Community rail service plan for Hereward Line

The Government is consulting on whether the Peterborough to Ely line is to be designated a community rail service.

The 29-mile route, known as the Hereward Line, is heavily used by both passenger and freight trains. CrossCountry and East Midlands Trains run trains along the line every hour, with Abellio Greater Anglia operating a train every two hours.

If the plans go ahead, the train companies will continue to operate the service (which also calls at Whittlesea, March and Manea) with the support of the Hereward Community Rail Partnership. Infrastructure such as track and signalling would remain under the authority of Network Rail.

Public consultation closes on September 25. Should the plans gain approval, then community groups and passengers could have a larger involvement in plans for the line.