Decision to reduce Smithy Bridge trains to one per hour 'is move in wrong direction' says 'appalled' councillor

Wardle and West Littleborough councillor John Taylor says Northern’s decision to reduce Smithy Bridge trains to one per hour is 'a move in the wrong direction'.

Following Rochdale Online’s recent report that train services at both Smithy Bridge and Castleton railway stations would reduce, Councillor Taylor says he is 'appalled' by the move: “I was appalled to read train times are reducing to one an hour stopping at Smithy Bridge. This is clearly a move in the wrong direction and Northern need to think again. Residents who use the railway network shouldn’t need to wait until the year-end before a decent service can be resumed.

“I am led to believe our normal service of two trains per hour will be reinstated in December this year. Quite simply, that is not good enough; the whole country is working towards normality returning from June yet we have to suffer an additional six months of rail delays.”

An email to stakeholders – seen by Rochdale Online – says that from May, Northern will be changing its timetables “as part of an ongoing process to deliver the best possible service for customers” with the Blackburn to Kirkby service calling at Mills Hill instead of Smithy Bridge.

The move would reduce the frequency of trains at Smithy Bridge to one per hour, whilst increasing to two per hour at Mills Hill. Services at Castleton and Moston would 'remain broadly hourly'.
 

Read more: Rail community groups' "disappointment" as trains at Castleton and Smithy Bridge set to drop to one an hourPublished: 08 March 2021

Councillor Taylor continued: “We will all feel a little apprehensive about reduced social distancing yet a reduced service will mean a busier service. We all want to see more people using a reliable and efficient public rail system yet more residents will be forced onto our overly busy roads due a most unwelcome reduction in our rail service.

“This really doesn’t bode well for the future, the council is rightly committed to greater use of public transport but as far as Smithy Bridge is concerned, Northern has fallen at the first hurdle.

“Over the last year many people have truly risen to the enormous challenges we have faced; they have pulled out all the stops and gone the extra mile. 

“Northern clearly hasn’t grasped those principles as they pull out the stop at Smithy Bridge and force their paying customers in going the extra mile to either Littleborough or Rochdale.

“It’s time to think again and get our rail service back on track.”

Responding, Chris Jackson, Regional Director at Northern, said: “As we, along with many other industries, continue to feel the impact of Covid-19 we have had to make difficult decisions about which services we are able to reliably operate. 

“The Calder Valley is an important route for Northern and, though we will maintain a good service during the morning and evening peaks, I completely understand that one train per hour during off-peak may be frustrating for our customers. 

“This is not a decision we took lightly and stakeholders were consulted. We operate on a complex network where even slight changes to a service can adversely impact several others across a large part of the region. By carefully managing the services we operate we can better ensure a reliable and stable service for rail travellers across the north of England.  

Chris added: “We are incredibly proud of the dedication and commitment shown by our colleagues over the past year as we’ve delivered a reliable railway and steadily increased services. We have had to make some very tough decisions which, we understand, will have an impact on some of our customers’ journeys. All customers can rest assured that we are doing all we can to provide the best possible service in what continues to be extremely difficult circumstances.”