For many years now the people living and working in Grimsby and Cleethorpes have been fighting for a direct rail link to London. However, all the previous promises that have been made that a direct link could happen have come to nothing. Now it seems it could really happen according to Councillor Stewart Swinburn, portfolio holder for environment and transport.
A direct rail link from Cleethorpes to London would give the local economy and tourism section a massive boost and could see more businesses locating to the local area.
Councillor Stewart Swinburn who said the Cleethorpes to London rail link is taking real shape wants local residents to get behind the plan. He wants all those who want to see the rail link happen complete a LNER online survey to progress proposals which will link the seaside town to the capital city.
LNER is a British train operating company owned by the Department for Transport and provides long-distance inter-city services on the East Coast Main Line from London King’s Cross to Yorkshire, North East England and Scotland.
The train company announced they are looking at the direct rail link from Cleethorpes to London which would include Grimsby. They have announced they are currently consulting on their May 2022 timetable, which could include a seven-day-a-week direct service to London.
The proposed timetable could see trains leave Cleethorpes train station at 6.24am and arrive at Kings Cross at 9.25am. Trains from London Kings Cross to Cleethorpes would leave at 4.10pm and arrive in Grimsby at 7.05pm and Cleethorpes at 7.20pm
Cllr Swinburn said: “I am delighted that years of work by transport officials, elected members and MPs is finally paying off and we are the closest in 20 years to once again achieving a direct rail link between Cleethorpes and London.
“I would like to thank LNER for developing this route and encourage the residents and businesses of North East Lincolnshire to take part in the consultation to demonstrate the clear desire we have for this route. Let’s all see this service back for 2022.
“The benefits of this service to the local area are huge and will have a great impact on both our local economy and the tourism sector, especially as businesses in the area continue to recover from the impacts of Covid-19.
“For local people, it opens up much more opportunity with this direct link to the capital and I hope over the coming weeks we can, as an area, show our support to LNER and their stakeholders on what this route will mean for the area.”
Although Councillor Stewart Swinburn is hopeful that the Cleethorpes to London rail service will finally be announced, many of those living and working in Grimsby and Cleethorpes are not so convinced.
Time will only tell if the Cleethorpes to London rail line will go ahead, or if this is just another false hope as we have seen so many times.