PASSENGERS from Elsecar and Wombwell can get to Birmingham by rail earlier than some Barnsley residents can get to Sheffield, according to campaigners appealing for better commuter services to Sheffield.
Passengers on the early services out of Barnsley, Elsecar and Wombwell can get to Sheffield by 5.54am, and onwards to Birmingham by 7.27am. That’s two minutes earlier than the first trains from Dodworth, Silkstone Common and Penistone pull into Sheffield.
Members of the Huddersfield, Penistone and Sheffield Rail Users’ Association insist changes can be made to the so-called Penistone line - particularly with regard to early services to Sheffield used by commuters.
Secretary Andrew Oldfield said a key element would be a better timetable with trains starting earlier, saying the 7.29 arrival in Sheffield was the latest of all arrivals from local routes into Sheffield.
“Passengers from Penistone, Silkstone Common and Dodworth get there 95 minutes later than those who travel from places like Elsecar and Wombwell. For them, the earliest train gets into Sheffield at 5.54am. And that 95 minutes is a lot in terms of people getting to work.
“When we have raised these issues in the past, the main reason given has been signalling and manning boxes between Barnsley and Huddersfield,” said Mr Oldfield.
“But that has not been the case for 20 years or so. Before long, only a dozen or so boxes will control the entire network.
“There has been general negativity about this line, which is well used given its restrictions.”
The fact that the line is single track in parts affects its ability to serve the commuter market, said Mr Oldfield.
So he suggests ‘creative’ timetabling, using shorter journey trains earlier in the day, timed to connect and produce an earlier arrival in Sheffield.
Long term, the group is looking at extra capacity to allow for a half-hourly service instead of the current hourly.
Mr Oldfield sees the group’s campaign becoming ever more relevant with various new housing schemes being planned for the area.
“This is commuter territory, but the line doesn’t serve the commuter,” he said.
“It’s all very well telling people to look further afield for work, but they can’t do that with a restrictive timetable.
“We must bring this line in from the cold.”
Coun Robert Barnard, chairman of Penistone Area Council, said: “I can’t honestly see any way of dramatically increasing capacity on this line.
“If we have more carriages there will be problems with platforms which are then too short.
“Single track will always be a problem. And to alter timetables could disrupt bus connections in places like Penistone.
“But by all means let’s look at doing whatever we can.”
The association has its annual meeting on Saturday May 12 at 2pm at St John’s community centre, Penistone. The guest speaker is David Hoggarth from Transport for the North.
Anyone interested in joining the group should contact treasurer Ian Stewart on 07473432133 or simply turn up at the meeting on May 12.
