Friends of Littleborough Station call for franchise improvements

Littleborough station

In responding to the Department for Transport’s current stakeholder consultation on the renewal of the Northern and Trans Pennine Express franchises, The Friends of Littleborough Station have called for the franchising process for the Northern franchise to result in:

• Commitments to monitor the achievement of the franchising objectives and to report back to passenger representatives and the community rail sector on progress made and on any barriers to progress. 
• A reliable, passenger-friendly rail service that meets the needs of all sections of the populations of Littleborough and Smithy Bridge. 
• Recognition of the heritage value of our railways to the local tourist industry. 
• A commitment to improved punctuality of rail services. 
• A plan for developing Littleborough as a transport hub providing access to the countryside around the town. 
• A concrete plan for phasing out poor quality rolling stock in as short as time as possible.
• Transparency of the criteria used to inform spending decisions. 
• A commitment to the electrification of the Calder Valley line. 
• A commitment to high levels of customer service and monitoring of these. 
• Plans for comprehensive revenue collection. 
• A level of financial support for community rail groups.