Focus of work
The Peaks and Dales Line is a proposed route that would enable the return of a regular, direct Manchester to Derby service via Buxton, Bakewell, Chinley and Matlock for the first time since 1968, providing national, regional and much needed connectivity for the local communities along the route. In 2021, FIT supported this campaign in its efforts to demonstrate the benefits of reinstating this line.
Impact
If reinstated, beneficiaries of the Peak and Dale line include 150,000 disconnected residents of central Derbyshire, for whom cars today are vital. Some 35,000 of these people live in the Peak District National Park, which has seen a depopulation of those who are working-age due to poor access to jobs. Overall, 9 million people could benefit from this rail line.
Emissions would also be reduced as the shift from car to rail accelerates, with 13 million annual visitors able to access the Peak District National Park without needing a car.