As the saying goes, when waiting for a bus two always come along at once, but in this case train commuters are being given TWO bits of good news as the wheels are finally turning on future plans to improve services.
Network Rail’s Access For All programme, which aims to provide step-free access at stations across the country, received a warm welcome from Leighton-Linslade’s Town Council planning committee last week.
Access For All is a major programme improving accessibility at train stations nationwide by installing lifts and ramps, with a new bridge with lifts being proposed at Leighton Buzzard’s railway station.
Chairman of Leighton-Linslade’s planning committee, Councillor Ken Sharer, said: “We have been asking for these facilities a long time. I remember being at the station 25-30 years ago and being told by someone at the station that for a disabled person to get from platform one to platform three they would have to get the train to Hemel Hempstead and use their facilities, then get the train back to Leighton Buzzard.
“Overall I thought the meeting went extremely well and it was a pleasure to sit and listen to it all. I am delighted.”
Andrew Selous MP, who is championing the future plans at the train station, said: “It can’t happen quick enough for the people that need it. There will be a lift at last. To be honest I am staggered that Leighton Buzzard, because it has a fairly new train station, did not have this put in originally.”
In a recent LBO story, Mr Selous spoke of his outrage over London Midland services cramming rush-hour commuters into four carriages on November 13 due to a fault on carriage units just as they were about to leave the maintenance depot to enter service.
In a letter to London Midland, Mr Selous expressed his disappointment at the service, but has now been told that 2014 will see additional peak services from London Euston.
He said: “They say their trains are generally reliable and faults like this are very rare, but I am pleased to know there are replacements. The sooner the better as far as I am concerned.
“I will absolutely hold them to that and will find out if we can get them in more quickly.
“I will monitor the situation and I will certainly get back in touch if this happens again. It is not safe and it is extremely serious. I have written to the Secretary of State for Transport to voice my concerns.
“The other point is that it is now £4,840 a year (for a season ticket), which is an awful amount of money, with it also being £720 a day to park at Leighton Buzzard Train Station.
“It is even more important now for commuters to get a reliable service. Not everyone can get a job in the town, even now that is is expanding, a lot of people have to commute to London or the other way to Birmingham.”
Replying to Mr Selous’ concern about the four-carriage commuter service, a spokesman for London Midland said: “Unfortunately there was not a replacement available, and so we had to run the train service with four carriages instead of eight. We have a very reliable fleet of electric trains on the West Coast Main Line and faults like this are very rare.
“We do understand that lots of people want to travel during the peak hours, and we continue to work with the Department for Transport to make the case for additional capacity.
“In 2014 we will be introducing additional peak services from London Euston, enabled by the delivery of additional new trains, which will provide welcome capacity on services into and out of Euston.”