Latest news with #Beeching
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Yahoo
The seven cross-country rail routes that would revitalise Britain
Last month saw welcomed reports that Arriva was bidding to run direct rail services from Newcastle to Brighton, due to start at the end of 2026. To be run by open-access operator, Grand Central, it would avoid London but pass through Gatwick and Birmingham en route. Sadder news for cross-country rail lovers was the axing of the Aberdeen-Penzance train as of May 16, after more than 100 years of service. At 774 miles, it is the UK's longest service, linking Scotland to Cornwall, passing through a range of landscapes and stopping 35 times at towns and cities. Britain's rail network likes to give with one hand and take away with the other. There has been recent talk of reviving direct services from Bolton and Rochdale to London, providing the two major Lancashire towns with connections they once enjoyed as a right. Rail services open up business as well as leisure opportunities; vineyards, hotels and local councillors in Kent are still protesting the closure of the Eurostar service sparked by the pandemic. So what would be the ideal cross-country lines to reboot in order to promote domestic holidays and regional economies? Britain's railways really began with a cross-country line, between Liverpool and Manchester, in 1830. Who decided, for example, the network should be radial, with London as its hub? And why are so many of us deprived of trains to the many wonderful corners of the country? Here are seven for starters. These physical lines still exist (though Dr Beeching axed many that made cross-country travel faster and more fluid in the 1960s), but to complete the journeys now you have to change trains, waste time, worry about your next reservation and getting a seat. Modern trains are supposed to be faster, but most cross-country trips are sluggish when you consider the crow-flies distances. We can surely do better than this, so please let us know which lines and services you miss most in the comments section below. The Midland hotel that stands prominently over the UK's largest expanse of tidal mudflats and sand is a striking reminder of a time when Morecambe was served by Midland Railways and known as Bradford-on-sea for the number of visitors it drew from the West Riding of Yorkshire. The route used, known as the 'Little' North Western Railway, carried mill and factory workers from their smoke-smothered homes via the Yorkshire Dales and Forest of Bowland to the seaside. As well as regular services, there were 'Wakes Weeks' specials when industries closed down and entire towns and cities decamped to the coast. At the time, the trains ran all over the country, with exotic-sounding services such as Oldham to Swansea and Bury to Heysham for Douglas on the Isle of Man. In Bradford's City of Culture year, and with the North due to get its own Eden Project in Morecambe isn't it time to reopen this grand old sunshine line, especially given the perennial question of how to revive the British seaside? When direct service ended: 1966 Number of changes required in 2025: 1-2 Shortest duration in 2025: 2h 11m Distance: 49 miles Cheapest current cost: £12.70 single I only know that this service existed as recently as the mid-1980s thanks to the avid timetable collectors who post fascinating facts on online rail forums. It was one of many Motorail services that operated between 1955-1995, allowing holidaymakers to deposit their Austin Allegros on to the back of trains and ride in comfort to their destination. Stirling was a major hub, and was the gateway to the Highlands. Newton Abbot, often bypassed by tourists, is a useful point of departure for Dartmoor, Torbay and both coasts of Devon and Cornwall. Drives such as the NC500 (North Coast 500), Heart 200 and North East 250 in Scotland and South West 660 in England are great, but a relaunched Motorail – with competitive pricing – would allow us to travel greener, safer and without the tedious ordeal of the M4, M5 and M6. When direct service ended: mid-1980s Number of changes required in 2025: 1-4 Shortest duration in 2025: 8h 32m Distance: 387 miles Cheapest current cost: £161.70 Privatisation killed off services linking Newcastle, York, Scarborough and Hull to North Wales – with most trains stopping at Manchester, furthering the uncontrolled metropolitanisation of Britain. The loss is felt at several levels, exacerbating the 'East-West divide', shrinking the once booming tourism of Llandudno and the North Wales coast and, more subtly, making Britons – islanders all, with a rich maritime history – forget our once vital ports. Boat trains used to connect all corners of the nation to ferry services to Ireland, Isle of Man and the continent. You could travel from Scotland and the north to Harwich Parkeston Quay. Today, the grandly