Don’t stop stopping trains from stopping

VITAL rail links to and from Greenfield could be cut under future plans.

Members of the Greenfield Rail Action Group one franchisee might replacing the two that currently run trains from Manchester to Huddersfield.

The group had hailed an expected increase from five to six trains an hour as a improvement. But news that stopping trains will call alternately at Greenfield and Mossley, Slaithwaite and Marsden, has prompted the group to hit out - arguing services will in effect be cut.

They fear the “skip-stopping” method will sever the link between the village and destinations on each side of the Pennines. Trans Pennine currently runs the express trains, Northern Rail stopping trains.

The group says a letter from the Department of Transport includes the word “franchisee” rather than franchisees, suggesting the service will be amalgamated when the licence is renewed in 2014.

Group chairman Mark Ashmore said: “Surely it should up to the Government in consultation with local authorities and passengers to determine what it wants from the franchisee, not the other way round?

“It illustrates that the Government isn’t concerned about local travellers who need to get to the regional centres like Leeds and Manchester for work, services or leisure. Faster trains will always have to take precedence over slower ones.

“It should not be beyond the wit of man to devise a timetable which enables fast trains to pass slower ones at an improved Stalybridge station so enabling a 30 minute service at all the local stations.”