Calendar Of Events

HAXBY STATION

A public meeting about re-opening Haxby station will be taking place at 19:30 on February 20th. Venue is Wiggington Recreation Hall and speakers include Julian Sturdy MP and Dave Merrett from City of York Council.

 

TRANSPORT VISION FOR YORK 25/01/2013

The Tansport Vision for York initiative started by Julian Sturdy MP has adopted the Minsters Rail Campaign aim of re-opening the line from York to Beverley as one of its long term goals.

Other goals include the opening of Haxby station and supporting improvements on the Harrogate line with a direct link to Leeds-Bradford Airport. A report will be published at the end of March. 

 

 

TRIMLEY STATION COMMUNITY TRUST

Trimley Station Community Trust are the latest organisation to become a supporter of the Minsters Rail Camapign. More information about their campaign can be found at:

http://www.trimleystation.org/

STAMFORD BRIDGE FAYRE

At Stamford Bridge fayre on July 8th some 200 people signed the Minsters Rail petition. Campaign member John Cossham entertained the very young children with a liveley show and even made MIRC's York coordinator David Wells a ballon poodle! This was a top day out with much fun had by all.

RADIO HUMBERSIDE

MRC chairman George McManus was recently on Radio Humberside talking about the assertion by McNulty that costs could be saved by cutting empty off-peak services.  We at MRC know that all day repeating pattern timetbles are the way to attract custom to trains and perhaps dropping fares might be a better way to fill these allegedly empty off peak services.

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CAMPAIGN FOR BETTER TRANSPORT

Minsters Rail campaign supporters CBT have launched a couple of web campaigns and featured our petition onthese pages. Jess Fitch of the CBT writes

You may know we're in the process of launching a national campaign called 'Railways: Fit for the Future'. This aims to mark the anniversary of the Beeching cuts by calling for investment in rail reopenings and improved services. We don't have much web content about this yet, just these two web forms - I have put your petition in the right-hand side-bar of both:

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CILT YORK 19/06/12

David Wells attended a very interesting talk on a 'Rail Vision for the North' given by rail campaigner Paul Salveson. Paul mentioned the Campaign in his talk and we had several mentions in the following discussion.

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JOHN PRESCOTT LAUNCHES NEW MINSTERS RAIL CAMPAIGN PETITION

John Prescott launched our new petition calling for the re-opening of the Minsters Line at the Market Weighton Giant Bradley Day / Diamond Jubilee celebration on June 3rd.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-humber-18314051

The petition form can be found on the home page of this site.

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TRANSPORT VISION FOR YORK 31/05/2012

York Outer MP and MiRC patron Julian Sturdy held a round table event called "Transport Vision for York" with many key business leaders from York. David Wells from the MiRC spoke about the campaign and the proposed re-opening of Haxby station. The group wanted dualling of the by-pass and a new bus interchange near the station as key priorities but David asked the group to ocnsider a longer-term rail goal which is being considered. Next meeting September 20th.

CAMPAIGN TO PROTECT RURAL ENGLAND

The East Riding branch of the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) have backed the Minsters Rail Campaign and have been added to our list of supporters. The branch have asked us to make clear that whilst they support our campaign -

 "The foregoing agreement is subject to the CPRE maintaining its chief objective, which is to "Stand up for your countryside", and thereby retaining its right to guide, and, if necessary, object to any part of the proposed scheme which it may consider to be in contravention of its remit."

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YOU CAN NOW DOWNLOAD A MEMBERSHIP FORM DIRECT FROM HERE

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STAMFORD BRIDGE FAYRE JULY 8TH

Minsters Rail Campaign are proud to announce they will be sponsoring Professor Fiddlesticks at this event. He will be on stage at 14:30. for children of all ages.

MUM AND DAD TAXIS

 According to the AA, 33% of parents spend between 10% and 49 hours a month acting as a taxi service for their children. And 10% reckon this is over 50 hours. Or put another way the equivalent of 25 days annual leave!

Whilst we do not have any local information we suspect many Wolds parents might recognise that the provision of a railway line, might go some of the way to cutting down the cost and time of operating mum and dad taxis. More information on the link below:

Mum and dad taxis

 THE RAILWAY PUBLIC HOUSE,COTTINGHAM 10/04/12

The landlady of this excellent establishment has joined the Minsters Rail Campaign! So if you are in Cottingham please pop in for a drink,some food and occaisional live music.

http://officialpubguide.com/pubdetails.php?pubid=841

 

YORK MODEL RAILWAY SHOW 7TH-9TH APRIL

We have had a good three days at the York Model Railway Show meeting a lot of people and attracting new members. There were a number of questions raised, ideas offered and almost overwhelmingly positive support. Thank you to everyone who stopped by and to the MiRC members who manned the stall over the holiday period.

HUMBERSIDE LEP GRANT

Minsters Rail Campaign recently put in an 'Expression of Interest' for some funding from the Humberside Local Enterprise Partnership with the aim of updating the 2005 feasibility study. Unfortunately we have not been successful on this occasion as the scheme was primarily looking at capital schemes that would bring jobs and investment in the short-term rather than our scheme which is longer term.

MINSTERS RAIL AGM 24^TH MARCH 2012

James Wilson of the MiRC’s latest sponsor Switzerland Travel Centre revealed to an excited AGM, that STC were donating a package which included a first class rail pass for Switzerland and first class travel by Eurostar. The MiRC will shortly announce the arrangements for a prize draw, which will include free entry into the draw for MiRC members. It is hoped that this competition will increase membership by a considerable amount.

Chairman George McManus thanked James and asked members to consider converting to ‘life membership’ to give a further boost to the MiRC’s fiund. The organisation is aware that funds are in short supply and the ability to put up some money into a forthcoming revamp of the 2005 Feasibility Study might persuade funding organisations of our serious intentions.

A discussion about campaigning for the year ahead saw York Area Coordinator David Wells calling for increased input from our membership including volunteering for events, delivering leaflets and processing information to increase our profile. The other key points were that the Campaign was aiming to move to a more professional basis with a twice yearly professional newsletter aimed at the general public which will be put together by Palm Group printers on behalf of the Campaign.

A full report on the 2012 AGM will appear in the next few weeks.

YORK MODEL RAILWAY SHOW

We have a stall at the forthcoming York Model Railway Show on 7th-9th April (Easter weekend) which takes place in the main stand at the racecourse (Knavesmire). 

ATOC PRESS RELEASE 27/02/12

Here is an interesting press release from the Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC) which shows that the increasing numbers of young people are taking to the railways as motoring is too expensive. One day hopefully young people out in the Wolds will be able to take advantage as well but the lack of railways means they are tied to Mum and Dad taxis or occasional bus services for the foreseeable future.

Click on title to view link.

ADAM HART-DAVIS

 

In 2008 broadcaster Adam Hart-Davis made a film which featured the Minsters Line. In 2012 Adam kindly agreed to become a sponsor of the campaign. Adam stated

David Wells of the MRC had a meeting with 3 of the parish councillors. They will report back to the next PC meeting and advise whether the PC supports the immediate aim of the MRC, which is to publish a second feasibility report (to update the 2005 report which is now out of date).

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When the feasibility report is published, we will  discuss the findings with the council and look to work together on the next detailed stage.

We also discussed the possibility of a residents survey which is another idea we are currently developing. 

David Wells met with Graham North of NYCC primarily to discuss our views on Haxby station and Graham's role in developing a county wide joined up rail strategy.