monikered Harwich International is connected to, wait for it, nearby Manningtree. It's time to stop the rebranding and reconnect our ports. When direct service ended: 1980s Number of changes required in 2025: 2 Shortest duration in 2025: 5h 8m Distance: 180 miles Cheapest current cost: £125 Britain's most scenic railway line, the Settle-Carlisle, is currently served by trains from Leeds, plus a Saturday-only, twice in each direction service from Manchester Piccadilly to Ribblehead, site of the celebrated viaduct. Opened in 1876 by Midland Railways – keen to compete with London & North Western, which dominated operations on what we now call the West Coast Main Line – the Settle-Carlisle follows the natural contours of the Pennines, in order to enable high-speed stream trains to carry passengers to and from Scotland. London's Science Museum holds a glorious 1903 timetable for the direct service on 'the most interesting route, the only through route embracing the lovely valleys of the Ribble and the Eden, the home and haunts of Sir Walter Scott, and the land of Robbie Burns,' from London St Pancras to Edinburgh, Perth and Inverness. Why deprive southerners of the north's sublime line? When direct service ended: 1982 (London St Pancras to Carlisle) Number of changes required in 2025: 1 Shortest duration in 2025: 5h 25m Distance: 262 miles Cheapest current cost: £87.20 One of the most punished towns in the UK, in transport terms, is Stranraer in south-west Scotland. Only a few decades ago, it was connected to London Euston, Carlisle and Newcastle, and for a spell there was an Edinburgh-Stranraer boat train. Why did all the trains go to this lonely peninsular tip? Mainly for the ultra-short ferry crossing to Larne in Northern Ireland. But the ferry no longer goes from Stranraer but from Cairnryan (a bus ride away), with Stena ships to Belfast (two hours 15 mins) and P&O ferry crossings to Larne (two hours). As for the station, it has trains to Ayr and Glasgow, and not many of them – every four hours on weekdays and only as far as Ayr on Sundays. Rail fans agree the Stranraer line ranks just below the likes of the West Highland Line and Dingwall to Kyle for scenic views. Reopening a route via Hadrian's Wall to Newcastle would tick many boxes for history and heritage-lovers, and provide a useful east-west connecting service. When direct service ended: 1993 Number of changes required in 2025: 3 Shortest duration in 2025: 5h 48m Distance: 135 miles Cheapest current cost: £72.70 The axing of the Aberdeen-Penzance service is precisely the opposite direction of the one CrossCountry should be following. It was only offered once a day (departing Aberdeen 8.20am, arriving Penzance 9.31pm – and only Plymouth-Aberdeen in reverse) but was a symbolic connection to the southwestern tip of the nation for Scotland and all of England. There used to be Waterloo to Penzance trains too, offering an iron-road version of the A303, ideal for south-west Londoners and stockbroker belt second-homers wanting to enjoy a few bottles of Mumm en-route to Marazion. The UK is missing a trick in not offering a pan-national service. There's no reason why someone can't offer a Penzance to Thurso/Wick service, using diesel- (or steam-) powered rolling stock. It would be a magnet for European rail fans and, at around 970 miles, would outclass many single-country lines for length. The UK's Trans-Siberian, in short, with Unesco sites at either end and the full gamut of towns, cities, landscapes, accents, cuisines and culture en route. Londoners can do a version of this trip on their handy Caledonian and Night Riviera sleeper trains. Why should everyone else have to drive or change 10 times to cross the nation? When direct service ended: N/A Number of changes required in 2025: 2-5 Shortest duration in 2025: 26h 21m Distance: 583 miles Cheapest current cost: £320.80 This is not strictly a cross-country line, but it's a parable of how we can break the hegemony of city hubs. As early as 1860, the GWR – yes, you read that correctly – was able to operate trains from London Paddington to Birkenhead Woodside. By 1924, there were six down trains a day, some taking less than five hours. The early route was via Reading and Oxford, but later took a shorter diagonal through Bicester and High Wycombe. Restaurant cars and sleepers were offered on some timings. Running till 1967, the Birkenhead Flyer and The Zulu stopped at Leamington Spa, Shrewsbury, Wrexham and Chester. As well as providing a connection to the port at Birkenhead – giving that town an identity beyond being 'somewhere you can see from Liverpool' – it opened up the Wirral, with New Brighton and Port Sunlight, as well as Shropshire and the Welsh Marches. Today, the emphasis is on speed, not stopping and merely connecting A to B ie Liverpool Lime Street with London Euston, without any accounting for pleasure or leisure. These lines exist – why not allow open-access firms to target the holiday traveller on new city-swerving routes to places of extraordinary heritage and beauty? When direct service ended: 1967 Number of changes required in 2025: 2 Shortest duration in 2025: 3h 12m Distance: 178 miles Current cost: £82.70 Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Telegraph
