If anyone has any information about any crime committed on the railway they should contact the British Transport Police on 0800 40 50 40 (in an emergency call: 999)

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RT @nationalrailenq: Passengers are currently unable to alight from trains at Shepley due to reports by police of a lion in the area. #fb

November 6, 2011 5:00 pm via TweetDeckReplyRetweetFavorite

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NEWS That's MTN's first ever big cat mention in over 6,000 tweets. Guess Shepley's now a mane line station! #fb

November 6, 2011 5:04 pm via TweetDeckReplyRetweetFavorite

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@t11mys The reports we received were real. The area is now clear, lion free for trains and passengers to commute

November 7, 2011 11:22 am via HootSuiteReplyRetweetFavorite

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@kate_gwilliam We often get cows on the line although I wouldn't class that as a wild animal!

November 7, 2011 10:48 am via HootSuiteReplyRetweetFavorite

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@r_kempes no joke, it was on the mane line

November 7, 2011 6:04 am via HootSuiteReplyRetweetFavorite

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@kakarookee To be fair, both the weather and roaming wildlife are beyond our control, don't you think?

November 7, 2011 3:18 am via HootSuiteReplyRetweetFavorite

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@chapmanfamily I've already had 'is that the mane lion/line' and does Shepley have a 'zebra crossing' outside? ahh cheers *blushes*

November 7, 2011 12:47 am via HootSuiteReplyRetweetFavorite

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@pillowmagazine The reports we received were real. We're not sure whether the lion was actually real or not

November 6, 2011 11:52 pm via HootSuiteReplyRetweetFavorite

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@swlines If it snows this year, I'm keeping an eye open for penguins…

November 6, 2011 11:17 pm via HootSuiteReplyRetweetFavorite

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@shepley_lion Just had a thought, do lions like a certain sugared cereal or is that just tigers?

November 6, 2011 9:49 pm via HootSuiteReplyRetweetFavorite

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@tropicalontour To be fair, the lion does work hard to ensure there's no fare dodging.

November 6, 2011 9:23 pm via HootSuiteReplyRetweetFavorite

Sometimes Sunday is a very long day. Apparently he was trying to get to Leominster

Underground trains may soon run on the Harrogate Line (cc) Tom Page

The Yorkshire Evening Post is reporting that the Harrogate Chamber of Commerce has written to the Minister for Railways to ask for an agreement in principal to the development of a new railway station new the airport, and the operation of a bus connection service to the terminal building.

The plan is significantly less than was hoped for, a full rail link from the Harrogate line to the Wharfedale line via the airport. The plan also recommends using old 3rd rail London Overground trains, this would represent a significant cost barrier. The DfT have stated their objection to new 3rd rail development however. There are alternative electrification schemes which would be suitable for the Harrogate Line.

Friday 18th November 2011: 2pm – 7pm

Saturday 19th November 2011: 10am – 1pm

Oakenshaw Veterans’ Bowling Club, Cleckheaton Road, Oakenshaw.

You can submit your views to BRUG or to lowmoor@wypte.gov.uk

Council report into Bradford Cross Rail

Working Group – Majority Report

Both reports call for the council to investigate protecting the route of the railway, calls for the council to lobby for better rail in Bradford and for a quick, fast and efficient link to any future HS2 station.

We know Westfield is major stumbling block, but CrossRail IS the opportunity to get Bradford’s economy back “on-track”.

Thanks must go to all members of the Cross Rail working group (and their families) for the hours that have gone into campaigning for the link and preparing the reports.

The Cross Rail Link Scrutiny Report will be presented the Regeneration, Overview & Scrutiny Committee on Thursday 27th October at 5:30pm in City Hall.

We hope you will all be able to attend.

London Underground have tackled this by not putting graffitied trains into service.

Due to capacity constraints Northern are unable to do this. We hope however that tackling and removing graffiti is a priority of Metro and Northern.

There is the RPI plus 3% to all fares, plus. 2% leasing fee for the extra carriages due in December 2011.

BRUG are currently investigating how Metro were not aware of these increases and what fight was put up against the DfT to avoid them.

The full report is available here, and the summary here.

The meeting will also discuss the recent announcement of extra carriages on the Caldervale line and Airedale lines.

A brief update on the Cross Rail project will also be provided. An unusual view of Bradford – the potential for Cross Rail.

J.Vasey and Jason Smith of UKIP in Urban Garden

BRUG Chairman James Vasey met with UKIP Candidate Jason Smith in the Urban Garden (Westfield development site) on Friday evening to discuss plans to develop a rail link across the city.

Mr Smith was impressed by the Cross Rail vision which would help revive the city centre as a cultural tourist destination and attract new businesses to the lower Broadway and little Germany quarter of the city.

BRUG discussed Bradford Council’s current plans to move the existing Magistrates court next to the current Crown Court, which would impede the building of the line. The Odeon was discussed as a possible site for the Magistrates court.

During our tour of the city centre we discussed the number of vacant properties between the Urban Gardens and the “mirror pool“, BRUG pointed out this would become the main thoroughfare from a central Bradford station direct to the mirror pool area, and the regeneration benefits this would have upon this part of the city.

