The South Humber Bank’s direct rail link with Manchester Airport could be lost without a fight after the risk was met with a muted response.
Hull and Humber Chamber of Commerce and Greater Lincolnshire Local Enterprise Partnership - two organisations at the fore of improving economic prosperity - have declined to comment on the potential connectivity blow - highlighted in a consultation that ends on March 10.
So too has Marketing Humber, the place-promotion body that has previously targeted Humberside Airport to highlight the benefits of the region to those arriving in it.
In North East Lincolnshire, where the service starts at Cleethorpes, taking in Grimsby, Scunthorpe, Doncaster and Sheffield as it heads west, a switch to Liverpool as a final destination may even be preferred, it has been suggested.
Cllr Stewart Swinburn, Cabinet member for transport, said: “North East Lincolnshire benefits both economically and for tourism from the existing links to Manchester and beyond, and it’s important that we retain the key links to the north-west of England.
“As an authority, we’ll be responding to this consultation in due course.”
As reported, congestion around Manchester is at the root of the issue, with a major review of all services conducted.
The possibility was revealed by Business Live last week. It is part of a Manchester Recovery Task Force led by Network Rail, Department for Transport and Transport for the North.
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It comes as campaigns for a direct London link continue to be waged, with the South Bank starved of the service for some time, while in Hull officials are keen to improve such East-West connectivity - having not had an airport link.
For Roger Hage, general manager of Humberside Airport-based Eastern Airways, the change - not due until May 2022 - could be a little filip for Humberside and the global connections offered by Amsterdam.
He said: “It is still an easy change at Manchester Piccadilly and should make the local option Humberside Airport a little better for its connections. Perhaps it is time to look again at a Humberside Airport rail connection or station given the line passes within 500m of the airport.”
Pandemic timetable changes brought in because of wider Covid travel restrictions have seen the Transpennine Express service terminate at Piccadilly.
Cleethorpes and Immingham MP Martin Vickers, a strong voice on transport issues, has vowed to speak with ministers, while transport-focused Hull and Humber Environment Forum described it as an “essential part of the region’s transport infrastructure”.
Chief executive Adam Fowler said: “It is vital that this direct service to Manchester Airport is retained to keep the area connected to the North's principal airport.”