14-05-2025
- Telegraph
The seven cross-country rail routes that would revitalise Britain
Last month saw welcomed reports that Arriva was bidding to run direct rail services from Newcastle to Brighton, due to start at the end of 2026. To be run by open-access operator, Grand Central, it would avoid London but pass through Gatwick and Birmingham en route. Sadder news for cross-country rail lovers was the axing of the Aberdeen-Penzance train as of May 16, after more than 100 years of service. At 774 miles, it is the UK's longest service, linking Scotland to Cornwall, passing through a range of landscapes and stopping 35 times at towns and cities. Britain's rail network likes to give with one hand and take away with the other. There has been recent talk of reviving direct services from Bolton and Rochdale to London, providing the two major Lancashire towns with connections they once enjoyed as a right. Rail services open up business as well as leisure opportunities; vineyards, hotels and local councillors in Kent are still protesting the closure of the Eurostar service sparked by the pandemic. So what would be the ideal cross-country lines to reboot in order to promote domestic holidays and regional economies? Britain's railways really began with a cross-country line, between Liverpool and Manchester, in 1830. Who decided, for example, the network should be radial, with London as its hub? And why are so many of us deprived of trains to the many wonderful corners of the country? Here are seven for starters. These physical lines still exist (though Dr Beeching axed many that made cross-country travel faster and more fluid in the 1960s), but to complete the journeys now you have to change trains, waste time, worry about your next reservation and getting a seat. Modern trains are supposed to be faster, but most cross-country trips are sluggish when you consider the crow-flies distances. We can surely do better than this, so please let us know which lines and services you miss most in the comments section below. Bradford to Morecambe The Midland hotel that stands prominently over the UK's largest expanse of tidal mudflats and sand is a striking reminder of a time when Morecambe was served by Midland Railways and known as Bradford-on-sea for the number of visitors it drew from the West Riding of Yorkshire. The route used, known as the 'Little' North Western Railway, carried mill and factory workers from their smoke-smothered homes via the Yorkshire Dales and Forest of Bowland to the seaside. As well as regular services, there were 'Wakes Weeks' specials when industries closed down and entire towns and cities decamped to the coast. At the time, the trains ran all over the country, with exotic-sounding services such as Oldham to Swansea and Bury to Heysham for Douglas on the Isle of Man. In Bradford's City of Culture year, and with the North due to get its own Eden Project in Morecambe isn't it time to reopen this grand old sunshine line, especially given the perennial question of how to revive the British seaside? When direct service ended: 1966 Number of changes required in 2025: 1-2 Shortest duration in 2025: 2h 11m Distance: 49 miles Cheapest current cost: £12.70 single Stirling to Newton Abbot Green trains for electric cars I only know that this service existed as recently as the mid-1980s thanks to the avid timetable collectors who post fascinating facts on online rail forums. It was one of many Motorail services that operated between 1955-1995, allowing holidaymakers to deposit their Austin Allegros on to the back of trains and ride in comfort to their destination. Stirling was a major hub, and was the gateway to the Highlands. Newton Abbot, often bypassed by tourists, is a useful point of departure for Dartmoor, Torbay and both coasts of Devon and Cornwall. Drives such as the NC500 (North Coast 500), Heart 200 and North East 250 in Scotland and South West 660 in England are great, but a relaunched Motorail – with competitive pricing – would allow us to travel greener, safer and without the tedious ordeal of the M4, M5 and M6. When direct service ended: mid-1980s Number of changes required in 2025: 1-4 Shortest duration in 2025: 8h 32m Distance: 387 miles Cheapest current cost: £161.70 Hull to Holyhead Ferry ports to fun resorts Privatisation killed off services linking Newcastle, York, Scarborough and Hull to North Wales – with most trains stopping at Manchester, furthering the uncontrolled metropolitanisation of Britain. The loss is felt at several