Cllr Ray Bloomfield (Con) has tabled a motion for next week’s Full Council meeting which sees a move against Conservative Isle of Wight MP Andrew Turner’s position on Island Line Trains.
Although the MP supports a Community Interest Company running the service between Shanklin and Ryde when the current franchise comes to an end in February 2017, Ray is calling on the council to urge the Department of Transport to ensure Island Line trains are include in the next South Western Franchise.
He asks that the Council:
(i) Notes that the next South Western rail franchise period will commence in 2017, two years earlier than had been anticipated.
(ii) Further notes that the proposed “Island Infrastructure Taskforce” (as agreed by Full Council in November 2014) has not secured any funding from government, and therefore has not been established.
(iii) In light of (i) and (ii) above, reaches a view that Island Line should remain as a fully integral part of the South Western rail franchise for the entire duration of its post-2017 period.
(iv) Makes representations to the Department of Transport (DfT) stating this unequivocal view, and urges them to ensure that the franchise specification invites bidders to set out how they would invest in, maintain and improve the service throughout this time.
(v) Calls on the DfT to ensure that, as part of the forthcoming public consultation process about the new franchise, at least one formal consultation session is held on the Isle of Wight.
(vi) Agrees that a longer-term look at the Island’s strategic transport needs – including that of subsequent operational arrangements for rail travel (for beyond the next franchise period) – are looked at when resources allow for, particularly if external funds can be secured to support this work.
Where and when
The meeting takes place from 5pm (note the change of usual start time) on Wednesday 2nd September.
Members of the public are welcome to attend the public gallery at County Hall to watch proceedings. There are 15 minutes at the beginning of the meeting to ask questions.
No “clear direction” from DfT
Steve Butler, IOW Trades Union Council spokesperson, said,
“IOWTUC are very concerned the Island Line situation has turned into a political spat/old scores etc.
“As Claire Perry MP said in her quote to the BBC on 29 July, she knows how vital transport links are to local communities, businesses and the tourism industry of the Isle of Wight.
“The IOWTUC are aware of commercial sensitivity with tenders, but at present the DfT are not giving a clear direction over the future of Island Line which the people of the Island deserve and expect.”
Image: tompagenet under CC BY 2.0
