Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council backs bid to re-open Railway Station

Campaigners have persuaded Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council to back a campaign to re-open a local railway station.

Local Lib Dem councillors have been campaigning for the re-opening of Elmesthorpe railway station as an additional public transport option for commuters in areas such as Earl Shilton and Barwell.

At a Borough Council meeting recently support was secured for a campaign to re-open Elmesthorpe Railway Station.

Local Councillor David Gould said "Economic growth and increased prosperity has led to more people travelling to work, which has led to our roads becoming much busier. Whilst the County Council is addressing shorter-distance journeys, little has been done to deliver improvements to longer distance journeys to neighbouring cities.

"With key areas of growth in Barwell, Earl Shilton, Stoney Stanton and Sapcote there is an opportunity to enhance journeys to Leicester, Birmingham and Coventry through the re-opening of a station near Elmesthorpe.

Cllr Michael Mullaney Lib Dem parliamentary spokesman for Bosworth said "Lib Dems in Hinckley & Bosworth and Blaby are campaigning to re-open Elmesthorpe station to help provide new journey opportunities. Railways provide a primary means of transport, and are particularly important as they enable young people especially to travel to work without encountering the prohibitive cost of motor car insurance."

David Bill said "Councillors have been working with Network Rail and Cross Country Trains to secure a long term vision for the area. The reopening of Elmesthorpe station even as a halt would benefit local commuters."

Wording of the Motion Proposed by Councillor David Gould, "This Council requests that the Chief Executive respond to each and every consultation relating to the Birmingham-Leicester line requesting the opening of a station at Elmesthorpe to serve the communities of Barwell and Earl Shilton. Further this Council reaffirms its request to the Chief Executive to also include in his response a request for a twice hourly service for both Elmesthorpe and Hinckley."