Iskra
Established Member
The Keighley & Worth Valley Railway (KWVR) has apparently secured funding for commuter services, with investment promised in the diesel fleet and signalling infrastructure. Does anyone have any further details as the below BBC article is very vague?
I applaud the railway in securing funding. The planned services aren't described, but I am a bit sceptical about the whole concept of the line having much viable commuter use. The KWVR is only useful for some Oxenhope and some Haworth residents, and it's a big assumption that there is a strong commuter market to Keighley, which frankly I'm not sure exists anymore in the age of remote working and with traditional 9-5 working patterns in decline. I obviously wish the railway well with this, but I am sceptical. Is this a year-round thing too, or perhaps just term time?
I applaud the railway in securing funding. The planned services aren't described, but I am a bit sceptical about the whole concept of the line having much viable commuter use. The KWVR is only useful for some Oxenhope and some Haworth residents, and it's a big assumption that there is a strong commuter market to Keighley, which frankly I'm not sure exists anymore in the age of remote working and with traditional 9-5 working patterns in decline. I obviously wish the railway well with this, but I am sceptical. Is this a year-round thing too, or perhaps just term time?
Levelling up funding to help Keighley heritage railway become commuter route
More than £115m of Levelling Up Fund cash has been awarded to projects in West Yorkshire.
www.bbc.co.uk
A heritage railway has been named as one of five West Yorkshire projects to receive levelling up funding from government.
The Keighley and Worth Valley Railway would become a "major transport hub and commuter route," as a result of the cash, Bradford Council said.
Schemes in Wakefield, Huddersfield and Holbeck in Leeds will also be funded.
Bradford Council leader Susan Hinchliffe said the money would "create more economic opportunities".
Under the plans, signalling will be upgraded along the five-mile railway line, which links with national mainline rail services at Keighley, to enable more trains to run and the diesel fleet will be revamped.
In total the council has been awarded nearly £20m to spend on the railway and to fund a robotics and engineering research institute in Keighley town centre.
The proposed Advanced Robotics and Engineering Institute will take up to 250 undergraduate and 40 postgraduate students to study subjects including automation, artificial intelligence and computer science.
Ms Hinchcliffe said: "The town has a proud engineering and manufacturing tradition.
"This is such an exciting project which will enhance Keighley's engineering, manufacturing and economic role in the region, putting it at the forefront of UK innovation."