Put ‘Well on track appeal
A leading councillor has called for more trains to stop at Motherwell Railway Station.
Councillor Paul Kelly, the deputy leader of the council, has demanded more investment at the train station as part of £8.6bn improvements to the West Coast mainline which runs from Glasgow to London.
His calls come only two years after trains running through Motherwell were almost halved.
During that time in 2014, there were also cuts to the Shieldmuir to Glasgow City Centre service, making some passenger journeys nearly twice as long.
Councillor Paul Kelly believes the town deserves a better train service and sees the major investment in the Glasgow to London line as a good opportunity to improve services in Motherwell.
The Motherwell West councillor said,“There is more potential for the New West Coast mainline franchise to make a significant contribution to North Lanarkshire’s economy.
“Many people were disappointed when the number of mainline services stopping at Motherwell was reduced in recent years.
“But it’s obvious to us that an increased number of services, allied with improvements to access, parking and the station itself, can help to attract business to North Lanarkshire.”
With the West Coast Mainline being available for franchise soon, councillor Kelly has written to Chris Grayling, secretary of state for transport, asking for assurances that any bids will include upgrading and improving rail services to Motherwell.
He said;“In North Lanarkshire, we already have fantastic access to the motorway network and the addition of more West Coast services would mean businesses and residents have better, faster access to the rest of the UK.
“There is also real potential for Motherwell to become a hub for central Scotland in terms of access to the West Coast Mainline.”
The £1.1 billion Glasgow City Deal, apart from being one of the largest ever agreed, is also set to bring benefits and improvements to councils outside the Glasgow area.
Councillor Kelly added;“The ambition of the City Deal across the Glasgow City Region will bring enormous economic benefits, and I have asked Grayling to use his powers to ensure we can capitalise on that.
“There is no doubt more mainline services to and from Motherwell will support our ambitions for Motherwell and North Lanarkshire and make a contribution to the economy of North Lanarkshire, Scotland and the UK.” St Athanasius Parish