TheThe campaigncampaign toto reopenreopen thethe Skipton-ColneSkipton-Colne railwayrailway lineline 20192019 TheThe newnew serviceservice willwill arrivearrive inin EastEast LancashireLancashire soonersooner thanthan New youyou thoughtthought trains possiblepossible soon Skipton Colne scheme in here CONNECTING COMMUNITIES At a Glance a At At a Glance a At ACROSS THE NORTH Skipton-East Lancashire Rail Action Partnership www.selrap.org.uk 2 At a Glance 2019 PROSPECTUS The campaign for the reopening of the former rail Another good idea is the recent publication of SELRAP’s line linking Skipton, North Yorkshire, with Colne, prospectus. Lancashire: This comprehensive glossy publication outlines the Where it’s at rationale for the new route, citing recent Where it’s headed studies that strongly support the FRONT COVER case for “our” line. And the The new Northern Link East-West economic advantages to be had route via Skipton and Colne will when the route is reopened: provide fast commuter capacity between East Lancashire and Situated close to stations with a Leeds, and features within TfN’s direct link to new employment Investment Programme. NB. See opportunities, densely populated page 3 for more on this. [post-industrial revolution] urban Reopening the Skipton to Colne line could also facilitate a much- parts of East Lancashire will attract needed trans-Pennine full W12 inward investment and, upgraded/ gauge-cleared rail freight and regenerated, will transform into diversionary route. “des-res”, yet affordable, housing New class 195 trains being introduced this year will replace areas. With all the trappings and the hated Pacers and transform services of a joined up + sustainable rail travel in The North. modern community. 195 pic: Paul Bigland photography Sincere thanks are due to the Skipton SKIPTON - COLNE: CLOSER THAN EVER Building Society for their support and expertise in producing this valuable In the last issue of At a Glance the writer cited a document. quote from someone famous. Quite what for, he There is heaps more ..... inclusive of both the practicalities couldn’t recall. The name was a mystery, too. And of reopening “our” line, and necessary upgrades to remains so. The quote, however, is unforgetable: existing adjacent lines in order to ensure that the new “Good ideas don’t go away!” “Northern Link” route is fit for purpose as a fast, efficient Proposals to see the Skipton to Colne rail line passenger route. And, crucially, the only option for a W12 reopened, as part the “Northern Link” East-West route gauge-cleared East-West trans-Pennine freight route. for passengers and freight have been around for the Timelines and costs for the construction programme are best part of an awful long while. And in all of also aired. SELRAP’s increasingly high profile 18 year campaign, Plainly, there is too much in SELRAP’s Prospectus to those proposals have not gone away. Indeed, like the summarise here. That said, it details all aspects of the snowball rolled downhill, those proposals have proposal to reopen the Skipton to Colne rail line as part of gathered pace and volume. It figures, then, that: the new “Northern Link”. SELRAP’s proposals must be a good idea! An e version is available via pasting the link below into SUCH A GOOD IDEA THAT your browser. Alternatively, hard copies can be had in ..... those proposals are supported by the highest in exchange for a small donation: get in touch with the editor the land. And, with the Secretary of State for for more on this. Transport weighing in at fully six feet five inches tall, http://www.selrap.org.uk/p1_project/20180905_ you cannot get much higher than Chris Grayling! prospectus_web_version.pdf Few will forget his visit to Colne station on February 3rd FROM THE CHAIR: last year. Or his announcement that the Government During the twelve months since the last edition of At a Glance, was to fund a full Feasibility Study that would also SELRAP has worked tirelessly with a number of partners, “look clearly at the business case and value that including the Department for Transport (DfT) and Transport for the North (TfN), to make remarkable progress in developing the the [Skipton to Colne] line could provide”. Skipton to Colne project. We have moved away from “why, maybe, and how?” ..... towards solutions for the challenges of “when, and how much?”