Friday, July 22, 2005

 

Etruria closure in final stages!!!


Yesterday transport minister Derek Twigg confirmed the closure of Etruria.
Etruria station was due for closure earlier in 2004 but it was halted after 66 letters of objection were received from residents. He said removing the station would cost around £9 million whilst the cost of keeping the station would be around £13 million (see points below). In a letter to the Central trains managing director he said:
"Closing the station and removing it would allow the tracks to be realigned to increase speeds for through trains and so deliver shorter journey times benefitting passengers (see points below) valued at £3 million per annum".

What a load of rubbish!

Many representatives of local transoprt groups and indeed other groups shouted out against this closure saying things like:

"it stinks..."

"[the government] are purely focused on getting people from Manchester to London as quickly as possible"

"a local service would be extremely useful when you consider the congestion around that area"

Things to note here:

- benefit which passengers

- There is a traffic problem

- It is just for the through services

- their figures are seriously wrong

- there has been no investment

In Mr Twigg's letter he talks about it benefitting passengers - I wonder who he is talking about!!!

As discussed in the post below this, local stopping services are being sacraficed for through serices, namely Mr Branson's pendolinos. I have talked to people who work on the railways now, and all have criticised Branson saying how he always gets his way in terms of when and where services are run.

Next, how does removing an island platform save, who ever they are, £3 million pounds a year. The tracks will be slightly closer together (but not too close because of the bridge support!!!), speeds will be increased slightly but that is it. Trains still have to slow down not far from Etruria because Stoke is not far away....

All we can do now is PROTEST!!! (we can't sit and hope...)


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