Stations due to close?

61653 HTAFC · 12 Jan 2020

Meerkat said:
It would be less relevant for a rural scenic line such as the S&C but still relevant.
It’s all hidden subsidy because the cost comes out of a central government pot. If the local councils had to decide where the money went some more sensible decisions might need to be made. Rural areas need housing and if that and tourist accommodation was built by the stations it could reduce car use.

National Parks and also non-protected rural areas need protection from over-development... if a hastily-drafted law links public transport provision to house-building, it doesn't really matter that the law was intended to reduce subsidy- the impact would be severe on those places whose very selling-point is the lack of development.

As I've said in other threads, we need (as a nation) to get over this idea that subsidy is by nature a "bad thing". That nonsense should've died with Thatcher and Reagan*.

*=actually, both of those two were quite happy to subsidise things which they considered politically expedient.

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Meerkat · 12 Jan 2020

“Over developments” is in the eye of the beholder. The lack of development is killing rural areas, turning them into empty museums uninhabited during the week. Keep it relatively high density, housing association for locals, and near public transport, and you help the community.
If the locals leave then we may as well shut the railway

The Quincunx · 12 Jan 2020

The main costs involved in a station closure come from the need to place notices in newspapers. Otherwise, it's all just business as usual for a handful of people at DfT (and ORR, to ratify at the end of the process).

RealTrains07 · 12 Jan 2020

Trainfan2019 said:
I thought I'd read somewhere that Barlaston was being considered for reopening? Didn't the station get some maintenance work last year?

Yes, it is due for re opening, just dont know when?. Heard nothing about Barlaston status in ages and considering its part of WMT franchise agreement it should re open at some point?

RealTrains07 · 12 Jan 2020

DannyMich2018 said:
Some years ago due to I believe its condition or not meeting disability regulations Polesworth station, south of Tamworth had its footbridge removed and therefore isolating its southbound platform. Since then its had just one northbound train a day in the morning around 0700. Cant be much use one train a day ? (Mon-Sat). As above posts suggest a ramp could be possibly put in? There is a lot of houses here so there must be demand?

The footbridge at polesworth blocked the construction of the overhead wires as part of the west coast mainline upgrade so it as well as the footbridge at norton bridge station had to go which ended up killing off norton bridge station altogether.

Their have been discussions in the past about what should be done about train services in Polesworth village, the most recent I can find was July last year but nothing yet has been said about the future of polesworth station and the 1 parliamentary train a day that continues to serve it

Future proposals
In July 2019 Warwickshire County Council's Draft Rail Strategy for 2019-2034 proposed that a new station called Polesworth Parkway could be opened at a different location in proximity to the A5 road and M42 motorway, which if approved could go ahead between 2027 and 2033. No mention is made of what could happen to the existing station.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polesworth_railway_station

swt_passenger · 12 Jan 2020

PTR 444 said:
I don’t really know much about the rules for station closure so sorry if i’m asking something obvious, but can TOCs ‘mothball’ stations? (Basically kept open by law but no services whatsoever, not even replacement buses, stopping there.)

Isn’t that what’s already been done at IBM and Redcar British Steel?

Ianno87 · 12 Jan 2020

Meerkat said:
It is ridiculous that the railway is saddled with these inefficiencies. Really need a one off Act to close a swathe of joke stations, but it’s just too politically toxic.
There must be some way of linking smaller stations to development.
“Your village is too small for a station, accept significant housing development or lose the station. You decide”

61653 HTAFC said:
That'll go down really well in places like Ribblehead, Dent and Garsdale...

Meerkat said:
It would be less relevant for a rural scenic line such as the S&C but still relevant.
It’s all hidden subsidy because the cost comes out of a central government pot. If the local councils had to decide where the money went some more sensible decisions might need to be made. Rural areas need housing and if that and tourist accommodation was built by the stations it could reduce car use.

There is a point here.... is it necessarily fair that such small places get a rail service subsidised by Central Government without accepting some 'consequences' of housing around stations as a result...?

duffield · 13 Jan 2020

PTR 444 said:
I don’t really know much about the rules for station closure so sorry if i’m asking something obvious, but can TOCs ‘mothball’ stations? (Basically kept open by law but no services whatsoever, not even replacement buses, stopping there.)

It's an interesting question - as far as I know there has never been a legal challenge to a station being mothballed; in particular I don't think the question of whether such a move is illegal because it amounts to a de facto closure without going through the closure process has ever been decided by a court. Are there any legally qualified posters who might be able to give an informal opinion as to whether such a challenge would be likely to succeed? If it did, it might be necessary to either run a parliamentary service or, at least, put a time limit and review system in place for mothballing such stations. Anyhow, we won't know unless or until someone challenges it in court.

pdeaves · 16 Jan 2020

MPotter said:
Newhaven Marine

Closure notice published in the Times, 15 January 2020 for closure 'on or after 26 September 2020'.

Requeststop · 16 Jan 2020

PTR 444 said:
Lelant Saltings?

It has always seemed strange to me that it is easier to open a station than to close one. The Saltings (never a likeable station to me) now has one stopping train in each direction a day. For heavens sake why? It's a concrete monstrosity that does nothing to add the the natural surroundings of the Hayle estuary or the RSPB site. It should now be pulled down and laid to rest. It has been a pleasure not having to stop at the Saltings during my trip home and joy of joys, I now have more trains stopping at the village station even though it's still a request stop.

As to walking from the Saltings to St Erth, it's not a good walk as there is little or no pathways along the road and you'd have to cross over two extremely busy roads to get the St Erth Station. Not a walk I'd recommend to the elderly, infirm or families with youngsters.

richard1976 · 17 Jan 2020

What is the future for Stanlow & Thornton, had only 46 Passengers in 2018-2019, Most if not all the passengers must be workers at the oil refinery.

Gareth · 17 Jan 2020

Its fate is surely linked to the line itself. As there's no plans to close the line, despite the pathetic service, then the two intermediate stations should be fine.

Stations due to close?

61653 HTAFC

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Meerkat

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