Positive progress for Haxby Rail Station (York Liberal Democrats)

York Liberal Democrats <info@yorklibdems.org.uk>

Positive progress for Haxby Rail Station

April 28, 2008 12:17 AM

Strensall Councillor, Madeleine Kirk

Liberal Democrat Councillors are welcoming progress being made on establishing a rail service running between York Railway Station and Haxby, for which they have been campaigning for years.

Whilst the organisations involved are yet to worked out the details of the scheme, all parties are understood now to be moving forward with proposals to extend York's railway infrastructure.

Liberal Democrat Councillor for Haxby and Wigginton, Chris Hogg, welcomed news that progress had been made with Network Rail in an attempt to move forward with the scheme. It has been agreed by Network Rail that the best way to do this is through a 'fast track' process to establish a business case and set out the preferred option for delivery. The process lasts two weeks and requires all parties to come together to consider all available options and discuss the engineering detail, feasibility and land requirements. This should happen in September, and the City Strategy Advisory Panel will be asked to part fund the study at its meeting on 8th September.

Meanwhile, City of York Council officials have been in discussions with train operator First TransPennine Express who have recently reiterated their support for the scheme so long as a business case supports it.

Cllr Hogg said: "I have campaigned for the last fifteen years for a rail link for Haxby. I have been disappointed many times that progress has not been made, but am pleased that the parties involved now seem to be making progress. Local rail links would help ease congestion on the outer ring road as well as providing a fast, direct route into the centre of York."

Cllr Steve Galloway, Liberal Democrat Executive Member for City Strategy, said,

"Local Liberal Democrats identified long ago the strength of local support to re-open local railway stations in communities such as Haxby and Strensall. There now seems to be a greater willingness from all parties involved in discussions for reopening Haxby Rail Station and we seem to be making progress on this issue. Whilst this is by no means the end of the process for acquiring funding, it shows that very positive progress is being made."

When the Haxby station has been established it is hoped that rail links can also be provided at Strensall and York District Hospital. Strensall Councillor, Madeleine Kirk, who has been campaigning for such a facility in her ward, added: "The railway line that runs through Strensall could easily support a station in my ward and would be of great benefit to local residents. I hope that this progress will lead the way for providing a new station in Strensall".

New rail halts can cost in the region of £4million to build and the Haxby scheme has been on the reserve list of Regional Transport Board projects with provisional approval for several years. However the stumbling block has been the priority given by Network Rail and the train operating companies to the project.