This spring will see the return of regular rail services at Styal railway station after a quarter of a century.
Arriva Northern has incorporated the hourly stopping services into its summer timetable, which comes into effect on Sunday 20th May.
The station, on the Manchester to Crewe line was, opened in 1909 and had frequent stopping services but in 1993 a "skeleton" rail service was introduced. Friends of Styal Station's campaign, supported by the likes of HMP Styal, Styal Village Association, Crewe-Manchester Community Rail Partnership and local residents, prompted Serco-Abellio, the Northern franchise operator at the time, to restore Sunday services and make modest improvements to weekday services. The introduction of hourly services this year, however, is a game-changer for residents and visitors.
Stephen Forde, the Community Rail Officer for the Crewe to Manchester Community Rail Partnership (CRP), said; "The CRP has long supported the work of the Friends of Styal Station in their campaign to bring viable train service to the communities that the station serves. We're delighted that Arriva Northern have been able to provide such a service. Styal Station is close to two major trip generating locations in Quarry Bank and Styal Prison. We look forward to working with both locations, helping them to encourage their visitors to use the train as often as possible. I'm sure any reduction in vehicular traffic passing through Styal village will be warmly welcomed by its residents."
A spokesperson for Friends of Styal Station said: "We are delighted with this outcome and thank Arriva Northern. The restoration of regular stopping services at Styal is the culmination of ten years of hard work and we are very grateful to the people and organisations that have supported us in our endeavours."
Trains for Manchester will typically depart Styal at around 45 minutes past the hour, calling in the Wilmslow-bound direction at around 11 minutes past the hour.
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