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Improved services

Railfuture campaigns for faster, longer more frequent trains and bright, clean, more secure stations to attract more passengers to rail and support economic growth. These are some of the lines where improved services are urgently needed:

Mid-Cheshire line. Railfuture supports Mid Cheshire Rail Users Association campaign for a twice hourly service (one stopping, one limited stop) on the line from Manchester to Chester via Altrincham. The TfGM Rail Strategy states that for stations with a footfall of over 50,000 there should be at least 2 trains an hour, and for a footfall of over 500,000, at least 4 trains per hour. All stations on the line have a footfall over 50,000, whilst the official figures show Knutsford at over 450,000 and MCRUA know from passenger counts that the figure is higher than this. Yet Knutsford, like other stations on the line, only has 1 train an hour.

Brigg has a railway station, but only has rail services on Saturdays. Railfuture is campaigning for a 7-day service on the line between Gainsborough and Cleethorpes, which would also provide access to employment in Doncaster, Sheffield, Retford and Worksop for residents of the new development in the Lea Road area of Gainsborough - please sign the Gainsborough Rail Action Plan petition to support the Brigg Line Action Plan for improved rail services. See the shadow rail minister Lilian Greenwood's visit to Brigg.

Marshlink. Selective redoubling and electrification of the Marshlink line between Hastings and Ashford will enable more frequent services and shorter travel times to Brighton and London which will support regeneration of Hastings and improve access to towns and villages along the route. At the Hastings Rail Summit on 31st March 2014 Network Rail committed to develop a project and to build the partnership with stakeholders needed to bring HS1 Javelin services to Hastings soon after 2019.

Ashford International. Eurostar has cut most of its stops at Ashford in favour of Ebbsfleet. Railfuture believes Eurostar is wrong and that MORE local services should be provided from Kent into northern France.

Norwich in Ninety. A blend of measures are needed to reduce pathing conflicts on the Great Eastern Main Line, which will allow new faster trains to reduce the London to Norwich journey time from 2 hours to 90 minutes.