Monorail link for Ryedale? (From Gazette & Herald)

Monorail link for Ryedale?

A MONORAIL to link Pickering with the Trans-Pennine rail route at Malton is being promoted as a cheaper alternative to the £21m scheme to reinstate the rail link between the two market towns.

The possibility of building a state-of-the-art monorail has been discussed by the Pickering 2020 Vision Town Team, which is exploring a catalogue of ideas to enhance the town's economy and quality of life, said chairman Jim Bell.

Behind the ambitious scheme is retired consultant medicinal herbalist George Turner, of Great Habton, who says the idea would be for the monorail to start at Malton close, to Morrison's supermarket, make its way through the area behind the fire station and through Old Malton to Eden Camp.

It would then travel to Flamingo Land before heading for Pickering.

While costs have still to be investigated, Mr Turner is convinced it would be a cheaper option than the rail link.

"There would be no need for new tracks, nor land purchase, bridges or tunnels."

Experts involved in building a similar system at Hull have agreed to attend a meeting at Pickering Memorial Hall to explain it and show a video, said Mr Turner.

He believes that funding could be found from the European Union and Yorkshire Forward the regional development agency, and he is also writing to the management of Morrison's, Eden Camp and Flamingo Land to ascertain if they would help finance the venture.

The monorail would travel at about 30 to 40ft above ground level, depending on the terrain, said Mr Turner.

"It would have an enormous benefit for Ryedale's tourist industry - and it is the main money-earner for the district. The monorail would be an attraction in its own right, irrespective of its ability to transport people from Malton to Pickering and the national park.

"I'm sure it is the answer for this part of Ryedale," added Mr Turner, who has already promoted the plan to Ryedale's Westminster MP John Greenway and MEP Tim Kirkhope, who have each shown keen interest.

The Pickering Town Team is now awaiting a date for a presentation of the Hull monorail scheme. Mr Bell said the monorail had much to commend it in terms of not disrupting traffic by level crossings.

The town team's transport sub-committee is studying both the monorail and light rail options, and is involving North Yorkshire County Council, Ryedale District Council and Yorkshire Forward.

"It seems that the funding is available if an appropriate scheme is agreed."

Meanwhile, First, the new operator of the Trans-Pennine service from Scarborough through to Malton, York, Manchester and Liverpool, has also shown interest in a light-rail link from Pickering to the Malton line at Rillington, said Mr Bell.

Studies into the possibility of re-instating the rail link, which was axed in 1965, have been made, but costs have risen to more than £20m according to latest estimates.

Updated: 10:19 Wednesday, January 26, 2005