Campaigners have welcomed additional rail services between Crewe and Nottingham, but say further timetable increases are still needed.

East Midlands Railway (EMR) has confirmed that an extra four trains per day will return to the Crewe to Nottingham route on week days starting with the next timetable change on Sunday 10 December.

The services were slashed during the Covid-19 pandemic and weren't reinstated afterwards.

Campaigners have welcomed additional rail services between Crewe and Nottingham, but say further timetable increases are still needed (Ryan Parker).

This meant Crewe, Derby, Stoke and the communities in between, were left with fewer trains they had for decades.

This includes people served by stations in Longton, Blythe Bridge, Uttoxeter, Tutbury & Hatton, Longport, Kidsgrove and Alsager.

Mike Willmot, Chair of North Staffs Community Rail Partnership (NSCRP) said: "We are delighted to hear this news from EMR.

"The return of these four peak time services will help a lot of passengers, particularly commuters and students."

He said they will continue to campaign for the reinstatement of a further two weekday services and six Saturday trains.

The Crewe to Nottingham line goes over David Whitby Way (Ryan Parker).

The NSCRP said shifts in travel habits mean Saturday is now the busiest day of the week for rail passengers, and the group has urged rail bosses to reinstate their hourly Saturday service.

They say they are keen to encourage EMR to work with the Department for Transport to deliver these services, as well as the former 10:36 to Crewe and 13:10 from Crewe during the week.

They held an online meeting in August to build up awareness of their campaign.

In addition, MPs Kate Kniveton and Jack Brereton also met with railway bosses over the summer to call for timetables to be restored.

Ms Kniveton said: "I am pleased following my meeting alongside Stoke South MP, Jack Bereton, that EMR are to increase the number of timetabled trains serving Uttoxeter at peak times.

The services between Crewe and Nottingham were slashed during the Covid-19 pandemic and weren't reinstated afterwards (Ryan Parker).

"This will make a big difference to the consistency of the service and is something I know the local community have been calling for.

"I will continue to work with my parliamentary colleagues in the region to push for further improvements along the line, beyond where they were pre-pandemic.

"The Crewe to Nottingham line offers huge potential for the Midlands and our regional economy.

"It is vital we do all we can to further improve the service on this line."

She pledged to continue pressing for further improvements to the local train services, including an earlier start to services on a Sunday and progress towards the fruition of a half hourly service on weekdays.

Shifts in travel habits mean Saturday is now the busiest day of the week for rail passengers (Nub News).

The four weekday services being reinstated are:

• 05:53 Nottingham – Crewe

• 08:10 Crewe – Nottingham

• 16:16 Nottingham – Crewe

• 18:10 Crewe – Nottingham

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