Jump to content

More fast trains to Leeds - from December


Andy C

Recommended Posts

Just checked it out, the return times aren't so great if like me you finish work at 5.00 but I suppose I can't have everything. Thanks for posting this in the first place as if (when) it does happen then I'll be real chuffed at not having to sit in wall to wall M1 traffic every day.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It would be great if a few trains ran during the early hours too like between Sheffield and Manchester (Airport).

 

Whenever I go out for a drink in Leeds, I always have to catch the last Virgin 21:10 direct train back to Sheffield because the remaining trains back all take twice as long, which is pretty crap.:(

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Originally posted by skyfitsboy

It would be great if a few trains ran during the early hours too like between Sheffield and Manchester (Airport).

 

ALL First/Keolis(SNCF) Trans Pennine services will NOT go to Manchester Airport but will ONLY go to Manchester Centre (Piccadily).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Originally posted by Captain_Scarlet

ALL First/Keolis(SNCF) Trans Pennine services will NOT go to Manchester Airport but will ONLY go to Manchester Centre (Piccadily).

 

I can assure you that is not at all true. The Transpennine Express timetable is indeed being recast in December and the stopping pattern and departure time being standardised each hour, but the Airport is still on he network. The Sheffield route (Cleethorpes to Manchester Airport) is pretty much unchanged between Sheffield and Manchester Airport. As far as I know the only route that is being cut back to Piccadilly is the Hull route.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

I’m not sure if I'm missing a trick here, but where exactly are the improvements to the Sheffield-Leeds and Leeds-Sheffield timetables that have been so welcomed in the previous postings in this thread??

 

On their website, South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive have posted a news article (see http://www.sypte.co.uk/more/news/news2.html) that announces the increase in Leeds-Sheffield services and reduced journey times as, and I quote "an alternative to those using the congested M1 motorway and opening up new opportunities for those living and working in Barnsley, Sheffield and Leeds."

 

I too welcomed this announcement, but having investigated the proposed new timetable further, it would appear that nothing is going to change at all, particularly from the perspective of commuters (such as me) who travel the Sheffield to Leeds route on a daily basis (Mon-Fri).

 

There are currently only 2 viable "fast" services that connect Sheffield with Leeds in a morning that get in before 9am. These are:

 

07:12 arriving 07:52 (Virgin service that is nearly always delayed)

08:00 arriving 08:51 (Arriva service that is punctual but can be congested)

 

The "improved" new timetable however is a complete misnomer. According to the new timetable the services are now:

 

Virgin service - remains the same

07:52 arriving 08:49 (new service that replaces the current 08:00, takes slightly longer and now has additional stops)

 

All other services at this time remain the same, i.e. take well over an hour.

 

As for the return journey, the only current viable options are the xx:12 Virgin services, which again have a terrible punctuality record. It is not worth the hassle of getting a local stopping service in an evening as they too take well over an hour to get to Sheffield and it is here that the new services really need to deliver. Again, this is not the case – see proposed timetable below.

 

17:04 arriving 18:14 (1hr 10)

17:10 arriving 17:51 (Virgin service)

17:34 arriving 18:57 (1hr 23)

17:48 arriving 19:00 (1hr 12)

18:10 arriving 18:51 (Virgin service)

 

Discounting the Virgin services, the new timetable is a virtual carbon copy of the current timetable and in no way provides a viable alternative to local commuters between the two cities. Whilst I appreciate that this has improved commuter links with Barnsley, I can see absolutely no benefit whatsoever for Sheffield to Leeds commuters.

 

It is all well and good increasing the number of services during the day, but to have a real, tangible benefit to the local economy, by improving the commercial links and opening up opportunities, Yorkshire Forward and the local PTAs need to work with the train operators to increase the frequency of trains at peak periods, and by that I mean both morning and evening.

 

Further work needs to be done here if the proposed timetable changes are to meet their stated objectives. In the mean time I will soldier on with the only viable option available and that, I’m afraid, is Virgin Cross Country…

 

If anyone in the know has any comments on the above, I would like to hear them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.