Villages draw up travel wish-list

AÑ anomaly in rail fare prices is highlighted in a set of demands Saddleworth Parish Council is to present to Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Group.

The move comes after a public presentation at the Civic Hall, Uppermill, and the council are listing suggestions of priorities they believe could make the Transport Innovation Fund acceptable to locals.

And they are asking for an examination into the “absurdity” surrounding the cost of non-peak train journeys between Greenfield to Manchester and Huddersfield.

Currently, journeys to Manchester cost £3 each way — against a £8 return to Huddersfield which they claim is equidistance from Greenfield.

Royce Franklin, chairman of the parish council’s traffic and transport sub group, said: “It plain daft that train journeys to Huddersfield should cost so much extra simply because they trains cross the Passenger Transport Executive boundaries.”

And the initial report highlights the need for later trains from Manchester on the Greenfield line to cater for theatre goers and passengers returning from other city-based functions.

It was stressed that there should more supervision over the collection of fares during the day on Greenfield trains.

The line is the used by a reported 3,000 passengers a week and failure to collect fares can distort the actual number which, they claim, is much higher.

And with the £500,000 redevelopment of Greenfield station nearing completion, there are calls for the reopening of the underground passageway from the east platform for disabled access — plus provision for cycles and prams.

The meeting pressed for the reinstatement of the X12 bus through Denshaw from Oldham to Bradford which was well-used but fell out of service because of a reported failure of the Yorkshire and Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executives to agree a way forward.

And locals sought reassurances some trams would run directly on to Piccadilly.

They argued changing at Victoria on every tram would detract from the Metrolink facility for Saddleworth passengers who chose the Ashton route to connect to trains at Piccadilly.

Councillor Franklin said: “The meeting was arranged to inform residents of all aspects of the transport innovation fund.

“However, it is hoped ideas will be submitted by the Parish Council to the Future Transport Group before the closing date of October 10. We would encourage people who attended the meeting to send their ideas in.”

Councillor Brian Lord, leader of the Parish Council, said: ” It was a lively debate and produced many good ideas.

“If some of the suggestions see light of day, we would have a better chance of persuading people to use public transport rather than clogging up our roads with cars.”