Mr Smith discussed UKIP’s plans for Bradford, supporting strong improvements in public transport and making the best use of the existing buildings in Bradford, rather than the council building new buildings at public expense.

Jason Smith is standing for election in the Queensbury ward, a full list of candidates is available from here.

BRUG would like to speak to representatives from all political parties before the local elections.

The 5 new trains are Class 322, which are being redeployed from Scotland once the Class 380′s are introduced. The existing diesels that supplement the electric trains on the Airedale and Wharedale lines will be redeployed to the Caldervale line.

We have not yet had confirmation if the units will be refurbished before they are introduced onto the West Yorkshire network.

We do not understand why the council are so wedded to the idea of moving the Magistrates court to be located directly next to the Crown Court. What costs will be reduced?

We already have a number of empty buildings in the city that are need of renovation, that are already in public ownership, surely it would be cheaper to renovate those (Can anyone think of a site near the existing Magistrates that is need of renovation?).

Why not renovate one of the most outstanding buildings and put the Magistrates Court into the Odeon? – It is a sensible use of an old building. Some people may even see the irony of the plan.

Accepting that Westfield is currently stalled, Cross Rail will give Westfield the opportunity to bring new business into the city and maybe kick-start the project (The White Rose doesn’t have a railway station, Meadowhall does – which is more successful?). Westfield have even paid for Railway connections at their other centres. Bradford Council even have the authority to change the planning permission to increase the viability of Westfield. (Section 106A, Town & Country Planning Act 1990)

We need to spend this election season convincing prospective councillors of the benefits of Bradford CrossRail.

A regeneration project in Bradford that can provide employment in the city and access to employment across Yorkshire.

We will be speaker to prospective councillors in Bradford to ascertain their views.

SIR – In the footnotes of George Osborne’s Budget, and despite the austere economic times, he still managed to find £85m to pay for a new rail line to link the two separate stations in Manchester, aimed at bringing substantial improvements for through traffic and additional stimulus to that already successful city.

Makes you wonder if there’s any other city which could benefit from that sort of radically creative idea ?

Now that the funding for the Manchester rail link is secure, and the Northern Hub scheme is proceeding, can Bradford Cross-Rail move up the agenda?

Cllr Sykes

The committee chaired by Cllr Sykes (pictured), agreed to forming a task-force following a packed meeting on Thursday 3rd February 2011.

The task-force will also investigate the options for Cross-Rail.

BRUG support the founding of this task force and will support its work.

We have some excellent news to announce at our next meeting on Monday 7th. (7.30pm, Bradford VCS, Bridge Road, Bradford).

The Airedale line will experience a 60% increase in passengers and the Caldervale line 45%.

However if the DfT choose to change the formula, some analysts expect fares to rise by as much as 10%.

On Friday 13th August, The Passenger Focus survey on rail priorities showing overcrowding to be of huge concern was reported in the T&A. BRUG and the Aire Valley Rail Users Group, AVRUG, were both quoted in the article. Also reported in The Guardian.

On Tuesday 17th August, the T&A reported Cllr Greaves call for the Transport Secretary to visit West Yorkshire and experience the severe overcrowding on a number of local services. BRUG raised the problems experienced on the Caldervale line of significant overcrowding leading to some people being unable to board some peak trains at stations between Bradford and Leeds.

Our next meeting is on Monday 6th September 7:30pm at Bradford Voluntary & Community Service, Sunbridge Road, Bradford.

BRUG congratulates WYITA for choosing to save Low Moor from amongst the other schemes and hopes that funding can be confirmed following the comprehensive spending review.

T&A Article available here.

Therefore WYITA’s spending plans have been rationalised …. and Low Moor is still on the plan! The station is estimated to cost of £5.5million based on their figures.

Metro may still be proved right about 2012 completion date for opening the station.

BUT…

This could come crashing down in the Autumn with the Government’s comprehensive spending review, when all schemes are to be re-evaluated.

BRUG will continue to lobby both local and national government for the funds to bring this major transport improvement to Low Moor.

BRUG remain confident the Cross Rail plan is deliverable and affordable.

Have a look at the Google aerial map here

Mr Mac Ruairi

As we already knew, the regeneration department, led by Mr Mac Ruairi, have finally stated that Cross Rail is feasible!

Though it is also expensive, (we knew that), and there is no money (again, we knew that)

We were told that we needed to concentrate on Westfield, – we agree but Westfield would be in a better position with Cross Rail than without.

BRUG is continuing to campaign for the Cross Rail link. The link will provide fresh transport opportunities and real regeneration. Much better than a water pool.

Next meeting 2nd August 2010.

The removal of this law would remove a number of legal hurdles that “technically” exist that limit the speed of conversion and installation of electrical traction to the railways.

Railways should be electrified and should be planned to include electrification in the plans for all lines, removing the need for a public enquiry at each possible electrification site.

This law creates an unnecessary burden on rail operators and the government and should be repealed.

Instead the station isn’t built, planned finances are in trouble and the town remains languishing.

Low Moor needs the railway station as much if not more than the promised improvements to broadband internet access promised to residents by the Prime Minister.