley to Doncaster and Sheffield and beyond for at least the last decade. If this proposal is implemented, it will mean passengers changing at Hull with a minimum wait of 25 minutes.”

“This loss of connectivity will seriously inconvenience many people in Beverley with significantly increased journey times.”

As well as posing an inconvenience to passengers Cllr Healy says any changes will impact on tourism to the area, he said;

“It will make rail journeys beyond the East Riding longer and more awkward, and it will encourage people to avoid the change of train at Hull by driving to pick up the train at Brough, where parking is already over-full. It will also discourage visitors and will have an adverse effect on tourism.”

“Northern Rail’s consultation exercise is extremely limited, and I want to know from Northern Rail why they are not making it more straightforward for residents to submit their views. They have also said their draft timetable may change in the light of responses, but it’s clear to me that they are not doing much to encourage responses from the wider public.”

“I have already gauged some opinion to this on social media, and there is clearly huge concern from local residents about this, with over 70 comments posted in just a couple of hours on Beverley’s Facebook page.”

“I am making representations to Northern Rail on behalf of my residents about this, and doing what I can to save Beverley’s direct train service to South Yorkshire and onward destinations.”

“We already have very limited rail connections from Beverley to the rest of the country, and this change will certainly have an adverse effect on our mobility and on our local economy.
I am asking Northern Rail to reconsider.”