Agenda item

To consider a motion on notice submitted by Councillors: Catherine Potter, Joanne Ainscough, Catherine Armistead, Matthew Black, Phillip Bradley, Roger Cleet, Claire Cozler, John Hanson, Prof Chris Harris, Paul Hart, Colin Hartley, John Livermore, Margaret Pattison, Susan Penney, and David Whitaker.

Published 6^th March 2024.

The following motion of which notice had been given to the Chief Executive in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 15 was moved by Councillor Potter and seconded by Councillor Cleet:-

“Lancaster City Council notes that:

a)    Morecambe and Heysham Councillors representing the almost 37,000 residents of the wards: Heysham Central, Heysham South, Heysham North, West End, Westgate and Poulton, are calling on the Council to support new railway stations or halts alongside other improvements to the Lancaster-Morecambe-Heysham railway line.

b)    The 37,000 residents of these communities only have the public transport option of bus services, yet there is a railway line running right past them.  Having access to the railway network would enhance the lives of our residents, connect us directly to national railway services, take traffic off our roads, reduce congestion throughout the district and help us achieve our net zero targets.  It should also make the rail line more profitable for the operator as it will deliver many thousands more paying customers per year.

c)     We are all great supporters of the Eden development in Morecambe and are well aware of how transformational it has the potential to be.

d)    Lancashire County Council has responsibility for transport and not City, however Lancaster City Council is the accountable body for the Eden funding and is represented on the working group looking into the parking and transport needs of the visitors to Eden. 

e)    The great majority of residents are fully supportive of the coming of Eden however their main concerns are the traffic and parking impact on the lives of the people who live in the area.

f)      Eden will be generating up to 4,000 visitors to Morecambe per day, a significant proportion of whom will be encouraged to arrive by train, necessitating an improvement to the service between Lancaster and Morecambe and beyond to Heysham Port. 

g)    We understand that discussions are in their very early stages about such modernisation and improvements, including a new transport hub and some form of electrification, either through overhead lines or through the use of battery trains.

h)    Lancaster Civic Vision has made a point of lobbying Lancashire County Council and Lancaster City Council with regards to this electrification of the service.

i)      Transport improvements shouldn’t just be to the benefit of Eden and its visitors but equally should benefit local residents.

Lancaster City Council believes:

Substantial benefits to the local community can be achieved by new stations or halts to be built in Heysham, between Oxcliffe Road and Mossgate Park, in Westgate near to the football stadium and in Poulton at York Bridge.  Visitors to Morecambe could be served by a station with an adjacent ‘park and ride’ car park on land already owned by City and County at the end of the Bay Gateway near the Trumacar roundabout.  These new stations should be built whilst other improvements to the service including its electrification are being implemented to benefit visitors to Eden.

Lancaster City Council will:

(1)            adopt the above as its preferred position in relation to railway stations on the Lancaster – Morecambe – Heysham line;

(2)            make the case to the appropriate bodies and organisations at every available opportunity for new railway stations in Westgate, Poulton, Heysham and also potentially at the end of the Bay Gateway with an adjacent ‘park and ride’ car park;

(3)            call for all parties to work towards a solution that will deliver an improved rail service for the residents of Morecambe and Heysham as well as for visitors to Eden and users of the port.”

An officer briefing note accompanied the motion on the agenda.

Councillor Potter responded to questions from Councillors.

There was a lengthy debate on the motion. When debate ended, a vote was taken and the motion was clearly carried.

Resolved:-

Lancaster City Council notes that:

a)    Morecambe and Heysham Councillors representing the almost 37,000 residents of the wards: Heysham Central, Heysham South, Heysham North, West End, Westgate and Poulton, are calling on the Council to support new railway stations or halts alongside other improvements to the Lancaster-Morecambe-Heysham railway line.

b)    The 37,000 residents of these communities only have the public transport option of bus services, yet there is a railway line running right past them.  Having access to the railway network would enhance the lives of our residents, connect us directly to national railway services, take traffic off our roads, reduce congestion throughout the district and help us achieve our net zero targets.  It should also make the rail line more profitable for the operator as it will deliver many thousands more paying customers per year.

c)     We are all great supporters of the Eden development in Morecambe and are well aware of how transformational it has the potential to be.

d)    Lancashire County Council has responsibility for transport and not City, however Lancaster City Council is the accountable body for the Eden funding and is represented on the working group looking into the parking and transport needs of the visitors to Eden. 

e)    The great majority of residents are fully supportive of the coming of Eden however their main concerns are the traffic and parking impact on the lives of the people who live in the area.

f)      Eden will be generating up to 4,000 visitors to Morecambe per day, a significant proportion of whom will be encouraged to arrive by train, necessitating an improvement to the service between Lancaster and Morecambe and beyond to Heysham Port. 

g)    We understand that discussions are in their very early stages about such modernisation and improvements, including a new transport hub and some form of electrification, either through overhead lines or through the use of battery trains.

h)    Lancaster Civic Vision has made a point of lobbying Lancashire County Council and Lancaster City Council with regards to this electrification of the service.

i)      Transport improvements shouldn’t just be to the benefit of Eden and its visitors but equally should benefit local residents.

Lancaster City Council believes:

Substantial benefits to the local community can be achieved by new stations or halts to be built in Heysham, between Oxcliffe Road and Mossgate Park, in Westgate near to the football stadium and in Poulton at York Bridge.  Visitors to Morecambe could be served by a station with an adjacent ‘park and ride’ car park on land already owned by City and County at the end of the Bay Gateway near the Trumacar roundabout.  These new stations should be built whilst other improvements to the service including its electrification are being implemented to benefit visitors to Eden.

Lancaster City Council will:

(1)            adopt the above as its preferred position in relation to railway stations on the Lancaster – Morecambe – Heysham line;

(2)            make the case to the appropriate bodies and organisations at every available opportunity for new railway stations in Westgate, Poulton, Heysham and also potentially at the end of the Bay Gateway with an adjacent ‘park and ride’ car park;

(3)            call for all parties to work towards a solution that will deliver an improved rail service for the residents of Morecambe and Heysham as well as for visitors to Eden and users of the port.