Call for improvements on rail services in the East Midlands
Leaders throughout the East Midlands have united to demand a long-term strategy to improve regional rail services.
Prompted by a report from Transport for the East Midlands (TfEM), which highlights the potential for improvement.
The report, titled “A Platform for Growth,” looks at the need for a more competitive rail service in the East Midlands, better performance standards, and a stronger regional voice within the new Great British Railways.
Sir Peter Soulsby, City Mayor of Leicester and chair of TfEM said: “Our evidence suggests that regional rail services in the East Midlands are directly worth around £356m per year to our regional economy. We have a major population growth forecast and exciting local plans for many more new jobs and homes. Due to years of underinvestment, the East Midlands rail network is sparse and infrequent compared to other regions. This inevitably impacts on punctuality and the ability to run the level of services the region requires.
“Around 75% of stations in the East Midlands are served by just one train per hour or fewer, with even lower levels of service levels on Sundays and increasingly overcrowded trains on Saturdays.But it doesn’t have to be this way.
“We need to see a new clear plan for growth for this region in terms of both services and performance. The rail industry cannot ‘cut itself’ to financial sustainability – it must grow patronage to survive, and the East Midlands is a great place to start.”
Will Rogers, managing director at East Midlands Railway, said: “Although our regional fleet is undergoing a major £28.2 million refurbishment, the East Midlands transport spend per head has been significantly below the UK average level for all of the last 25 years.
“We are keen to work in partnership with Transport for the East Midlands, our mayors and other stakeholders to improve this situation. Rail is a key enabler of economic and social value and for our region to compete, grow and meet the ambitions of its citizens, greater investment in rail infrastructure and services is vital.”
