Reopening of railway would be a good idea

IS there any truth in the rumours I have been hearing that the railway line between Marple Rose Hill station and High Lane is to reopen, along with new curved extension chords to Hazel Grove via Norbury Hollow, complete with a station, and to Buxton via Middlewood?

This would allow trains from Stockport or Buxton to go into Manchester by way of Marple Rose Hill and Romiley, then via either Hyde or Brinnington, with the Stockport services in particular forming a circular service in both directions.

Bear in mind that such a scheme could have a beneficial outcome, especially now in view of plans to build at least 500 houses in the High Lane area near to Norbury Hollow.

Taking into account the average house residents now have two cars among them, we are talking of at least one thousand extra cars on our already over-crowded road network.

No wonder it is taking longer for our buses to fulfil their journeys. Soon after the trams ended in the early 1950s, it took the former 192 service 40 minutes to travel the ten miles between Piccadilly and the Rising Sun in Hazel Grove.

Today, it can take one-and-a-half hours, if not more. Seventy-five sets of traffic lights don’t help, and if you don’t believe me, count them!

A revised railway layout, and electrified throughout, would reduce the road traffic considerably and give people new opportunities with their travel.

The big problem we have is persuading our politicians, local and national, to accept such investment, find funding for it and voting it through so construction can be fulfilled at the earliest moment.

Think enough and it is possible and it won’t cost as much as you think. After all, the lines are already electrified at each end and it is only the gap that would need fitting out, plus the Buxton line.

Chris Pearson, Edgeley