Department for Transport
Great Minster House
33 Horseferry Road
London
SW1P 4DR
Tel: 0300 330 3000
Web Site: www.gov.uk/dft
Our Ref: 205265
Barrie Russell
By mail to: request:-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx
14 September 2017
Dear Mr Russell,
Thank you for your email of 19 August 2017 to the Department for Transport about the
Blackpool South railway line and HS2 benefits for the Fylde Coast. Your email has been
forwarded to the Passenger Services Team for reply.
I understand your concerns over the rail network serving Blackpool South and the Fylde
Coast and the Department appreciates you taking the time to write to inform us of your
views on this issue.
Looking ahead, you might be interested to know that Lancashire County Council has
identified the Blackpool South line as a key weakness in the Fylde Coast public transport
network. The Council secured funding to investigate the best way of enhancing the role of
the South Fylde Line in providing a southern gateway to Blackpool and to establish what
the most viable and cost-effective way of linking the South Fylde Line and the Blackpool
Tramway might be. They also looked what benefits such a link might deliver.
The Government has made available substantial funds to the Local Enterpri se
Partnerships (LEPs) to support local economic development. In line with the Government’s
devolution agenda, it is for local authorities who are responsible for local transport
planning, in conjunction with the LEPs, to determine if funding passenger rai l services is
an appropriate response to public transport needs and/or economic growth opportunities.
You may also be pleased to know that the Northern and TransPennine Express franchises
will provide new or refurbished trains, and the oldest trains, the Pacers, are among those
being removed from service. Passengers travelling from Colne to Blackpool South via
Preston will get a full hourly Sunday service – twice as many trains on Sunday compared
to now.
In regard to your point on a passing loop, Network Rail explored a number of options for
maintaining rail access to Blackpool during the closure, which included a passing loop as
you have suggested. Unfortunately, due to the time required to undertake the design and
delivery of the passing loop, this option could not be completed ahead of the November
closure. However, Blackpool South will be open during 8 weeks of the closure to help to
minimise disruption to passengers travelling to Blackpool.
The train service will be supplemented with replacement buses, including express and
stopping services.
Turning to your point on Railtrack and Network Rail, having reviewed your request for
information, Department officials have identified that this could more appropriately be
responded to by Network Rail.
Network Rail can be contacted on 020 7557 8000, via email using the online contact form
at
https://communications-crm.custhelp.com/ or alternatively in writing to:
Network Rail
1 Eversholt Street,
London,
NW1 2DN
Finally, addressing your point on HS2 and its benefits for the Fylde Coast, it may help if I
explain that the capacity and connectivity HS2 will generate will help to support economic
growth across the UK and make it easier for businesses to choose to locate in our great
Northern and Midland cities. Whilst HS2 trains are not planned to go to Blackpool and the
Fylde coast itself, improvements are planned in terms of train journey time and passenger
capacity to the immediately adjoining wider area.
It is too early to set the timetable to which HS2 will operate, so no decisions have been
taken, but an indicative train service has been developed to model the benefits of HS2.
Preston is currently served by one direct train per hour to London Euston, with an
additional train in peak hours, and one train per hour running to London via Birmingham.
When HS2 opens in 2026 and continuing in Phase 2a from 2027, the Government
anticipates two high speed trains per hour from Preston to London Euston, i ncluding one
service which would stop on route at Wigan North Western and Warrington Bank Quay to
the south. These would be in addition to the existing conventional service via Birmingham,
which would continue to run.
When Phase 2b opens in 2033 further enhancement is anticipated to train services to the
region. There will be three high speed trains per hour from Preston to London Euston and
an additional high speed service from Preston to Birmingham Curzon Street, in addition to
the conventional service via Birmingham which would continue to run.
The Lancashire LEP sees Preston as the engine to establish an ‘arc of prosperity’ running
from Lancaster through to Blackpool, Blackburn and Burnley taking in Lancashire’s
aerospace, energy, tourism and higher education sectors. According to Lancashire LEP in
Preston itself, HS2 could mean 75,000 extra visitors a year, adding £3.3m to the city’s
economy annually. A comprehensive development programme is planned in and around
the station that could provide more than 7,500 new jobs and generate over £300m in
added value.
Thank you again for raising your concerns. I hope this reply is helpful.
Yours sincerely,
M Killiner
Correspondence Manager — Passenger Services