MPs and business leaders are seeking an urgent meeting with Transport for the North and TransPennine Express in a bid to head-off further reductions in Hull’s connectivity.
Fears over the next set of timetables have been underlined by Hull and Humber Chamber of Commerce, after a year of painful disruptions to rail links between the city and the likes of Leeds and Manchester. The loss of a direct link to Manchester Airport has also been highlighted.
Dr Ian Kelly, Chamber chief executive and Dame Diana Johnson, MP for Hull North, have co-signed a letter to Lord McLoughlin and Chris Jackson, calling for a meeting to “discuss urgent concerns” with the region’s MPs and local authority leaders.
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It follows a meeting in Westminster with Rail Minister Huw Merriman, at which clarification on electrification pledges for Hull to Selby - made by the Prime Minister as he abolished the Birmingham to Manchester HS2 leg at the Conservative Party Conference - were sought.
Dr Kelly and Dame Diana wrote: “Our meeting with the Minister arose following the cancellation of the northern legs of the HS2 project and money being made available for various other rail and bus projects. We feel that the apparent lack of investment across the Humber region is now exacting a heavy price on our economic wellbeing and future prospects as we bid to attract green inward investment into our area.
“While express services remain to other cities and regions across the North, including first class services to and from Manchester Airport, Hull, Grimsby and Cleethorpes have all now lost their direct links to their major hub airport.
“While we understand the need to restructure TPE services through this transitional period, the impact on the Humber routes to again safeguard those of the Passenger Transport Executive regions is unacceptable.”
Ironically, the city's direct link to London provided by Hull Trains, has just been named the most reliable service in the Ƶ.
Chamber welcomes ticket office U-turn
Hull & Humber Chamber of Commerce has welcomed today’s announcement by Transport Secretary Mark Harper that plans to close rail ticket offices have been scrapped.
Train operators had come up with the plans as a way of saving money after the Government told them to cut costs after they had been financially supported through the pandemic. Unions, passenger groups and the public complained loudly about the plans which would have left people largely reliant on ticket machines and reduced staffing levels at stations.
The Chamber added the business voice to the chorus of complaints, with chief executive Dr Ian Kelly writing to Rail Minister Huw Merriman to urge him to reconsider the proposals.
Dr Kelly said: “This was never a good idea and is one of the issues we raised when we met with the Rail Minister in the House of Commons recently. I am pleased the Government has now cancelled these proposals and people will still be able to buy their rail tickets from a person, rather than having to battle with a ticket machine or an app.”
