The reintroduction of the train service from Matlock to Nottingham through Long Eaton has been welcomed by both the leaders of Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire County Councils.
Trains have been reinstated every hour between Nottingham, Derby and Matlock reconnecting communities in Nottingham, Nottinghamshire and Derby with Derbyshire’s Derwent Valley.
The full reintroduction of the service now provides hourly trains Monday to Saturday along the route at Nottingham, Beeston, Long Eaton, Derby and all stations to Matlock. This will complement the existing Nottingham, Derby to Matlock service that operates throughout Sundays. Attenborough and Spondon also benefit with many more train services to Nottingham, Derby and the Derwent Valley.
Derbyshire County Council’s leader, Councillor Barry Lewis said: “I am delighted to see that this vital service has been reinstated. Along with many others I campaigned to get the trains running from Matlock right through to Nottingham and am grateful that East Midlands Railways have been able to provide this service once again."
Councillor Ben Bradley MP, Leader of Nottinghamshire County Council, said: “I know how much this direct service has meant to those who rely on it for work and leisure between the two counties. The inconvenience caused by the indirect service has resulted in hours added to journey times and months of disruption to lives of commuters who relied so much on this line. It’s essential we maintain and sustain important local rail services which help businesses and the local economy”.
East Midlands Railway’s re-instatement of the service between Matlock and Nottingham will make it easier for people to access employment, education and leisure opportunities along the route enabling more residents access to the cities of Nottingham and Derby. This enhanced service on the Derwent Valley Line will provide more sustainable access to explore the scenic countryside both in Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire and visit the numerous tourism attractions along the route, including the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site, Heights of Abraham and the soon to be re-opened Nottingham Castle.
Councillor Trevor Ainsworth, Chair of the Derwent Valley Line Community Rail Partnership said: “I am extremely pleased that East Midlands Railway have fully re-instated our Derwent Valley Line service between Matlock and Nottingham, providing great opportunities for leisure travel and especially those travelling to work and young people to education. I would like to thank all the people along the whole route who championed the return of the service including the support of local councillors and MPs”.
The re-instatement of these key services by East Midlands Railway follows a wide-ranging campaign to highlight the importance of these direct services between Matlock and Nottingham, after their withdrawal in June 2021. This included a petition signed by over 10,000 people and public meetings.
Jo Dilley, Managing Director of Visit Peak District and Derbyshire, said: “Visit Peak District & Derbyshire is delighted the direct train service from Matlock to Nottingham has been re-instated. This route is important not just for the local community and those who live and work here, but also for the thousands of visitors who travel to the area each year. Having a good train service is vital for reducing the number of cars on the road, and we look forward to promoting the route as part of our wider work to promote sustainable travel and car-free days out.”
Kathryn Greenwood, Board Member at Marketing Nottingham commented: “It was a pleasure to attend Nottingham Railway Station for the re-opening of the Derwent Valley Line on behalf of Marketing Nottingham. Getting a direct train link back up and running between Nottingham and Matlock is a boost for jobs, investment and tourism, both in Nottingham and the wider region.”
Will Rogers, Managing Director for East Midlands Railway, said: “The recent timetable change saw the reintroduction of 53 direct services between Matlock and Nottingham on weekdays and Saturdays. A lot of work has taken place over the last year to ensure services can be reintroduced reliably and we hope our customers, as well as the businesses along the route, will benefit from their return."
The timetable for the service can be found on East Midlands Railway’s website.
Pictured left to right:
Alastair Morley, Partnership Officer, Derwent Valley Line Community Rail Partnership
Adrian Farmer, Co-Ordinator, Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site
Paul Webster, Community Rail Support Manager, Community Rail Network
Jo Dilley, Managing Director, Visit Peak District & Derbyshire
Cllr Carmel Swan, Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Transport and Sustainability, Derby City Council
Cllr Barry Lewis, Council Leader, Derbyshire County Council
Mrs Brassington, Victorian Visitor from the Heights of Abraham (sat in front of ‘Miles’, EMR’s Brand character
Cllr John Ogle, Chairman, Nottinghamshire County Council
Cllr Angela Kandola, Portfolio Holder for Highways, Transport and Planning, Nottingham City Council
Kathryn Greenwood, Board Member at Marketing Nottingham
Emma Davis, Head of Customer Experience, East Midlands Railway
David Jones, Stakeholder Manager, CrossCountry Trains