LIVELY DEBATE IN BAKEWELL AS SUPPORT GROWS FOR REINSTATEMENT OF THE PEAKS AND DALES LINE (Peak Advertiser, 7 August 2023)

On June 27th, MEMRAP (Manchester and East Midlands Rail Action Partnership), chose Bakewell Town Hall for the fourth in its series of public debates to present proposals for the restoration of the Peaks and Dales Line railway. This mainline route connected settlements along Derbyshire’s A6 corridor, between Derby and Manchester, for more than a century until closure in the late 1960s.

Stephen Chaytow, MEMRAP’s CEO, outlined the case in a slideshow with copious statistics and colourful charts. His presentation, in favour of rail’s return, opened the way to a lively and engaged debate. In a show of hands at the end of the meeting, attendees voted by an encouraging majority in favour of the proposals.

Public information meetings have been held over the past year by MEMRAP in Matlock, Darley Dale, Chapel-en-le-Frith and, most recently, Bakewell. Some 400 residents have now viewed the four presentations and asked questions, with an average of 70% of attendees indicating support for the railway’s return. Integral to these proposals is the provision of a new, high specification Monsal Trail, away from the old trackbed.

MEMRAP plans to hold further events, aiming to increase support from the public. The campaigns believes that the benefits of reinstatement for the local area, local residents, and millions of visitors alike would be enormous.

Stephen Chaytow said after the meeting, “Taking these reinstatement proposals out into the community is proving incredibly valuable, beginning to create a local mandate which complements an already strong case. We have been well received, with even the vocal minority contesting the proposals providing useful feedback and ideas to enable further development”.