Following last night’s public meeting, this in from the Keep Island Line in Franchise (KILF) group. Ed
A public meeting at Shanklin Theatre on 11th August saw unanimous support from attendees for the campaign to keep the Island Line rail service in the franchise.
With over 250 concerned residents in the audience, the Keep Island Line in Franchise (KILF) Campaign set out how the future of our Ryde to Shanklin route was under risk – and what needed to be done to save it. The meeting was chaired by Deborah Gardiner, the Mayor of Brading, and was also attended by many local councillors who spoke in favour of the franchise.
The meeting warmly welcomed a statement from Cllr Steve Stubbings (Deputy Leader of the Isle of Wight Council) that Department for Transport (DfT) had indicated that Island Line will now be included in the tender specification when it is published next year. However the KILF Campaign has cautioned against this being accepted as a successful conclusion to local concerns.
Pugh: “Still much more to be done”
Speaking after the meeting, KILF Campaign Steering Group member David Pugh said:
“It is great news that the local authority has secured this clear indication from the DfT. However as I said in the meeting, even the MP has recently started to concede that Island Line will be in the franchise when it commences in 2017.
“We still need to ensure that our train service will be an integral part of the next franchise for its entire duration, thereby enabling the much-needed investment to take place. And drawing on the excellent input from the public meeting, we must set out a clear case of what we consider the franchise scope should include i.e. what the Train Operating Companies should be required to offer in terms of service levels and investment. There is still much more to be done.”
Blackmore: “Strength of local concern”
Stewart Blackmore added:
“The meeting was a clear demonstration of the strength of local concern. It is essential that Andrew Turner now starts listening and we will be writing to him with a copy of the resolution which was agreed. He must now completely rule out any community model – and in doing so help us repair the damage he has caused over recent months by promoting such plans.
“Our campaign continues in earnest, as we still have a fight on our hands. Anything less than Island Line being a full, integral part of the next South Western rail franchise will not be good enough. Over the coming weeks we will be preparing a submission to the DfT to set out the Island’s case. We will be doing this in close co-operation with the Isle of Wight Council and – we hope – the MP.”
Chris Quirk added:
“At the end of the meeting, I asked the Isle of Wight Conservative Association Chairman – Cllr Ian Ward – to communicate back to Andrew Turner the clear feeling of those present. He promised to do so. The MP now has the opportunity to join the consensus and back our efforts to keep Island Line in the franchise. The ball is in his court.”
The resolution
A resolution agreed at the end of the meeting called on Andrew Turner to facilitate a delegation from KILF to meet the rail minister to make the following points:
- keep Island Line in franchise for the duration of the franchise and back the Isle of Wight Council’s efforts in this regard.
- investigate ways that the new franchise would require the new franchisee to make the investment required to maintain and enhance the Island Line both in terms of the service provided and in improved infrastructure.
The KILF Campaign will be publishing details in due course about how the public can further contribute to its efforts and the wider public consultation.
