Archive - Wednesday, 15 January 2003


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Report puts Pickering rail link back on the table

A NEW report on the multi-million pound plan to re-open the rail link from Pickering to Rillington is expected shortly.

It is expected to highlight several major issues - including the effect of potential traffic delays at rail crossings in Pickering, the environmental impact and the economic benefits to the market town and the North Yorkshire Moors Railway.

Chris Millns, head of environmental enhancement at North Yorkshire County Council, who has been leading the project, said it was likely that it would put in a bid to the Strategic Rail Authority to progress the feasibility of the scheme.

He said: "It will need more feasibility work on how it would fit in with Pickering's traffic situation, especially the potential delays at level crossings."

A top level steering group comprising of North Yorkshire County Council (NYCC), Ryedale District Council, the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, the North York Moors National Park Authority, Railtrack and the government's Countryside Agency, is to meet to discuss the next stage of the ambitious project, which two years ago was estimated to cost £19m.

The potential opening of stations at Haxby and Strensall, together with the possibility of a shuttle service between Pickering and Whitby will also be on the agenda, said Mr Millns.

A report to a future meeting of the county council's area committee for Ryedale will be given an update on the likely cost of re-instating the rail link, he added.

"We have to look in more detail at the train operating costs and at the regeneration benefits of opening the line - the effect on development and job opportunities."

Royd Scurrah, chairman of Rail Action North Yorkshire, who has been the lead campaigner for the re-opening of the 6.5 mile long route from Pickering station to Rillington Junction on the York to Scarborough line, said he expected a business study on the project to be published next month.

He said: "There is a lot of enthusiasm for re-opening the line because of the many benefits it will bring to the Pickering area. There are some people who feel it will take people away from the town and damage businesses, but I am sure it will bring many visitors here."

It is nearly a year since a study commissioned by NYCC and carried out by Jacobs Consultancy and the Institute of Transport Studies at Leeds University, said that re-opening the line could attract up to 100,000 journeys a year.

The scheme could see a rail link opened all the way from Malton to Whitby. The survey showed that such a link would generate more than £1m to the rail industry in fare income.

The more limited option of running services between York and Pickering reduces the annual passenger forecast to 65,000 journeys.

Operating it through the national park to Whitby would attract large numbers of tourists and held reduce the growing problem of heavy traffic clogging the moorland roads.

The re-opening of the line between Malton and Pickering was an integral part of the recent Whitby Traffic Management Strategy survey because of the potential of improving travelling for commuters to Scarborough and York. It could also provide a huge tourism boost to the Whitby area.

Mr Scurrah who played a key part in the re-opening of the North Yorkshire Moors Railway on the 18 mile stretch from Pickering to Grosmont, said that latest figures for visitor numbers show that the national park attracts nearly 10m visitors and the Moors railway draws some 272,000 passengers.

He said that re-instating the rail link would complete the 56.5 miles from York to Whitby by rail.

"It would be of great benefit socially, economically and environmentally for the whole area."

Among those supporting the re-opening of the line is Whitby Town Council and Friends of the Earth.

Richard Dyer, rail campaigner for Friends of the Earth said: "Good public transport is essential if people are to be offered an alternative to using the car.

"Travelling by train causes less enviroenmental damage and relieves congestion on the roads. A reliable and efficient rail service would be good news for everyone."

Updated: 09:58 Wednesday, January 15, 2003