King’s Lynn Hunstanton Railway initiative on the right track with MP’s support

The King’s Lynn Hunstanton Railway received a welcome boost when North-West Norfolk MP Henry Bellingham showed his full support for the initiative.

The group reached out for his support when they heard the Department for Transport was looking into the possibility of reopening some railway lines closed in the 1960s.

Mr Bellingham said: “I have always regarded the closure of the King’s Lynn Hunstanton railway line as being a foolish error. Imagine the benefits such a line would currently be delivering, both for tourism and for commuters.

“As requested by the King’s Lynn Hunstanton Railway Project, I have written to the Rail Minister asking him to look urgently at the case for a re-opening of the line.

“Indeed, the government has said that it is now actively looking at opportunities to restore some of these old rail links and I can think of no better example than this particular one on our own doorstep.”

Committee members welcomed the support when Mr Bellingham’s comments were read aloud by KLHRP chairman Rigil Kent at a meeting last week.

Member Peter Risebrow pointed out a number of exciting announcements in recent weeks, after transport secretary Chris Grayling announced the government would look at re-opening lines closed in the 1960s, where this could boost the local economy.

Mr Risebrow, a former traffic manager at Lynn railway station said: “We need a feasibility study into reopening the Hunstanton line, as this is the first stage in the process.

“I hope the borough council’s forthcoming transport study will take account of the part that a reopened railway could play in reducing road traffic congestion in the Lynn area.”

The government are currently looking into reopening the 12 mile line between Skipton, Yorkshire, and Colne, Lancashire, which closed around the same time as the Hunstanton to Lynn line.

Closer to home, £3.2 million has been put towards the next stage of the March to Wisbech reopening.