Proposed Lincoln rail improvements ‘not a good return on investment’
Quicker, but not more trains: A proposal to speed up trains between Lincoln and Newark would not be a good return on the investment, the County Council says.
Lincolnshire County Council says a proposal to speed up trains between Lincoln and Newark would not be a good return on the investment required from public money.
This week, Lincoln MP Karl McCartney and North Hykeham MP Stephen Phillips argued in Parliament with transport minister Stephen Hammond MP to do something to improve services along the Lincoln to Newark route.
The minister told them that the Department for Transport has not received a business case for the proposed improvements from Lincolnshire County Council and the LEP, so the MPs called on the two organisations to make their case.
Making Lincoln to Newark trains quicker
Following the debate, Lincolnshire County Council explained that East Midlands Trains have put forward an option to speed up trains between Lincoln and Newark by five minutes.
The case has been discussed with neighbouring local authorities like Nottinghamshire County Council.
The option is to lease a new train for three years, which would cost some £2.1 million over the period. The County Council’s contribution towards this cost would be of around £700,000.
This new train would operate between Matlock and Newark and pick up passengers that would usually use the Lincoln to Nottingham train service.
This would mean the Lincoln to Nottingham train would need to make fewer stops between Newark and Nottingham, cutting the journey time by up to five minutes.
The County Council argues that it would be more beneficial to improve the track between Lincoln and Newark instead, resulting in much faster services on the route.
Chris Briggs, Head of Transportation at Lincolnshire County Council, said: “We received the business case for this proposal earlier this week, and so we’re currently in the process of reviewing it.
“In general terms, we would obviously support an improved rail service between Lincoln and Nottingham.
“But Lincolnshire’s tax payers are being asked to make a significant financial contribution, and our initial feelings are that cutting the journey time by just a few minutes does not represent a good return on this investment.
“At this time our main goal is to increase the number of rail services between Lincoln and London. We’re working closely with rail companies and the Department for Transport to deliver this aspiration.”
LEP on the case
The Greater Lincolnshire LEP welcomed the support from the local MPs over the Lincoln to Nottingham line and also stressed the need for more trains between Lincoln and London.
Ursula Lidbetter at the LEP Summit 2012 in Market Rasen. Photo: Chris Vaughan
Ursula Lidbetter MBE, Chair of the LEP, said: “We are pleased to see this subject being brought once again into the public forum, as improved rail links are important for us in helping to grow the Greater Lincolnshire economy.
“It is important that as advocates for the business community we put our weight behind these topics, which is why I personally wrote to the Secretary of State for Transport, Patrick McLoughlin MP, in April last year to set out the case for better rail links between Lincoln and London.
“We know that this will help boost the local economy and improve tourism across Greater Lincolnshire.
“We have also fully supported Lincolnshire County Council’s business case for an improved Lincoln to London service.
“This is currently being used to lobby the Department for Transport and the prospective franchisees of the East Coast Main Line service to take a look at our needs and seriously consider further investment on that line to enable more frequent service between Lincoln and London.
“The LEP, along with the council has already planned meetings with those companies.
“We also ensured that the issue of improving rail links has been included in our Strategic Economic Plan, the final draft of which will be finalised and submitted to government by the end of March.
“Both LEPs and both county councils involved are currently assessing the business case to quantify what economic benefits would arise from additional investment in the Lincoln to Nottingham line.”
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Phase two of the works at Speakers’ Corner in Lincoln is well underway and expected to finish on schedule this summer.
Phase two, which began on Monday, January 11, will see existing paving upgraded, as well as new street furniture being installed.
It will follow the first phase which was completed and open to the public on December 22, with a new bench put in place around the existing London Plane tree, instead of the demolished kiosk.
Speakers Corner bench is in place, but closed off until phase two paving works are finished. | Photo: The Lincolnite
Site setup for phase two is complete, with workers on site currently digging out the existing hard paving standings at the Cornhill.
A large portion of the area has been fenced off while work takes place, leaving just two pedestrian strips on either side to access both the High Street and the Cornhill Quarter.
