pappleby
Member
just wondering as you do on a sunday morning,why are the good people of Ripley,opposed very strongley it seems,on re-opening ,Derby-Ripley 'greenway' dis-used rail line.
There is no shortage of existing public transport between Ripley and Derby
It seems bizarre to me that these people don't want a rail link back.
However, that is their choice and I feel that we'd be better off rebuilding some of the lines which have local support.
As for the rolling stock issue, yes, it is an issue, but I don't think that we should let a temporary problem (temporary in the sense that all rolling stock is more or less temporary) get in the way of long term infrastructure investment.
Yes, there are other transport opportunities between Leigh and Manchester, however they are inadequate and I see little point in spending money on a busway when it is the railway network and not the bus network from which Leigh is excluded.
The line to Ripley closed way before Beeching (in the1930's i think) because there simply wasn't the demand. If there wasn't any demand way back then why do you think there would be any now? Ripley is simply not big enough to warrant that kind of investment; the A38 by national standards isn't too bad in that neck of the woods and the bus service is operated by Trent who generally make a goo job of things.
The plans to reopen the line were to put it kindly highly unrealistic and there are far more deserving cases in the local area. A station in Ilkeston would be a start.
Similarly there are public transport opportunities between Leigh and Manchester. Or Lancaster University and Lancaster. Or East Didsbury and Manchester. Or Colne and Skipton...
You pick a fine time on a Sunday night (after 2300) to test my knowledge of these four routes that you have stated, but I will try my best:-
LEIGH AND MANCHESTER
26...............Leigh-Boothstown- Manchester (First Manchester)
X34.............Leigh-Astley-Manchester (First Manchester)
LANCASTER UNIVERSITY AND LANCASTER
2.............University-Lancaster-Morecambe-Heysham (Stagecoach)
2A...........(as above)
4.............University- Lancaster- Bare- Morecambe -Heysham (Stagecoach)
There is also service 40 - Morecambe-Lancaster-University-Garstang-Preston (Stagecoach)
EAST DIDSBURY AND MANCHESTER
42.............Stockport-East Didsbury-Manchester (Stagecoach)
50.............East Didsbuy - Manchester (Stagecoach)
130...........Macclesfield- Alderley Edge-Wilmslow-East Didsbury -Manchester (Arriva)
There are also train services from East Didsbury to Manchester.
COLNE AND SKIPTON
28...........Burnley-Nelson- Colne-Barnoldswick-Skipton (Transdev Group)
215..........Burnley-Nelson- Colne-Skipton (Pennine Motors)
The line to Ripley closed way before Beeching (in the1930's i think) because there simply wasn't the demand. If there wasn't any demand way back then why do you think there would be any now? Ripley is simply not big enough to warrant that kind of investment; the A38 by national standards isn't too bad in that neck of the woods and the bus service is operated by Trent who generally make a good job of things.
The plans to reopen the line were to put it kindly highly unrealistic and there are far more deserving cases in the local area. A station in Ilkeston would be a start.
Reopened lines such as Alloa and Ebbw Vale tend to produce twice as many passengers as forecast
These two are always mentioned, since they were two schemes which went better than expectation. People never mention the unspectacular reopenings/ new lines (Airdrie - Bathgate, East Midlands Parkway, Anniesland line...)
These two are always mentioned, since they were two schemes which went better than expectation. People never mention the unspectacular reopenings/ new lines (Airdrie - Bathgate, East Midlands Parkway, Anniesland line...)
Now normally I agree with you wholeheartedly but in the case of the A to B I'm not going to. Instead I'm going to say give it a chance, it's only been open properly since when March(?) and even then it took a while for the whole timetable to come into operation. If in 18 months or so passenger numbers are still uninspiring then you can add it to that list until then give it time to bed in.
I hope it works, I really do, because one "underperforming" new line is going to make it harder to justify more ones.
Early days, especially given the well documented problems, but I've heard the "Alloa and Ebbw Vale worked better than expected, so this justifies any new reopening" argument a few times, so just have to add a note of caution (being a cynical bugger!)