It claims:

In the event of the train failing as it climbs Beattock Bank on the West Coast main line, it is a long way from its home base, and so would be difficult to recover.

But rail campaigner Pete Shaw said:

This reason is flimsy in the extreme and seems barely credible. If every train on the network was assessed using these criteria, the whole network would close down immediately!

Mr Shaw who is vice president of the Friends of the Settle-Carlisle line over which the through trains run added:

The Friends do not think that the class 158 Sprinter Express trains, the type used on the Glasgow service, has a history of unreliability or failure.

The Friends hope to muster a broad, cross section of support to try and persuade the decision makers to keep the service running to Glasgow.

The Friends say the train affected is run by Arriva, the 09.49 Leeds-Settle-Carlisle-Glasgow train, and the 14.10 return working.

These are the only through trains operating between West Yorkshire and Glasgow, via any route.

The Friends are appalled that cuts are being suggested, when the line only has six through trains per day anyway.

Five of them run between Leeds-Settle-Carlisle, with a sixth extended northwards to serve Glasgow.

Mr Shaw said:

This is a horrendous prospect. We need to see expansion and improvement in our train services, not cutbacks. Over recent years the train operating company have been totally negative. They have:

1. Withdrawn the early morning through trains between Leeds-Carlisle and vice versa, so that through passengers cannot arrive in either Leeds or Carlisle before 1130.
2. Reduced train formations from four coach Sprinters to just two coaches.
3. Dramatically increased ticket prices so that a Leeds-Carlisle day return is now unaffordable at at £27.90

These draconian measures all seem designed to drive passengers away, while the Friends, local authorities, and other agencies are trying to help the line by funding marketing initiatives, and promoting it!

People will recollect that this Leeds-Glasgow train was withdrawn and substituted by a bus for eight months between October 2001 and June 2002, due to the driver shortages which saw 1000 trains/week lost on the Arriva network.

Even if the train went back to an all-stations Leeds-Carlisle stopping service, it would be better than complete withdrawal.

FoSCL Chairman Philip Johnston said:

I really hope that Arriva will think again, and keep this important service running. It is far cheaper for passengers to go from Leeds to Glasgow via Settle (£34.90) than via York and Newcastle (£62).

The cuts resulted from the SRA's network capacity review.

A team of officials have been looking at ways of cutting back train services in various parts of the country.

A part-way semi-fast replacement service would begin in September when through train is withdrawn. It would run from Leeds to Carlisle, calling at the same stations as the withdrawn train.

Passengers wanting to travel to Glasgow will have to change trains at Carlisle.

From the subsequent timetable change in May 2004, the new replacement service would call at all stations between Settle and Carlisle. T

he Settle-Carlisle line was saved from closure after a long-running national battle. It was typified by half truths and dirty tricks by rail officials.

More information: Pete Shaw 01274 590453