Station switch would slow down Leeds link

Transport bosses objected to proposals to switch east-west trains from Manchester Piccadilly to Victoria — only hours after plans to spend £30m at the dilapidated station were announced.

Victoria — named Britain’s worst in a Government report last year — is set to be transformed with a new roof, ticket office, waiting room and toilets.

Network Rail’s plans for easing congestion around Manchester involve switching most east-west trains from Piccadilly.

However, that would be a “fundamental strategic error”, Richard Knowles told fellow members of Greater Manchester Integrated Transport Authority shortly after the announcement.

Mr Knowles argued that the switch would slow down express services from Yorkshire and make them less frequent.

He said: “The Leeds to Manchester express service is easily the most important link in the North. They should become more frequent and faster, not less frequent and slower.”

The ITA agreed to campaign for the Leeds trains to continue to terminate at Piccadilly and for services from Huddersfield via Greenfield to continue to use Victoria.

Station work should be finished by the end of 2014 — by which time Rochdalians will be using Victoria not only for trains, but also for Metrolink trams.

Keith Whitmore, chairman of GMITA, which is helping to fund the work, described Victoria as “Manchester’s St Pancras.”

Pat Karney said: “It is regarded by the Manchester public with great affection and the work will go alongside the renaissance of the whole area.”

Network Rail route director Jo Kaye said: “This is another good example of how we are giving passengers the facilities they want.

“With more and more people choosing to travel in and out of Manchester by train every day, it is vital we give the people of Manchester and its many visitors a 21st century station they can be proud of.”

Asked if £30m was really enough to transform Victoria, she added: “The key to it all is the roof and we are confident we can make a big difference with the money we have available.”