Group aims to get rail link restored
By Jo Deeks on Thursday, 20th January 2000.
MOVES to get a rail link restored in Haverhill are to continue despite lack of support from Cambridgeshire County Council.
Members of the town's Partnership Group were told that at an advisory group meeting to discuss the issue, Cambridgeshire County Council had expressed reservations about the idea.
They felt the line would generate insufficient profit to cover running costs, estimates of cost were too low and it was not possible to protect the remaining line unless it was certain to be revived.
Ian Poole of St Edmundsbury Borough Council said their Transport and Works Committee had already agreed to contribute towards a feasibility study and efforts could continue to persuade Cambridgeshire that the idea was feasible.
Gerry Kiernan, a borough and county councillor, told the Partnership he did not feel they should be too disappointed by Cambridgeshire's attitude, which would not necessarily stop the idea.
"It would be highly unlikely that the rail would carry on in the town or Cambridgeshire where it was before.
"It would be nice to see Cambridgeshire being a bit more positive in their attitude, but it is a long term problem and we have just got to keep on going.
"We cannot expect to solve our problems in the short term," Coun Kiernan said.
Coun Maggie Lee said she totally supported the idea, but believed it did not necessarily have to be a conventional rail link and that other alternatives such as a monorail should be considered.
Members of the town's Partnership Group were told that at an advisory group meeting to discuss the issue, Cambridgeshire County Council had expressed reservations about the idea.
They felt the line would generate insufficient profit to cover running costs, estimates of cost were too low and it was not possible to protect the remaining line unless it was certain to be revived.
Ian Poole of St Edmundsbury Borough Council said their Transport and Works Committee had already agreed to contribute towards a feasibility study and efforts could continue to persuade Cambridgeshire that the idea was feasible.
Gerry Kiernan, a borough and county councillor, told the Partnership he did not feel they should be too disappointed by Cambridgeshire's attitude, which would not necessarily stop the idea.
"It would be highly unlikely that the rail would carry on in the town or Cambridgeshire where it was before.
"It would be nice to see Cambridgeshire being a bit more positive in their attitude, but it is a long term problem and we have just got to keep on going.
"We cannot expect to solve our problems in the short term," Coun Kiernan said.
Coun Maggie Lee said she totally supported the idea, but believed it did not necessarily have to be a conventional rail link and that other alternatives such as a monorail should be considered.
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