There is limited access in the area while works take place. | Photo: The Lincolnite
Despite the cold and wet weather throughout January, progress of the paving removal has not been affected.
This means that phase two works are still on course to be finished in summer this year.
It is hoped that once the area is completed, the walkways will blend in with those at Exchange Square, as well as utilising the space for events.
A look at how the finished development will look. | Illustration: City of Lincoln Council
Bin collections in Boston and in parts of East Lindsey will be suspended for the rest of the week due to COVID-related staff absences.
The collections will be suspended from Wednesday, January 27 as a number of East Lindsey District Council’s and Boston Borough Council’s waste crews either have coronavirus or are self-isolating.
Boston Borough Council and East Lindsey District Council said it is not a decision that has been taken lightly and it is necessary for the service to be suspended in some southern parts of the district until Monday, February 1.
From Monday, waste collections are expected to continue as normal.
Households impacted by the disruption can present any accumulated side waste in black refuse sacks alongside their black bins on their next scheduled bin collection.
The following areas are affected:
Boston
Friskney
Eastville
New Leake
Stickford
Coningsby (part)
Coningsby Moorside
Dalderby
Haltham
Mareham Le Fen
Moorby
N Bolingbroke
Revesby
Scrivelsby
Tumby
Tumby Moorside
Tumby Woodside
Wilksby
Wood Enderby
Carrington
Dogdyke
Frithville
Gypsey Bridge
New Bolingbroke
New York
Scrub Hill
Thornton Le Fen
Westville
Antons Gowt
Cowbridge
Fishtoft
Frithville
Langrick
Sibsey
East Keal
East Kirkby
Hagnaby
Keal Coates
Midville
Stickney
Toynton All Saints
West Keal
Victoria Burgess, Assistant Director for Operations at the council, said: “Over the past couple of days it has proved a real challenge to keep the service going with a number of rounds having not been completed due to staff absences.
“With more crews off again today we needed to take action now and suspending the service is the only realistic option available to us to keep everyone safe – something we’ve worked hard to avoid.
“Our workforce has done an amazing job over the past year and they’ve received much praise from the community and are grateful for your continued good wishes.”
Meanwhile, Lincolnshire County Council has agreed to extend their open days at the Household Recycling Centre on Bittern Way for the disposal of black-bagged general waste and recycling only.
The two extra days of opening are Wednesday and Thursday of this week and next, between the hours of 8am and 4pm.
Over 6,000 people living in and around the Scunthorpe have signed up to donate convalescent plasma after having coronavirus.
This comes as NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) is appealing for more potential plasma donors ahead of an upcoming third trial.
Convalescent plasma is the antibody-rich plasma of people who’ve had coronavirus. This can be transfused into people who are struggling to develop their own immune response.
NHSBT wants more people in the area hitting the 28-day recovery mark to sign up.
Over 30 donations have so far been taken at the Scunthorpe donor centre at Berkeley House at Berkeley Business Centre on Doncaster Road, which opened in December last year.
People can register to donate online here and can donate 28 days after they’ve recovered from coronavirus.
The Lincolnshire centre is located at Berkeley House at Berkeley Business Centre on Doncaster Road in Scunthorpe. | Photo: NHSBT
NHSBT is collecting the plasma for new trials for older people or those with cancer to treat them early in the course of the infection.
Two earlier trials have now stopped for data analysis. The upcoming third trial’s focus will be on those with low immune systems and all donations are tested for COVID antibodies.
The NHS trials of convalescent plasma are the largest randomised controlled trials for this treatment of COVID-19.
Professor Dave Roberts, Associate Medical Director for Blood Donation at NHSBT, said: “More people than ever are now able to help – the time to donate is now.
“We especially need donations from people in Scunthorpe who’ve had hospital care. Men who had hospital care are around six times more likely to have the high antibody levels which might save lives.
“We have completed two trials and analysis is ongoing. We now need to collect plasma for further planned clinical studies. We’re particularly looking at high risk groups such as the elderly and people with cancer.
“Donations are vital to the ongoing lifesaving research, which gives us a better understanding of how we can best treat patients with COVID-19 and help prevent deaths in the future.”
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