Economic Benefits

A direct train running between the urban centres of Derby and Manchester via Bakewell and Buxton would offer easier travel for work, education and leisure for communities all along the line. More Peak District businesses and attractions would be accessible to visitors without cars, and a direct rail link to London would help reach new markets.

An example of the benefits of a reinstated rail line is the Borders Railway, which links Tweedbank on the Scottish border to Edinburgh. The line was opened in 2015 and only a year after the line had opened it was making a positive contribution to tourism, education and access to jobs. https://www.edinburghchamber.co.uk/borders-railway-on-track-for-success/

Sustainable Travel

Traffic jams and obstructive parking are all too familiar for residents of many parts of the Peak District. As Ken Smith, the new chair of the Peak District National Park observed in December 2023 Reflections Magazine “The majority of visitors come by car. It’s convenient but also forced on people by a lack of adequate public transport” https://issuu.com/bannisterpublications/docs/reflections_magazine_december_2023 Leisure is the fastest growing sector of rail travel, and the Peaks and Dales line along the A6 corridor would complement the existing Hope Valley Line, meaning much more of the Peak District National Park would be accessible by rail. Reducing the existing congestion along the A6 would improve air quality for residents and allow more reliable bus services

Connecting Communities

Travel within the Peak District National Park is largely dependent on private car use. Bus services can be infrequent or unreliable, and are often affected by traffic congestion, especially along the A6. Bus services between Bakewell and Buxton are non-existent in the evening. A regular train service between Matlock and Buxton would enable people to travel for work or leisure, or to visit family, without the need for a car. As one resident of a village near the line told us, “This is a lovely village to live in, but it’s difficult to live in if you don’t have a car”.

The Proposal

We support the proposal from MEMRAP (Manchester and East Midlands Rail Action Partnership) which involves upgrading 23 miles and reinstating 13 miles of railway to, once again, link Matlock to Buxton by rail, via Bakewell, for both passenger and freight services. In addition the proposal includes the re-provisioning of the Monsal Trail and connecting it to stations along the reinstated railway. The railway will bring the added benefit of allowing the new trail to be accessed in a sustainable way. (See https://www.peaksanddalesrailway.com/reinstatement)