Rail chiefs glimmer of hope for Piccadilly safety

Rail chiefs have given campaigners hope they may restore the original Southport to Manchester Piccadilly and airport service.

Northern Rail’s interim route director stated that to reinstate the connection is “not yet pos- sible” but “remains our ambition.”
Campaigners met Northern recently to restart discussions.

Eric Woodcock from the Southport Rail Trans- port Forum and Alan Fantom from the Ormskirk, Preston and Southport Travellers’ Association (OPSTA) attended the meeting in Manchester, with representatives from Mer- seytravel and Rail North Partnership.

It came only weeks after leaked emails revealed rail chiefs thought the Southport to Piccadilly route was of “little value” and called the Southport-Leeds service a ‘sop’ for rail users losing their connection to Piccadilly and the airport.