levels, exacerbating the 'East-West divide', shrinking the once booming tourism of Llandudno and the North Wales coast and, more subtly, making Britons – islanders all, with a rich maritime history – forget our once vital ports. Boat trains used to connect all corners of the nation to ferry services to Ireland, Isle of Man and the continent. You could travel from Scotland and the north to Harwich Parkeston Quay. Today, the grandly monikered Harwich International is connected to, wait for it, nearby Manningtree. It's time to stop the rebranding and reconnect our ports. When direct service ended: 1980s Number of changes required in 2025: 2 Shortest duration in 2025: 5h 8m Distance: 180 miles Cheapest current cost: £125 South of England to the Settle & Carlisle Non-stop scenic splendour Britain's most scenic railway line, the Settle-Carlisle, is currently served by trains from Leeds, plus a Saturday-only, twice in each direction service from Manchester Piccadilly to Ribblehead, site of the celebrated viaduct. Opened in 1876 by Midland Railways – keen to compete with London & North Western, which dominated operations on what we now call the West Coast Main Line – the Settle-Carlisle follows the natural contours of the Pennines, in order to enable high-speed stream trains to carry passengers to and from Scotland. London's Science Museum holds a glorious 1903 timetable for the direct service on 'the most interesting route, the only through route embracing the lovely valleys of the Ribble and the Eden, the home and haunts of Sir Walter Scott, and the land of Robbie Burns,' from London St Pancras to Edinburgh, Perth and Inverness. Why deprive southerners of the north's sublime line? When direct service ended: 1982 (London St Pancras to Carlisle) Number of changes required in 2025: 1 Shortest duration in 2025: 5h 25m Distance: 262 miles Cheapest current cost: £87.20 Stranraer to Newcastle Straddling the beautiful borderlands One of the most punished towns in the UK, in transport terms, is Stranraer in south-west Scotland. Only a few decades ago, it was connected to London Euston, Carlisle and Newcastle, and for a spell there was an Edinburgh-Stranraer boat train. Why did all the trains go to this lonely peninsular tip? Mainly for the ultra-short ferry crossing to Larne in Northern Ireland. But the ferry no longer goes from Stranraer but from Cairnryan (a bus ride away), with Stena ships to Belfast (two hours 15 mins) and P&O ferry crossings to Larne (two hours). As for the station, it has trains to Ayr and Glasgow, and not many of them – every four hours on weekdays and only as far as Ayr on Sundays. Rail fans agree the Stranraer line ranks just below the likes of the West Highland Line and Dingwall to Kyle for scenic views. Reopening a route via Hadrian's Wall to Newcastle would tick many boxes for history and heritage-lovers, and provide a useful east-west connecting service. When direct service ended: 1993 Number of changes required in 2025: 3 Shortest duration in 2025: 5h 48m Distance: 135 miles Cheapest current cost: £72.70 Penzance to Wick From Land's End to the Flow Country The axing of the Aberdeen-Penzance service is precisely the opposite direction of the one CrossCountry should be following. It was only offered once a day (departing Aberdeen 8.20am, arriving Penzance 9.31pm – and only Plymouth-Aberdeen in reverse) but was a symbolic connection to the southwestern tip of the nation for Scotland and all of England. There used to be Waterloo to Penzance trains too, offering an iron-road version of the A303, ideal for south-west Londoners and stockbroker belt second-homers wanting to enjoy a few bottles of Mumm en-route to Marazion. The UK is missing a trick in not offering a pan-national service. There's no reason why someone can't offer a Penzance to Thurso/Wick service, using diesel- (or steam-) powered rolling stock. It would be a magnet for European rail fans and, at around 970 miles, would outclass many single-country lines for length. The UK's Trans-Siberian, in short, with Unesco sites at either end and the full gamut of towns, cities, landscapes, accents, cuisines and culture en route. Londoners can do a version of this trip on their handy Caledonian and Night Riviera sleeper trains. Why should everyone else have to drive or change 10 times to cross the nation? When direct service ended: N/A Number of changes required in 2025: 2-5 Shortest duration in 2025: 26h 21m Distance: 583 miles Cheapest current cost: £320.80 Birkenhead to Paddington Pleasure and leisure at your own pace This is not strictly a cross-country line, but it's a parable of how we can break the hegemony of city hubs. As early as 1860, the GWR – yes, you read that correctly – was able to operate trains from London Paddington to Birkenhead Woodside. By 1924, there were six down trains a day, some taking less than five hours. The early route was