Agenda item

Broxtowe Borough Council notes:

1)    That the council declared a climate emergency in 2019

2)    That as part of the response to the climate emergency the council is committed to reducing its carbon footprint

3)    That it is now fully recognised that vehicles powered by the internal combustion engine are a significant source of greenhouse gases, and domestic car use is a significant contributor to this

4)    To tackle climate change it is important that there is an efficient and accessible public transport alternative that people can be encouraged to switch to.

5)    That in February 2019 the franchise to operate the Midland Mainline rail area was awarded to East Midlands Railway, a company owned by Abellio, who began operating in August 2019.

6)    That Abellio were the operators of the ScotRail franchise which ended early because of poor performance on their behalf.

7)    That an Emergency Measures Agreement (“EMA”) between the Secretary of State for Transport and Abellio was entered into on 30^th March 2020. This EMA commits the operator to seek “to ensure that, as far as possible, operational performance and the provision of Passenger Services is maintained” during the Covid-19

8)    That East Midlands Railways have encountered problems with older parts of their fleet no longer able to be used because of the lack of disabled facilities on board.

9)    That since a new timetable was introduced early in 2021 there have been significant difficulties with the service provided by EMR

10) That since 2018 the East Coast Mainline has been under public ownership following the collapse of the franchise arrangement for that line.

Broxtowe Borough Council therefore notes with regret:

1)    The decision of East Midlands Railways to remove 54 services stopping at Beeston each day from its revised timetable, including a significant reduction in the number of services between Beeston and Nottingham and the complete withdrawal of the service between Beeston, Attenborough and Matlock.

2)    That although these changes are described by EMR as temporary they have given no indication of any date by which they will be brought to an end.

3)    That these changes will inevitably lead to a modal shift in transport usage and will lead to a significant growth in journeys by private car.

4)    That this increase in car usage will have a detrimental impact on the efforts of the council and other bodies to reduce carbon emissions and achieve the targets set out in the Green Futures programme;

5)    That the reduction in services will cause inconvenience for residents of Beeston and Attenborough

6)    That this decision was implemented with no consultation with passengers or local authorities and at very short notice.

Broxtowe Borough Council does not believe:

1)    That the difficulties encountered by EMR justify the extreme reduction in services through Beeston and Attenborough that has been implemented.

2)    That the cuts to services are in compliance with either the wording or the spirit of the EMA.

Broxtowe Borough Council therefore calls on East Midlands Railways to reverse these cuts to its service as a matter of urgency, and to commit immediately to a deadline for doing so.

Broxtowe Borough Council further calls on the Secretary of State for Transport to actively review the performance of East Midlands Railways and to consider the early termination of their franchise and returning their services to public ownership and operation.

The following Notice of Motion was proposed by Councillor D K Watts and seconded by Councillor G Marshall.

‘’Broxtowe Borough Council notes:

1)    That the council declared a climate emergency in 2019

2)    That as part of the response to the climate emergency the council is committed to reducing its carbon footprint

3)    That it is now fully recognised that vehicles powered by the internal combustion engine are a significant source of greenhouse gases, and domestic car use is a significant contributor to this

4)    To tackle climate change it is important that there is an efficient and accessible public transport alternative that people can be encouraged to switch to.

5)    That in February 2019 the franchise to operate the Midland Mainline rail area was awarded to East Midlands Railway, a company owned by Abellio, who began operating in August 2019.

6)    That Abellio were the operators of the ScotRail franchise which ended early because of poor performance on their behalf.

7)    That an Emergency Measures Agreement (“EMA”) between the Secretary of State for Transport and Abellio was entered into on 30^th March 2020. This EMA commits the operator to seek “to ensure that, as far as possible, operational performance and the provision of Passenger Services is maintained” during the Covid-19

8)    That East Midlands Railways have encountered problems with older parts of their fleet no longer able to be used because of the lack of disabled facilities on board.

9)    That since a new timetable was introduced early in 2021 there have been significant difficulties with the service provided by EMR

10) That since 2018 the East Coast Mainline has been under public ownership following the collapse of the franchise arrangement for that line.

Broxtowe Borough Council therefore notes with regret:

1)    The decision of East Midlands Railways to remove 54 services stopping at Beeston each day from its revised timetable, including a significant reduction in the number of services between Beeston and Nottingham and the complete withdrawal of the service between Beeston, Attenborough and Matlock.

2)    That although these changes are described by EMR as temporary they have given no indication of any date by which they will be brought to an end.

3)    That these changes will inevitably lead to a modal shift in transport usage and will lead to a significant growth in journeys by private car.

4)    That this increase in car usage will have a detrimental impact on the efforts of the council and other bodies to reduce carbon emissions and achieve the targets set out in the Green Futures programme;

5)    That the reduction in services will cause inconvenience for residents of Beeston and Attenborough

6)    That this decision was implemented with no consultation with passengers or local authorities and at very short notice.

Broxtowe Borough Council does not believe:

1)    That the difficulties encountered by EMR justify the extreme reduction in services through Beeston and Attenborough that has been implemented.

2)    That the cuts to services are in compliance with either the wording or the spirit of the EMA.

Broxtowe Borough Council therefore calls on East Midlands Railways to reverse these cuts to its service as a matter of urgency, and to commit immediately to a deadline for doing so.

Broxtowe Borough Council further calls on the Secretary of State for Transport to actively review the performance of East Midlands Railways and to consider the early termination of their franchise and returning their services to public ownership and operation.’’

On being put to the meeting the motion was carried.