There are just three weeks left until the elections for the first ever East Midlands mayor. On 8^th April, at the Strutts Centre in Belper, the Manchester and East Midlands Rail Action Partnership (MEMRAP) had the opportunity to pitch its proposals for the reinstatement of the Peaks and Dales Line in front of a packed audience that included four mayoral hopefuls. There was also a good turnout from the East Midlands branch of Railfuture.

Reinstating the Peaks and Dales line would connect Derby to Manchester, providing better access to education and employment for communities living along the line and allowing visitors to travel sustainably. As well as explaining the proposal to reinstate the railway, the meeting was designed to allow an opportunity for the mayoral candidates to engage with voters and explain some of their transport policy aims.

Over the Easter weekend the Peak District was plagued with traffic congestion and parking problems. Peak District hiker, James Stafford, posted a widely shared video on TikTok showing Easter traffic jams around Kinder Scout, link here:  https://t.co/xLfrL2qgII

James’s video demonstrates the limits of the current transport policy for access to the Peak District National Park, which still relies mostly on unrestricted access by private cars.

Questions regarding transport policy were posed by Transition Belper, Railfuture and local councillor, John Porter. The councillor asked whether candidates would now back the Peaks and Dales Line reinstatement. All four candidates gave a resounding “yes” to granting an initial study, should they be elected.

Finally, as the evening’s Q&A neared its end, local Sustrans rep David Clasby stood and made a contribution from the floor. He told the meeting that given the effects of climate change and the urgent need to find more sustainable modes of transport, Sustrans are considering supporting this reinstatement, as long as an alternative trail can be provided. His speech led to a spontaneous and prolonged outbreak of applause from the audience, a fitting way to conclude this highly successful evening.