Leicester Green party were extremely disappointed to hear that a key morning train service, servicing busy villages into Leicester has been cancelled.
EMR have confirmed this service has been cancelled ‘until further notice’, just when people are beginning to return to work.
That a key commuter train has been axed and has disappeared from the timetable, at a time of climate emergency and just when people need it most, is quite frankly disgraceful.
How are children going to get to college or people get to work now?
This is one of the reasons why we have called upon Leicester and Leicestershire councils to work together on a joint transport strategy, rather than the flawed single documents which currently fail to mention each other!
So many of our transport needs cross county city borders, and air pollution and congestion have a negative impact on us all.
We need a strategic vision linking bus, train, cycle pedestrian and car travel across the entire city and county!
This axing, with apparently little consultation with either council, illustrates further why both councils need to really step up and work far more closely with the rail and bus operators.
It’s not all gloom though: the proposed workplace car park levy (WPL) has been utilised in Nottingham to rejuvenate and pilot services on bus and train.
The WPL will help in this process, because there will be funds available to pilot key train lines or services that the councils feel are strategically vital for our economic and environmental vitality.
Once it’s proved there is demand, department of transport contracts must consider service provision.
In the meantime, please contact EMR and your council representatives to object to this short term anti environmental axing of key services. https://www.eastmidlandsrailway.co.uk/form/customer-relations
Have you sent any letters to the press on Green issues, or do you have an issue you would like the Leicester Green Party to know about? If so, please get in contact.