By Ivan Morris Poxton
Copyright grimsbytelegraph
Councillors have weighed in on the continued wait for the return of a direct rail link between Cleethorpes and London, highlighting its potential to boost tourism. A very low proportion of visitors to North East Lincolnshire currently visit by rail and councillors felt having a direct link to the capital could boost this. Last week, Grimsby Live reported on the Department for Transport confirming there are currently no plans for a direct service, though the new timetables from December will increase connectivity via Lincoln . Martin Vickers MP (Conservative – Brigg and Immingham) had felt “slightly more optimistic”, however, after a recent meeting with Rail Minister, Lord Peter Hendy. Councillors discussed getting a direct service in the context of increasing tourist numbers to the coastal resort. The economy, culture and tourism scrutiny panel discussed tourism data for 2024, compiled by officers. This included railway station user data, requested by Cllr Tim Mickleburgh (Labour – South Ward) at last year’s annual tourism numbers overview. There were over 385,000 entries and exits made at Grimsby Town Station in 2023/24. This was up almost 70,000, or 22 per cent, on the year before. Cleethorpes Railway Station saw more than 252,000 entries and exits in 2023/24, up almost 60,000 from 2022/23, or 30 per cent. Both stations remain down on their pre-Covid usage figures. 274,000 used Cleethorpes Railway Station in 2019/20, and more than 430,000 used Grimsby Town Station that year. Cllr Mickleburgh said he was pleased to see the train station figures. But he had heard last week, “although it’s been promised for ages and ages, is there’s still no sign of a direct train between Grimsby and Cleethorpes and London.” “It was actually in one party’s election manifesto that this service would start on this date,” he said, in an apparent reference to Conservative Party General Election campaigning for Grimsby, that it would arrive in December 2024. Cllr Mickleburgh noted the 2024 visitor survey by Discover North East Lincolnshire found only three per cent came by train. “That obviously is an opportunity for expansion,” he argued. He moved a recommendation by the panel to draw the council cabinet’s attention “to the low number of visits that arrive by train and to ask cabinet to use its endeavours” to get the “reinstatement of a direct link to London”. “A direct train route should be able to increase that,” agreed chair Cllr Steve Holland (Independents for North East Lincolnshire Group – Freshney), on raising the proportion of visitors coming via trains. Cllr Edward Kaczmarek (Labour – Sidney Sussex) briefly raised the issue of electric trains being unable to serve Grimsby and Cleethorpes due to lack of infrastructure. “It means that a lot of trains are prevented from running on our network, compared to the rest of the system.” The recommendation the council’s cabinet try to press for a direct train service to the capital was agreed unanimously. Get all the latest headlines sent straight to your inbox for free with our newsletter. You can stay up to date with all the breaking news and top stories in our area as they happen by clicking this link. Later, Cllr Sophia Farren (Labour – Sidney Sussex) raised about improving the image of Cleethorpes train passengers arrive to. She indicated she had been working with the visitor economy portfolio holder, Cllr Hayden Dawkins (Conservative – Humberston and New Waltham) on improvement of areas felt to let down the resort. “Oh my goodness, there’s been some shocking first impressions going into the town when going on a train,” said Cllr Farren, citing vandalism and large items of litter. An officer confirmed improvement of the scene by Cleethorpes Railway Station was on the council’s radar. Do you feel safe on the roads? You can have your say by completing the poll below or by clicking here .
