Council fights for improvements to 'antiquated' railway routes

Councillor Don Mackenzie, cabinet member for transport at Harrogate Borough Council, and Harrogate Chamber of Trade and Commerce chief executive Brian Dunsby, are now lobbying rail chiefs to discuss better links to the spa town.

They have already met Elaine Holt, chairman of East Coast train line to discuss a new link to London, while high-level talks with the Department of Transport and Network Rail to improve services within North Yorkshire are expected to take place soon.

The announcement comes ahead of motion being put before Harrogate Borough Council this Wednesday, demanding an upgrade to the railway line between the spa town and York which is condemned as antiquated and in need of urgent investment.

Coun Mackenzie said: "This is very important and crucial to the area's future.

"Harrogate is a major international conference centre but our train links leave much to be desired.

"Better train services are right at the top of our priorities and we are seeking these talks to ensure we do all we can to make it happen."

The Harrogate Chamber of Trade and Commerce estimates that 40 per cent of the 350,000 business visitors coming into the town each year rely on local train services.

In May 2008, the organisers of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development annual conference – which had been held in Harrogate for 60 years – announced that they were moving the event to Manchester because of the town's poor transport links.

Business leaders are desperate to improve facilities to avoid further blows to the town's economy.

The Chamber's chief executive, Brian Dunsby, said: "It is of a huge concern to us, and we need to make sure that people can get to and from the town easily, otherwise we will not be able to compete with other venues across Britain.

"It is hugely frustrating not just for the conferencing industry, but for the growing number of Harrogate-based business executives who are attempting to travel to other parts of the country when there is not an adequate rail service."

The motion being put to Harrogate Borough Council says it should take the lead in lobbying Network Rail for to lay double tracks between Knaresborough and Cattal, and Green Hammerton and Poppleton, as well as demanding that new automatic barriers and crossings are installed and signals electrified.

It also demands that trains run more frequently than hourly.

Coun John Savage, who is backing the motion, said: "I take this line regularly and investment is crucial. Sometimes I can be stuck on that train for hours and that is unacceptable.

"This is of huge importance to the economic future of the county and I am delighted the campaign is gaining momentum.

"We need to increase pressure on the rail industry and ensure that transport links throughout North Yorkshire remain a real priority."

A Network Rail spokesman said: "We regularly carry out comprehensive studies into where investment is needed.

"The Yorkshire and Humber RUS (route utilisation strategy) was published on July 15, 2009. This study did not identify capacity needs on the York – Harrogate line.

"Network Rail does not have funding to carry out works such as those suggested on this line.

"However we would be happy to discuss proposals from third parties who can identify alternative funding sources," the spokesman added.