. Up until now, we have kept this success story out of the media: a policy we will probably soon have to change. During a briefing held in Westminster last September, attended by all our local MP’s, business supporters and county councils, one high profile delegate said: “we are supporting this project not just because it will be good for the local community; nor because it will be good for this company’s operations. We are supporting both SELRAP and the Skipton to Colne project since it is now very obvious that this will be a very good project benefitting all of The North”. The senior executive who said that is employed by one of the UK’s most important companies. Throughout all of last year, local politicians from both sides of the great political divide ..... by which I mean Lancashire and Pendle MP, Andrew Stephenson, shows the Secretary of State for Yorkshire ..... have all been working together to support us. Transport where the new line will be constructed beyond Colne. Credit: 5 Little Boys PhotographyCr Quite simply, during what was a very busy year [for other reasons!] we at SELRAP could not have asked for more from any The Secretary of State for Transport plainly of our local representatives; be they constituency MP, local considered that reopening the Skipton to Colne rail councillor, or member of the House of Lords. Each and every one line as part of a new East-West “Northern Link” for of them somehow always found [or made] time to help us ..... passengers and freight to be such a good idea that, no matter how urgent were other, very pressing, demands on less than 12 months later, he called at Colne station their precious time. As SELRAP’s chair, I want to take this rare opportunity to thank them all for their continuing support. a second time. Where he spoke of the fact that the study has established that the proposals are This is now a crucial stage in the campaign: the most important technically feasible ..... adding that: period of the last two decades. In some respects, it is the best of times: in another important respect, the worst of times .…. so “I am personally committed to reopening the please read on ..… to see what has been achieved ..… and, most Colne to Skipton line as an alternative route importantly, to find out what needs to happen next .…. across the Pennines .....”. More on this later: Ed. Peter Bryson, 2019 3 TRANSPORT FOR THE NORTH SELRAP PROJECT DEVELOPMENT TEAM ..... has the mandate to advise the Government on Established in 2017, the team is tasked with the transport priorities required to drive inclusive, exploring the options available for progressing the sustainable economic growth across the North. reinstatement of the Skipton to Colne rail line as part TfN is England’s first Sub-National Transport Body. of a new “Northern Link”. Hosted at corporate venues And, with statutory status, it represents 20 including Arup, Transport for the North, Peel Ports, transport authority members across the North. Drax Power and the Skipton Building Society, With a vision of “A thriving North of England, where bi-monthly [day-long] meetings of the group are world class transport supports sustainable economic chaired by SELRAP. Their ongoing brief including: opportunity for all”, TfN recently completed its long- ● Defining the scope of the proposals centred on the awaited Strategic Transport Plan. Skipton to Colne line Outlined within the Plan are seven strategic develop- ● The practicalities involved in re-building the line ment “corridors” that reflect economic links across the ● Passenger service options North. “Gaps” between demand and current ● Use of the [wider] route for freight traffic performance where there is likely to be the most ● Engagement with appropriate Authorities potential for connecting economic assets and clusters are highlighted. Hosted in the boardroom of the HQ of the Skipton Building Society in February 2019, delegates representing the Department for Transport, Network Rail, Arriva Northern [TOC], Drax Power, Peel Ports, Arup, Amey, Arcus and, of course, “The Skipton“ are pictured listening to a presentation from TfN. Representatives routinely leave meetings with “to do” lists, and are asked to report on their findings the next time the team convenes. These have included draft On the basis that it enhances East-West strategic connections options for passenger service provision on the new across the North to support UK competitiveness and to improve route, costings for gauge clearance and upgrades to connectivity between East Lancashire and North/West Yorkshire, adjacent lines to the East & West of Skipton and Colne. reinstatement of the Skipton to Colne line is flagged up within TfN’s Investment Programme that parallels its recently- And the nature, pattern and anticipated volume of published Strategic Transport Plan ..... for completion before freight traffic that might use the new route ..... 2027. It is also the only rail reopening scheme to feature including its potential impact on passenger services. within TfN’s Central Pennines Corridor study. Together with the new route’s “fit” within existing Under the heading: “Key areas of delivery”, TfN adjacent networks. promises “a transformational programme of rail Readers should be under no illusion: Project investment in lines, stations, services and Development Team members are all senior franchises ..... to deliver greater connectivity, professionals with highly responsible roles within the capacity and cost effectiveness”. organisations they represent.