The suggestion of an update of passenger information for a proposed rail station at Haxby (The Press, July 22) is relevant. However, the recent temporary suspension of the plan, which would have cost £4.9million to build, was due to the present financial situation. What revenue could be expected from passenger receipts?
Of course, the number of passengers /users of the proposed “halt” is crucial and really need to provide an income to cover at least the running costs of the station and the cost of stopping and starting of each train which is scheduled to call, with consequences affecting train services connecting further along the route in each direction.
The anticipated passengers journeys need to be more than to and from Haxby and York; revenue for such short journeys will be minor and contribute little to the running costs especially when it is likely that the bus fare will be less.
It would seem if this project did become reality the prospect of the revenue even covering costs would be slim. The question would need to be asked whether the few likely to use this station should be subsidised during the present long-term shortage of public funding, or even if it ever improves.
J Beisly, Osprey Close, York.
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