via Reading and Oxford, but later took a shorter diagonal through Bicester and High Wycombe. Restaurant cars and sleepers were offered on some timings. Running till 1967, the Birkenhead Flyer and The Zulu stopped at Leamington Spa, Shrewsbury, Wrexham and Chester. As well as providing a connection to the port at Birkenhead – giving that town an identity beyond being 'somewhere you can see from Liverpool' – it opened up the Wirral, with New Brighton and Port Sunlight, as well as Shropshire and the Welsh Marches. Today, the emphasis is on speed, not stopping and merely connecting A to B ie Liverpool Lime Street with London Euston, without any accounting for pleasure or leisure. These lines exist – why not allow open-access firms to target the holiday traveller on new city-swerving routes to places of extraordinary heritage and beauty? When direct service ended: 1967 Number of changes required in 2025: 2 Shortest duration in 2025: 3h 12m Distance: 178 miles Current cost: £82.70
Press and Journal
09-05-2025
- General
- Press and Journal
Ballater Station's remarkable tale of surviving neglect and devastating fire
There's something about Ballater Station that embodies the beguiling glory days of steam – stepping inside is a step back in time. But this railway heritage was nearly lost forever when a ferocious fire razed most of the building to the ground 10 years ago. While its royal links, community spirit and a dose of nostalgia undoubtedly helped, it largely owes its survival to Aberdeenshire Council – both in the aftermath of Beeching and the 2015 blaze. Join us as we tell the full story of the remarkable Ballater Station, from its somewhat controversial beginnings to the star of the Deeside village it is today… Ballater Station opened as an extension of the Deeside line on October 17 1866. The 27-mile line would continue the Deeside Railway from Aboyne into the heart of the Cairngorms. Its royal patronage meant it had one of the longest platforms in Scotland to accommodate the royal train. But plans were nearly halted entirely when Queen Victoria personally objected to the scheme. She rather enjoyed the seclusion of Balmoral and didn't want filthy steam trains full of the public on her doorstep. But an agreement was reached whereby the railway would go no further than Bridge of Gairn, a mile north of Ballater. Although the new station was open, Queen Victoria initially continued to use Aboyne Station. In November 1866, the royal train was waiting for her at Ballater, but instead she travelled by horse and carriage to Aboyne and boarded the train from there. But short of its centenary, rumours arose of the station's closure long before Beeching cast his eye over it. British Railways closed Drum Station between Culter and Park in 1951 citing falling passenger numbers due to competition with buses. And disaster struck when Ballater Station was badly damaged during the Great Storm of January 1953. So, in February 1953, the Evening Express put a spotlight on Ballater Station to find out why it should be saved. Ballater long had an 'outstanding' reputation for being beautifully kept, winning prizes for its platform gardens. It was described as 'a model station', and that Aberdeen 'could take note'. Inside it was just as well groomed with a welcoming fire in the refreshment room, while the cosy men's waiting room was carpeted, with 'colourful' pictures on the walls. The proud stationmaster explained staff regularly washed down the wooden station so it was always picture perfect. Was the station's care for the benefit of the royals? Not according to the tea girl, who candidly told the EE: 'Oh my goodness no; they never come in here. 'Their train pulls up, and they walk straight across the platform into the car for Balmoral.' But one room at Ballater Station entrance was nearly always locked – the Royal Waiting Room. It was described as 'a magnificent little parlour with carpets and soft leather arm chairs'. 'We always have it ready, just in case,' the stationmaster explained, adding a little regretfully, 'but it is never used'. Sadly, passenger numbers continued to dwindle and little over 10 years later, the line was axed by Beeching. By contrast, its final day on February 28 1966 saw the station busier than it had been since the arrival of wartime evacuees. Ballater Station closed 100 years after it opened, with the P&J reporting; 'The lights in the signal cabin went out, the lights in the station went out, the doors were closed and everyone went home, leaving the silent station to its ghosts.' Within years, the once-pristine station, that was the pride of the Deeside line was going to ruin. In 1972, British Rail was condemned for the untidy and derelict state of its abandoned stations, with special mention given to Ballater and Peterhead. The former was described as 'a blot on beautiful Ballater'. The station was still