East Midlands Railway have announced that they will be timetabling additional services on the Crewe to Nottingham line, which serves Uttoxeter, following a meeting convened in June by the local Member of Parliament, Kate Kniveton.
Ms Kniveton and Stoke-on-Trent South MP, Jack Brereton, met with EMR Managing Director, Will Rogers, Stakeholder Manager, Laura Etheridge, and Timetable Planner, James Chapman.
Previously, Uttoxeter Town Council, Uttoxeter Racecourse and residents have raised the issue of the irregular train service since the pandemic, and Ms Kniveton has raised this matter several times directly with EMR and the Department for Transport.
The four additional services that EMR announced this week from December onwards will help to reduce the gaps between services, particularly at peak times for the benefit of Uttoxeter residents who use the trains to commute.
Ms Kniveton has vowed to continue pressing EMR and the Department for Transport for further improvements to the local train line, including an earlier start in services on a Sunday and progress towards the fruition of a half hourly service on weekdays.
Commenting, Kate Kniveton MP said:
“I am pleased following my meeting alongside Stoke South MP, Jack Bereton, that EMR are to increase the number of timetabled trains serving Uttoxeter at peak times. This will make a big difference to the consistency of the service and is something I know the local community have been calling for.
“I will continue to work with my parliamentary colleagues in the region to push for further improvements along the line, beyond where they were pre-pandemic.
“The Crewe to Nottingham line offers huge potential for the Midlands and our regional economy. It is vital we do all we can to further improve the service on this line.”
