A local Green Party branch is running a special 10-coach train to highlight the need to develop Britain’s railways.

The train will run from Ashton-under-Lyne and Huddersfield to Brighton via the East Coast main line on Saturday 13 October 2007.

“Public transport has always been a key plank of Green Party policy,” said organiser Clive Lord.

“But since the Labour Party came to power – despite a huge surge in rail usage with more passengers now using Britain’s railways than at any time since the end of World War II – there are far too many large towns in the country with no railway station, and too many lines with no Sunday train service.

“It’s farcical that trains are stored rather than used when there is chronic overcrowding.

“And putting up fares to discourage passengers from travelling is no solution when we face global warming. The Labour Party has a passion for building more roads rather than reopening railway lines. Our train will highlight that there is an alternative.”

The train marks the re-entry to the charter train market by Kirklees Green Party after a gap of 11 years.

Clive explained: “The Green Party in Huddersfield ran a one-off protest train to highlight the plight of the Settle and Carlisle line in 1989, when the route was threatened with closure.

“The tour used first generation diesel multiple units and ran from Huddersfield to Carlisle. It proved very popular and for the next six years the Green Party organised tours from Barnsley, Denby Dale, Penistone, Huddersfield and Halifax which attracted many locals back to the trains, with raffles in aid of charities and environmental organisations.

“But because of the increasing complications of promoting special trains as the railway network was privatised the party called it a day in 1996.”

He added: “The attraction now is that we will be using West Coast Railways of Carnforth which owns its own locomotives and maintenance facilities, and employs its own train crew. This makes it a good time to re-enter the market with an occasional tour, with so much of the running of the tour within the direct control of one company.

“Brighton is an ideal destination as not only is it an interesting and unusual seaside town but it is also the place where Caroline Lucas may become Britain’s first Green Party MP.”

The tour starts from Ashton-under-Lyne, picking up at Huddersfield, Mirfield
and Wakefield to give a fast run down the East Coast main line, and round the North London Line to
Clapham Junction. The organisers expect a break of around 3.5 hours at Brighton.

Further details and booking: Clive Lord, Green Trains, 44 Upper Batley Low Lane, Batley WF14 OPP. Tel: 01924 472767

Kirkless Green Party