Yesterday I met Stephen Hammond MP and Stephanie Clifford at Rugby Station. Stephen is our Shadow Minister with responsibility for Railways and Stephanie is the Chair of Rugby Rail Users Group and our meeting was to lobby and resist changes to the 2008 timetable which we believe will disadvantage Rugby. The station is about to be improved by the addition of a modern entrance and ticket hall, a new multi storey car park is to be built, and Rugby is expected to grow (whatever the outcome of the RSS consultation) in coming years. All of these will increase demand for rail travel, but the number of trains to the north west from Rugby is being reduced and there is no growth in the number of trains to London Euston, despite many being standing room only when they leave Coventry, let alone when they leave Rugby. Add to this the fact that many local services will discharge at Rugby to catch the London train and that the only services to Northampton and Milton Keynes will be stopping trains. Rugby has long benefited from good motorway links and good rail connections and it is vital for the well being of our local economy that these are preserved. Expect a campaign!
Thursday, 27 September 2007
Rugby Rail
Yesterday I met Stephen Hammond MP and Stephanie Clifford at Rugby Station. Stephen is our Shadow Minister with responsibility for Railways and Stephanie is the Chair of Rugby Rail Users Group and our meeting was to lobby and resist changes to the 2008 timetable which we believe will disadvantage Rugby. The station is about to be improved by the addition of a modern entrance and ticket hall, a new multi storey car park is to be built, and Rugby is expected to grow (whatever the outcome of the RSS consultation) in coming years. All of these will increase demand for rail travel, but the number of trains to the north west from Rugby is being reduced and there is no growth in the number of trains to London Euston, despite many being standing room only when they leave Coventry, let alone when they leave Rugby. Add to this the fact that many local services will discharge at Rugby to catch the London train and that the only services to Northampton and Milton Keynes will be stopping trains. Rugby has long benefited from good motorway links and good rail connections and it is vital for the well being of our local economy that these are preserved. Expect a campaign!
