Spalding and Peterborough Transport Forum chairman George Scott questions whether Network Rail vision will come true as councillors highlight benefits

Boosting business and reducing pollution are among the reasons why a railway line should be electrified – but a ‘dubious’ rail campaigner does not believe it will get the green light.

Electrifying the Great Northern and Great Eastern Line – which runs through Spalding – is one of the key recommendations being put forward by Network Rail in its Lincolnshire Strategic Advice report. Recommendations within this document are not funded.

The upgrade of the line is seen as a way to improve passenger services between Peterborough and Lincoln. A better line could carry faster and longer freight and passenger services and is seen as greener and more efficient.

The report states: “Electrification and the other recommendations given here will help support growth, but there are specific opportunites to grow rail-freight’s market share which Network Rail welcomes working with stakeholders to explore. This includes the potential freight terminal near Spalding, with Midlands Connect in discussions around a potential case study for the UK Food Valley concept in the Spalding area.”

Chairman of Spalding and Peterborough Transport forum, George Scott, is supportive of electrification of the GNGE line – but is not hopeful that it would happen.

He said: “I think electrification needs to happen but I am dubious that it will take place because of the cost. We have to make it feasible for people to travel on the train.”

Mr Scott and local campaigners have been calling for the re-opening of the station at Deeping St Nicholas for more than a decade. Donington is another closed station that people would like to see re-opened.

The report states: “The potential for new stations on the line at Donington between Sleaford and Spalding and Deeping St Nicholas, between Spalding and Peterborough, has been considered at a high-level. Whilst Lincolnshire Strategic Advice has not identified delivery of either station as a core recommendation, it is possible that new station calls could be accommodated within existing services, and Network Rail welcomes discussions with potential funders.”

Network Rail also states in the report that a Sunday service would support connectivity for Spalding and that it is open to working with train companies to ‘explore possible additional services’ where demand is identified.

Leader of South Holland District Council Nick Worth – who also supports the electrification of the GNGE line – is also backing a Sunday service.

He said: “The potential for a Sunday service would be great but I think retailers might have to respond to that. If you are bringing more people to Spalding on a Sunday there has got to be something for them to do.

“Anything that improves services has got to be a good thing.”

Network Rail has ruled out the extension of London-bound passenger services from Peterborough to Sleaford as due to the impact on Spalding.

The report states that 11,000 vehicles daily use Spalding’s Winsover Road crossing.

But it adds: “The focus of this strategic advice remains on strategic changes to the network, and we welcome working further with potential funders on whole-system solutions, noting work on the Spalding Western Relief Road.”

Coun Richard Davies, highways chief, said: "At the moment, Network Rail has not yet provided costs for this programme, and they will come up with exactly what’s needed for this in the future. We are very much looking forward to getting more details about how lines such as the GNGE are going to be improved.

“There are real potential travel benefits with the points raised by this report. The chance to make linked-up schemes such as bus-to-train programmes more achievable with increased train availability, and the better freight movement to areas such as the Lincolnshire Food Enterprise Zone in Holbeach, make this very welcome news in terms of the future of rail transport for our county.”

What do you think? What improvements would you like to see made to our rail network? Post your comments below or email andrew.brookes@iliffepublishing.co.uk