For more information go to FDC/HCRP Web page Click Here
Manea & Whittlesea Railway Stations Feasibility Study Report 2015 Click Here
As advertised – There was at tonights meeting an exceptionally good turn out of Whittlesey Councillors, but no so the Whittlesey Public – just myself and Andrew O.
Yes you read correctly just 2 members of the Public from Whittlesey…..
Lead Councillor Mrs K Mayor along with Cllrs Mason, Dorling, Laws and Wicks.
As with previous meetings, Cambs, FDC & Wisbech Cllr Simon King brought the meeting up to date – unfortunately, there had not been a great deal of progress since last year.
Abillio have won the franchise to run trains in our area. They are committed to spending a great deal of money on Rolling Stock, however the ‘minor’ frustrations ‘we’ have brought up are yet to be addressed, these include better lighting on the approach/departure of Whittlesey Station and that of the ‘Locked Gate’ and the vast amount of ‘bracken’
There was a very impressive display of what the HRCP ‘Wish List’ would look like, but as Cllr King informed the group – they are the ‘partnership’ they can not dictate to the Franchisee.
Some Whittlesey Councillors questioned Cllr King on several issues, the main one being – Housing and increase in population without a coherent infrastructure plan in place.
The importance of the ‘Neighbourhood Plan’ being part of future transport planning.
Cllr King and the HRCP will be meeting with Abillio in early October (Not a public meeting) and will hope to report back at the next scheduled partnership meeting –
(March 2017)
Unfortunately I came away feeling again a bit deflated – with the lack of any great progress.
Now that Abillio have their franchise and are supposedly investing a vast amount of money in Rolling Stock – it would have been nice to hear that a ‘little bit’ was coming Whittlesey way – as I’ve quoted before it’s called the ‘Whittlesey Effect’ –
