Our campaign to lobby GMITA to vote to fund Sunday services along the Walkden line is gathering support from councillors around the area.
So far we have been delighted to receive support from the following:
Salford
Cllrs Lindley, Macdonald, Lea, Warner, Turner (Les and Nicky), Devine, Dawson, Antrobus and Hinds
Wigan
Cllrs Smethurst, Holland, Winstanley, and Mayor Aldred
Bolton
Cllr Chadwick
Tameside
Cllr Dickinson
Barbara Keeley MP
In collaboration with FOWS, Barbara has been actively pursuing Sunday services – and other improvements such as disabled access – for the last few years.
As the article reports, Barbara recently held another meeting with the Rail Minister Chris Mole and Northern Rail’s boss Heidi Mottram. At that meeting both Northern Rail and the Department of Transport agreed to support the proposal, and some important financial concessions from the DfT were also secured.
Barbara concludes with a call for councillors at the GMITA Transport Authority to approve the subsidy so services can start with the summer 2010 timetable in May.
FOWS attended a seminar at Manchester Town Hall this week organised by GMITA. There were interesting presentations from other Friends groups in the area (FRECCLES, Handforth and the award-winning Friends of Glossop), Network Rail, GMITA, ACORP and Northern Rail.
As well as manning a small display on FOWS’ achievements at Walkden, it was a great opportunity to share ideas with friends, and build up our relationships with the rail industry.
Our representatives have come back with some great ideas picked up from other groups and we’ll be trying to get some of them off the ground shortly !
Our Chairman Peter Aust has sent this report of his meeting with transport “top brass” and politicians – another example of how FOWS works, often behind the scenes, to secure improvements for Walkden station.
FOWS Chairman Peter Aust meeting Shadow Transport Minister Stephen Hammond MP
Hello Friends, On Monday last in my capacity as Chair of FOWS I attended a seminar at Manchester Town Hall entitled ” The Future of Rail in the North. The Speakers were Stephen Hammond MP, Shadow Transport Minister Edward Timpson MP,Crewe & Natwich Councillor Ian Macdonald, Vice Chairman GMITA Paul Plummer, Director, Planning & Regulation, Network Rail It was ably chaired by TV Presenter Andy Crane.
There were plenty of discussions about the Manchester Hub (not just about Manchester) that is a major bottleneck on the rail network that negatively impacts on rail services for the whole of the North of England and the proposal of a high-speed line from London to Glasgow, which would include a stop at Manchester. It was fortunate that Cllr Iain Lindley who was in attendance highlighted to the panel the importance also of the issues concerning local rail stations such as Walkden, yes! Walkden got a mention!!
I had the chance to meet a few of the top brass and spread the word about FOWS, Tom Wadsworth, Communications Manager of Network Rail, Emma Pemberton-Eccles, Public Affairs Manager Network Rail and even a quick word and a photo opportunity with Stephen Hammond, MP, Shadow Transport Minister.
Due to engineering works all trains from Walkden on Saturday 22nd August are replaced by buses.
Rail tickets are valid as normal but previous experience has shown that bus replacements are often slower, more crowded, and less reliable than trains – in fact they provide a salutary reminder of just why the train is such a superior way of traveling from Walkden !
For further details check the National Rail Journey Planner before travelling – and allow plenty of extra time for your journey.
Worsley MP Barbara Keeley has called on the Greater Manchester Integrated Transport Authority (GMITA) to back the proposals for Sunday services from Walkden.
Barbara has been a keen supporter of FOWS since our inception and has raised a number of station specific issues, including Sunday services and disabled access, in parliamentary debates, with past and present Rail Ministers, and Northern Rail’s senior management.
Last month GMITA’s Rail and Metrolink Committee gave their very welcome support to a proposal for Northern Rail to run an hourly Sunday service between Wigan and Manchester. The proposal comes up for a decision over the subsidy that the Authority would be required to fund at the end of this month.
