Transport spokesman rails against cuts to train services

Rochdale’s transport spokesman has hit out at a proposed new timetable which could mean a temporary reduction in train services, imposed because of covid back in 2020, is here to stay long term.

Councillor Phil Burke, who is Rochdale Council’s representative on the Greater Manchester Transport Committee, criticised Northern Rail proposals which would continue the reductions made to services between a number of Rochdale stations and Manchester city centre at the height of the pandemic.

As part of the proposals, which are currently out to public consultation, the frequency of services between Littleborough, Smithy Bridge, Castleton and Mills Hill and Manchester Victoria would all reduce.

A council request for four trains an hour to run between Littleborough and Manchester at the busiest times of day has been rejected, leaving only three trains per hour operating at peak times. Only two services an hour will operate from Mills Hill throughout the day, despite it being one of the busiest stations in the area, which previously saw three trains an hour stopping there at peak times.

Smithy Bridge will retain a three train per hour service into Manchester during the morning rush hour, but only two trains per hour will operate in both directions during the evening peak. 

And, crucially, plans for a direct rail service from Rochdale to Manchester Piccadilly and the airport, which were promised by Northern under its 2014 franchise and were set to follow the opening of the Ordsall chord line in 2017, have now been scrapped. 
 

Read more: Plans for direct rail link from Rochdale to Manchester Airport scrappedPublished: 20 December 2021

Councillor Burke said: “The prospect of these severely reduced services coming down the track long term is a disaster for Rochdale commuters and leisure travellers, who have had to put up with second class services for far too long.

“The Calder Valley line is the spine running through our borough, and we’re lucky to have five railway stations. But, there’s no point having great infrastructure if the services simply aren’t there. The issues are particularly acute at Mills Hill, which is the busiest station west of Rochdale, being used by more than 400,000 commuters per year.

“Unlike in other parts of the borough, this station isn’t well served by Metrolink or bus services, so residents wishing to travel for work or leisure will be completely cut off, unless they use a car.

“Business leaders also regularly tell us that the continued lack of a direct rail link between Rochdale, the airport and Piccadilly is a major barrier to investment and growth. This, along with the ability of our residents to access jobs and economic opportunities via the train, will only become more important when we emerge from this devastating pandemic. Another pressing issue is the climate emergency which authorities across Greater Manchester have declared.

“How can we seriously expect to become carbon neutral by 2038, if we cannot even provide proper rail services for people that serve as a genuine alternative to the car?”

The council has formally responded to the consultation on the new timetable and is urging residents to do the same.

The consultation, which runs until 5pm on 31 December, can be accessed at: northernrailway.co.uk/manchester22