languishing in 1975 when a public meeting was held to discuss demolition or development. There was shock when the community association moved to demolish the station. Local hotelier Colonel Charles Napier argued: 'You destroy it and you destroy something that belongs to Ballater – you will never replace what you condemned to death.' But the council erred on the side of heritage, and had the old station restored as its rent office and tourist information. Pensioner John Smith ran the tourist information from the same room he'd worked in for 36 years as a railway porter. The council offices were in the former royal waiting room, complete with gilt detailing on walls, and etched glass bearing elaborate regal symbols. Queen Victoria's plush loo, however, had been sold by the council to the neighbouring Loriston Hotel. In May 1979, a restaurant was opened in the station by Alice Cooper (a local woman, not the rockstar). The council made the roof watertight, while Alice renovated the inside herself retaining the marble fireplace and other period features. By the 1990s the station was also home to a hairdresser, but in 1993 there were short-lived calls to reinstate the railway itself. So many bridges had been demolished and the line had been absorbed into agricultural land in parts, the cost was insurmountable. Instead the council pressed ahead with the revamp of the station and surrounding square. In April 2001, after being restored to its former Victorian glory the station reopened as the Old Royal Station, a visitor attraction with shops and a restaurant. The jewel in the crown was the exact replica of Queen Victoria's carriage. The handmade piece was the idea of the then-Prince Charles during a visit to Ballater, and it was craned into place in 2008. When a devastating fire broke out at the station on May 12 2015, the carriage was about all that could be saved. At about 1.56am that day, fire crews were confronted by a fierce inferno that had completely engulfed the landmark. The historic wooden building proved to be like a tinderbox for hungry flames. It took 50 fire fighters, five pumping engines and five specialist appliances around three hours to bring the blaze under control. A confectionery shop, photography business, tourist information centre, restaurant and the village's railway museum were significantly damaged. Photographer Amy Muir could only watch in horror as her equipment and livelihood went up in flames. In the immediate aftermath, as the building's charred remains smouldered, there were doubts the station could be salvaged. Reports suggested 95% of the structure had been destroyed and it would be a case of starting from scratch rather than rebuilding. While quick-thinking firefighters managed to save Queen Victoria's carriage, it was described as a 'small consolation' by those involved in the station's 2002 renovation. But the Station Restaurant, where the fire was found to have started accidentally, was completely ruined. VisitScotland, which ran the museum, was left counting the costs of irreplaceable artefacts which had gone up in smoke along with the fabric of the building. Recognising it as the 'centrepiece' of the village, Aberdeenshire Council quickly vowed to restore the B-listed building, with a large input from King Charles' charity The Prince's Foundation. Work to demolish unsalvageable parts of the building began in September and the council committed to a £3 million revamp with architects Halliday Fraser Munro at the helm. The landmark was to become a community facility featuring a VisitScotland information centre, public library and restaurant. The ambitious plans received Historic Environment Scotland approval, which also offered £107,500 towards the restoration. Work began in February 2017 with construction firm Morgan Sindell carrying out the project, and the first major milestone was reached that July when the royal carriage was reinstated. And there was joy when retired joiner Ian Hepburn revealed four original panels he had been tasked with removing from the station during work in the early 1970s. Despite being told to skip them, Ian stored them for 40 years, and their discovery helped piece together that particular part of the station. History was once again the informant when it came to painting the station near its completion. The public voted to restore the station to its green and cream British Railways livery after a photograph was unearthed showing its original hues. Just over three years from start to finish, the new, old Ballater Station reopened in August 2018 after a painstaking transformation. Continuing the royal link, part of the new-look station included a tearoom run by the Prince's Foundation, now the Rothesay Rooms. There was jubilation as the ribbon was cut declaring the station open – the seemingly impossible had been achieved. The heart of Ballater had been restored.
