Archive - Thursday, 27 June 2002


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Teaming up to improve public transport

PUBLIC transport facilities serving two Ryedale towns could be radically improved with a major redevelopment scheme.

Representatives from rail and bus companies and local authorities have formed a working group to look at the transport interchange in Malton, which also serves Norton.

Donna Lee, representing the Market Towns Initiative for the two towns, said passengers would be able to benefit from the proposed improvements to the rail and bus stations sooner rather than later.

Mrs Lee said: "We agreed to have this working group that is not just going to sit round and talk, but actually go out and do something.

"Within the next two years we hope we will have a much better place for bus and train passengers to travel from.

"There will be electronic signage, maps showing people how to get from A to B and tourist information boards for visitors.

"We are looking at extended waiting room times at the rail station because everyone is very keen to make this a safer environment."

Mrs Lee said linking timetable information would mean passengers could step off a train and know when they were able to catch a bus to continue their journey.

And further work to passenger waiting facilities could see the two more closely linked.

Mrs Lee said: "This is the best area in North Yorkshire to lend itself to an interchange because the bus and rail station are so close.

"I think there's every potential for this going towards a major project in the longer term."

Graham Cressey, from North Yorkshire County Council, said a local traffic study would be undertaken towards the end of this year in Malton and Norton.

He said: "We will look at all the traffic issues, not just cars, but pedestrians, cycling issues, heavy goods vehicles and public transport. It's very important that whatever comes out of the transport interchange group complements the findings of the traffic study so that we are all working towards the same goal."

Mrs Lee said car parking problems also needed addressing.

She said: "The transpennine rail connection is such a great service and yet we are not helping people use it because of car parking problems. We need to look at where the traffic comes from and where passengers park, so we can get our facts straight to make it much more accessible as a true interchange. We know it's not going to be resolved overnight, but we are doing all we can with the manageable bits first."

Updated: 12:47 Thursday, June 27, 2002