Local MPs Alicia Kearns and Ruth Edwards have welcomed the announcement that additional services will stop at local stations on the Poacher Line from May following their election commitment to improve services.
East Midlands Railway has confirmed that additional trains will stop at Aslockton, Bottesford and Radcliffe-on-Trent on weekdays (towards Nottingham) and on Saturdays and Sundays (towards Skegness).
Alicia and Ruth have been campaigning for the last year to improve services on this line following election commitments they made. This announcement is a huge step forward in delivering on that campaign. Although the final May changes are still subject to some final amendments, the changes will mean much improved services for local villages across the Vale.
The MPs will continue to work to improve the line and the wider transport provision across the area, with Alicia Kearns having already successfully secured £50,000 from the Department of Transport to look at improving train services from Melton to Nottingham (https://www.aliciakearns.com/news/melton-mp-secures-ps50000-commitment-improve-local-train-provision), a commitment from Highways England to improve safety measures at the A52 junction at Bottesford (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LblFQzJ1aVk), and secured funds and support to investigate a further train station and service in Rutland (https://www.aliciakearns.com/news/alicia-kearns-mp-welcomes-provisional-rcc-funding-feasibility-study-luffenham-rail-services).
Alicia Kearns, MP for Rutland and Melton said:
"I promised residents I would secure more train services at Bottesford and I’m delighted that these timetable changes will give residents of the Vale exactly that. From May, travelling to Grantham or Nottingham, and beyond, for work or leisure will be much easier with much more frequent services and better connections. It will also help bring tourism to our area as we recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.
"It’s fantastic to see EMR listening to, and acting on, the requests and concerns of residents. I will continue to campaign for further timetable enhancements for residents of Melton and the Vale but today’s announcement is really good news. Thank you to all the constituents who responded to my survey on services at Bottesford: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uvd1_35dqCM"
Will Rogers, Managing Director at East Midlands Railway, said:
"Our May timetable change provides major improvements for many parts of the East Midlands and beyond. Overall, it will provide more seats, quicker journeys and a simpler and more resilient timetable when it is introduced from Sunday 16th May.
"This includes improvements to EMR Regional services with additional weekday and weekend services for Aslockton, Bottesford and Radcliffe as well as the continuation of our summer Sunday services to Skegness throughout the year.
"A further and more significant timetable enhancement for EMR Regional services will follow and we look forward to providing more information on these further improvements later in the year."
EMR has confirmed that Aslockton, Bottesford and Radcliffe-on-Trent will all get additional services on weekdays (towards Nottingham), Saturday (towards Skegness) as well as Sundays.
On weekdays, EMR will introduce earlier morning services as well as one additional 'peak' service between Grantham and Nottingham. In the evenings, one service will extend from Grantham through to Boston and an additional service will be introduced between Sleaford and Nottingham.
On Saturdays, there will be earlier and additional morning services between Grantham and Nottingham as well as additional evening services between Boston, Sleaford and Nottingham. There will be a significant increase in Sunday services bringing the service level much closer to weekdays, including Summer Sunday Skegness services which have previously only operated between May and September, will run all year round.
