From The Chair

A belated Happy New Year!

After cancelling our AGM in 2020 we are now planning for a virtual meeting in March. If you wish to join the committee or nominate someone for the role of Chair, Vice-Chair, or Secretary please contact Peter Eastham on p.eastham@talktalk.net or by phone by 13th March.

During the pandemic we have been fortunate to retain our hourly service but, as anticipated, there have been very few passengers. RVR has endeavoured to keep passengers informed by displaying new timetables at our stations.

The Restoring Your Railway project is making good progress with the consultants Stantec meeting with interested parties, parish councils other organisations along the line. The questions they are seeking answers to are:

• How would you see improved connectivity benefiting those residing in your community in terms of access to education, jobs and key services?

• If services were extended beyond Hellifield, do you think there would be greater benefit, to those within your community, in extending services eastbound towards Skipton, or westbound towards Settle and points beyond towards Carlisle?

• If additional services were provided south of Clitheroe, where do you think, for those within your community, the most beneficial connections would be to i.e. enhancing the service frequency to Manchester Victoria, or a new direct connection to Preston?

As this will be my last “From the Chair”, I would like to thank the committee and members of RVR for their support over the last nine years and I will continue to support the work of RVR as a member of the committee.

Marjorie Birch