Accrington Railways - Robert Kenyon

Development Services Committee. He pointed out that there had not been sufficient numbers of objectors in Great Harwood and this had been a contributory factor in the loss of that railway line. George Slynn felt that a public meeting should be held, whilst Chairman Herbert Taylor criticised BR for a “lack of transparency”. Town Clerk, Nigel MacGregor, had previously sent a ‘strongly worded’ communication to the Divisional Manager of BR after a train, which was timetabled to operate at peak times, had been withdrawn. Meeting on Wednesday the 21 st , Lancashire County Council’s Highways & Transportation Committee discussed the setting up of an ‘early warning system’, in order to block any further cuts by BR. Labour Leader James Watson pointed out that BR were planning a strategy six months in advance and therefore, if they were consulted there would be adequate time to make an appraisal of their plans and mount what opposition they thought necessary. Chairman Councillor Woods stated that the Divisional Manager had given him assurances that as soon as he knew what the plans were he would pass them on, but that he himself was not always in the full confidence of the Board. It was resolved to press the Department for the Environment for the early publication of the Government’s White Paper on Public Transport, as there was great concern it would contain proposals for the future of services on the Preston to Colne and Preston to Blackpool South services. The Town Clerk reported to a meeting of the Development Services Committee, that he had seen in the press there were to be reductions in BR’s services in North East Lancashire. He had written to the Blackburn Area Manager to try to obtain authoritative information on any proposed service changes. Subsequently he had received a reply which indicated that as of January 5 th , there had indeed been a reduction in the level of service on the Colne - Preston route. He went on to say that LCC and other of the area’s Authorities, had already voiced their protests at the further reduction of the services. He pointed out that there was always an underlying threat to the future of the service linking Preston with Colne. “These cuts had been made at peak times when there was a clear demand and would result not merely in these services becoming increasingly unattractive to the public, with a consequent reduction in the numbers of passengers, but would be a clear inducement to BR to introduce even more cuts, even the complete withdrawal of the service”, he added. In anticipation of this Committee’s support, he had, with the approval of the Chairman and Vice-Chair, forwarded a letter to the Divisional Manager of BR protesting in the strongest terms to these cuts. He had also informed LCC and the Transport Users Consultative Committee, of the objections voiced by this Authority. Following this he had received a reply from the Clerk to the County Council, which notified him that the proposals by BR for changes to the passenger rail services within Lancashire had been discussed at a meeting held on December 18 th , last. This meeting had been attended by LCC’s Public Transport Sub-Committee and the Manager of the Preston Division of BR’s London Midland Region. At the end of the month Accrington’s MP Mr Arthur Davidson, along with several others, was to meet with BR’s top officials in order to raise their concerns about the rundown of services on the East Lancs Line and the retiming of certain trains. The outcome of this meeting was that various assurances were given by BR, for the restoration of one service and the retiming of another to enable commuters to take advantage of peak-hour services. It was further reported that since this meeting, BR had announced that the amendments to the current service, which had been scheduled to take place on January 5 th , had been put back to February 2 nd , to allow negotiations to take place between the Board of British Railways and the Trade Unions on the implications for staff. It was resolved - 1. To approve the actions of the Town Clerk in consultation with the Chairman and the Vice-Chair. 2. That the North East Lancashire Development Association be asked to co-ordinate representations made to BR, with regard to any proposed changes to services in this region. 3. That the Town Clerk should issue a comprehensive statement to the public on transport issues, setting out the actions which had been taken and would continue to be taken by this Authority, in order to safeguard rail services and also to secure a ‘rationalisation’ of bus services and fares within the area of Hyndburn. The North East Lancashire Development Association called for top level talks with the Ministry of Transport, Dr John Gilbert and Sir Richard Marsh, the Chairman of BR, in order to press for a “substantial improvement to train services, with better connections to the Inter-City network.

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