PASSENGER numbers across northern Lincolnshire have "far exceeded" original forecasts, the new Rail Minister has said.
Claire Perry, who replaced Stephen Hammond as Rail Minister on Wednesday, made the admission in response to a debate on the future of rail services across the region, tabled by "northern powerhouse" Cleethorpes MP Martin Vickers.
The Commons debate was also attended by Great Grimsby MP Austin Mitchell, Brigg and Goole MP Andrew Percy and Scunthorpe MP Nic Dakin.
Collectively, the parliamentarians highlighted the concerns of local residents, businesses and commuters over the Government's consultation process into the TransPennine Express (TPE) and Northern franchises.
Mr Mitchell said it was unfair that modern trains were being moved south to the Chilterns leaving locals with the equivalent of "cattle" class.
He said the transfer of the modern class units to Chiltern "to give southerners a more comfortable ride while we are put in cattle transport" should be opposed.
"It is quite right to raise the question of the direct service to London and the electrification of the line, but the main thing now is to stop a service that is bad being made worse by this consultation document."
Mr Vickers warned that reductions to services would leave the area with a "Cinderella" service.
He said: "My constituency, despite having ten railway stations, the largest port complex in the country and an international airport, does not have the best transport links and certainly needs improved rail connections if it is to maximise the potential for economic growth.
"The Cleethorpes to Barton service, one that is essential to the outlying areas, is something of an anomaly. It is part of the existing Northern franchise but entirely cut off from the rest of its network and is crewed by TransPennine. Yes, it could be operated by East Midlands, which currently operates between Grimsby and Newark via Lincoln.
"All I will say is that myself and my constituents will want an assurance that it will not be treated as an inconvenient Cinderella service, but as an essential part of the network."
The MPs heaped praise on our Keep On Track campaign to highlight the concerns of locals.
Addressing Ms Perry, Mr Vickers said: "I can assure the Minister that you will be hearing from the travelling public in great numbers, thanks to the campaign being run by the Grimsby Telegraph, which has been inviting readers to complete a petition form and to date have received more than 4,000 completed forms."
Mr Percy called it an "excellent" campaign. He said that the consultation, however, "goes in the opposite direction" to the Government's mantra about greater interconnectivity in the North, including East to West.
Mr Vickers referred to Ms Perry as "an ally" after the Telegraph reported that, as recently as June 27, she had been a vociferous campaigner against cuts to rail services in her own Devizes constituency in Wiltshire.
Both Mr Vickers and Mr Percy pointed out the inherent contradictions of developing an area for tourism and withdrawing its main rail service.
Mr Vickers also questioned the numbers, used by the Department for Transport (DfT), to support its case for cutting services.
He said: "The argument is that not enough people travel the full length of the route. If that is what the Department of Transport is to hang its proposal on, it must come clean. How many passengers travel the full distance between Euston and Glasgow: 20 per cent, or perhaps 40 per cent? How many travel the full distance between King's Cross and Edinburgh? Many will get off at York or Newcastle, or indeed at Doncaster because they want to get to Cleethorpes. The Department cannot hide behind the phrase 'commercial confidentiality'."
Ms Perry agreed to be more transparent by releasing the figures Mr Vickers asked for.
Responding to Mr Vickers, she said: "You are a northern powerhouse in your own right.
"Members will be aware, since privatisation the number of passengers on our rail network has doubled, with record numbers of people choosing to travel by train.
"This is particularly obvious in the north of England, where the Northern and TransPennine Express franchises have far exceeded the original expectations of passenger growth. We are now dealing with the challenges of success, with the increase in passenger numbers meaning that we need to provide capacity where it is most needed."
Ms Perry confirmed that an announcement will soon be made on the issue of rolling stock and the Chilterns/TPE deal.
Meanwhile, both North Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire councils have agreed to a joint campaign to fight the DfT's proposals and have commissioned a feasibility study on the potential to electrify the 50 miles of track between Cleethorpes and Doncaster.
A team from North East Lincolnshire Council will be collecting signatures for a petition against the proposals between 11am and 1pm at the Riverhead, Grimsby, today.
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