Scotsman
26-04-2025
- Automotive
- Scotsman
Why Scotland needs a public transport revolution but won't be getting one anytime soon
Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... When the Scottish Government revealed earlier this week that it was going to drop its target to reduce car use by 20 per cent by 2030, Transport Secretary Fiona Hyslop argued it was now 'unnecessary' to reduce carbon emissions, partly because of the rise of electric vehicles. However, as of last year, less than two per cent of cars in Scotland were electric, compared to more than 50 per cent in Norway. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad It seems more likely that this was yet another SNP promise that was never really going to happen. Certainly, those annoyed by ministers' failures to build new ferries, dual the A9, or set up a simple recycling scheme may detect a theme. Clearly the best way to persuade people to drive less is to offer a reliable, convenient and cost-effective alternative way to travel. However, public transport in Scotland has never really recovered from the 1960s, when Dr Beeching took an axe to the railways and the car was king, prompting plans for a six-lane motorway through Edinburgh. Travelling by train can be an expensive and frustrating experience (Picture: Andrew Milligan) | PA New research by Consumer Scotland has found nearly two-thirds of people want to travel in a more environmentally friendly way but that the high cost and the lack of availability of public transport are significant barriers. David Jackson, of Consumer Scotland, said: 'Reducing emissions from transport will be crucial to meeting overall net-zero goals, but for too many consumers public transport is hard to access, is seen as costly or does not feel safe.' People want to do the right thing, but if it is not practical, they are not going to do it. Traffic jams and potholes aside, car journeys are usually a simple matter of driving from A to B. Without a comprehensive network, travelling by public transport can involve long waits while changing from one service to another. The price of many train tickets also usually far exceeds the petrol cost of a car journey and it is even sometimes cheaper to fly.
Powys County Times
25-04-2025
- Politics
- Powys County Times
Montgomeryshire MP advocating to re-open Carno train station
Montgomeryshire's MP is advocating to re-open a village train station that has been closed for over 60 years. The Campaign for Carno Station is planning to hold an event on Saturday, April 26, and Montgomeryshire MP Steve Witherden is expected to be in attendance as he is asking residents to 'show their support'. Carno Station Action Group was formed in 2002 to campaign for the reopening of the village station, which closed in 1963 during the Beeching cuts. The coffee morning this weekend is being held to build community support by offering local people the chance to discuss the campaign with the action group and their MP. Mr Witherden said: 'I strongly encourage constituents in the Carno area to join me and the Carno Station Action Group at their coffee morning on the campaign to open a platform-only station. 'There is a real chance here to reverse the decline in connectivity that characterises train travel in Mid Wales. We need to kick up a fuss and show that there is serious community support behind this campaign ahead of the Spending Review in June. 'I will be doing my part in Westminster but I need your help too. Please come and show your support in Carno on Saturday.' The Montgomeryshire MP met with the campaign group in February 2025 and has since raised the issue with Welsh Transport Secretary Ken Skates at a meeting in March in an attempt to prioritise the station. The campaign to reopen the station had previously been backed by the Welsh Government, Transport for Wales, and Network Rail, but needs funding from Westminster, with the campaign hoping it will be included in a list of projects that will receive UK Government funding that is expected to be revealed as part of its Spending Review in June. The renewed push to open the station comes as derelict buildings by the platform have been demolished and their walls and foundations compacted to form a hard standing over the whole site, which the campaign group says could open the possibility of further development. Mr Witherden added: 'Carno, which is only served by a two-hourly bus on weekdays, could benefit significantly from a new platform-only station by boosting local tourism, making it easier for the young to access educational and employment opportunities, and promoting more environmentally friendly travel.' The coffee morning will be held at Carno Community Centre at 10am.
