Reversing Beeching – is it too late to reopen axed lines? The Yorkshire Post says

IT is ironic that the Tories are advocating the reopening of the so-called Beeching lines when they presided over the closure of many of the rail routes in question.
Beverley Station in its heyday.Beverley Station in its heyday.
Beverley Station in its heyday.

Many attribute, in part, a prolonged period of Conservative rule coming to end in 1964, and Huddersfield-born Harold Wilson coming to power, to the decision to axe lines in a number of marginal seats across Yorkshire and the North East.

Yet, while it should be pointed out that Labour did not reverse the now infamous closure programme set out by Dr Richard Beeching, the monumental short-sightedness of this approach is all too obvious today.

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It has also fuelled a number of campaigns to reopen specific lines, like the link between Skipton and Colne which the Government has been backing, and a feasibility study into restoring services between Beverley and York that also ceased to operate in the 1960s. The latter will certainly have the endorsement of any commuter who has endured tortuous road journeys on the now notorious A1079 in peak periods.

There are calls to reopen the railway line between York and Beverley.There are calls to reopen the railway line between York and Beverley.
There are calls to reopen the railway line between York and Beverley.

But the Beeching reversal fund set up by Transport Secretary Grant Shapps only has limited resources – £500m – at its disposal and the East Yorkshire scheme did not feature on a shortlist that was set out by the Minister last month.

New lines make cheap headlines, but costs are prohibitive – not least due to land acquisition. Yet, rather than this dissuading local campaigners, the onus should be on them to put together the strongest possible economic and business case if the East Riding’s transport hopes – Beeching in reverse – are to stay on track.

Editor’s note: first and foremost - and rarely have I written down these words with more sincerity - I hope this finds you well.

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Almost certainly you are here because you value the quality and the integrity of the journalism produced by The Yorkshire Post’s journalists - almost all of which live alongside you in Yorkshire, spending the wages they earn with Yorkshire businesses - who last year took this title to the industry watchdog’s Most Trusted Newspaper in Britain accolade.

And that is why I must make an urgent request of you: as advertising revenue declines, your support becomes evermore crucial to the maintenance of the journalistic standards expected of The Yorkshire Post. If you can, safely, please buy a paper or take up a subscription. We want to continue to make you proud of Yorkshire’s National Newspaper but we are going to need your help.

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Sincerely. Thank you.

James Mitchinson

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