We are calling for the full hourly train service to be restored on the Crewe - Stoke - Derby line at the earliest opportunity. The failure to restore the full service, despite earlier assurances that the depleted timetable was a temporary Covid measure, is causing inconvenience, anger and loss of passenger footfall along the line. The withdrawal of the following peak time trains is especially frustrating:

• 06.45 departure from Derby;
• 08.10 departure from Crewe in the morning;
• 16.45 from Derby at travel-to-home time (with an inadequate replacement bus service).

IMPORTANT UPDATE FROM EAST MIDLANDS RAILWAY, AUGUST 2023:

WE ARE DELIGHTED TO ANNOUNCE THAT THESE PEAK SERVICES WILL BE REINSTATED, ON WEEK DAYS ONLY, FROM 10 DECEMBER 2023 . HOWEVER, THIS CAMPAIGN WILL CONTINUE IN ORDER TO PUT PRESSURE ON DFT TO BRING BACK THE REMAINING TWO MISSING TRAINS EVERY DAY AND SIX MISSING TRAINS ON A SATURDAY.

N Staffs Community Rail Partnership wishes to support East Midlands Railway with their aspiration to fully reinstate the hourly service.

By comparison, we note that the much more sparsely populated Derwent Valley line currently enjoys 18 services in each direction/day (reinstated May 2023) compared to just 14 services/day between Stoke and Derby – two major North Midlands population centres.

The affected intermediate stations are: Tutbury & Hatton, Uttoxeter, Blythe Bridge, Longton, Kidsgrove and Alsager.