Campaigners call for rail rethink

Campaigners protesting against controversial changes to local rail routes met transport bosses in a bid to persuade them to rethink their plans.

The Stalybridge to Huddersfield Rail Users’ Group (SHRUG) is opposed to plans unveiled by Transport for Greater Manchester, which include trains serving Greenfield, Mossley and Ashton stopping at Piccadilly rather than Victoria from 2016-18 while electrification takes place.

The group also wants the current peak hour services to be maintained after electrification — an half-hourly service all day, and better weekend and evening services.

SHRUG has agreed that if half-hourly services are maintained, one train could go to Piccadilly and one to Victoria.

group members met officials from both Greater Manchester and West Yorkshire transport authorities to air their views, with strong support from councillors and the three local MPs.

A petition organised by Richard Knowles, professor for transport at Salford University and a member of SHRUG, attracted 1,448 signatures in favour of Victoria.

SHRUG chairman Mark Ashmore, from Greenfield, said: “The authorities clearly indicated they wanted to work with us to improve the service in a way consistent with passengers’ views.” The bodies will meet again in June