Published on: Wednesday, 15 June 2016
Last updated: Wednesday, 5 October 2016
This Summer marksfifty years since the railway which runs between Lowestoft and Ipswich was savedfrom closure (as had been recommended in the notorious Beeching Report). To markthe fiftieth anniversary of the line's reprieve, the East Suffolk LinesCommunity Rail Partnership has teamed up with train operator Abellio GreaterAnglia to offer a chance to explore the line with a special anniversary ticket.
On Saturday 2 July,passengers can enjoy unlimited travel between Lowestoft and Ipswich for just £8for adults with accompanying children priced at just £2. The special ticketallows the opportunity to hop on and off trains throughout the day enablingpassengers to explore many of the market towns, heritage and attractions alongthe route.
The East Suffolk Lineruns through the historic market towns of Beccles, Halesworth, Saxmundham andWoodbridge. The station at Melton is a short distance from the Saxon BurialSite at Sutton Hoo and Oulton Broad South Station is perfect for exploring the CarltonMarshes Nature Reserve and the southern gateway to the Broads National Park. AtLowestoft, the station is located at the heart of the shopping centre and justa few minutes walk from the beach. In Ipswich, both the historic waterfront andtown centre are not far away. Each market town along the line offersa variety of independent shops, museums, galleries and eateries, all close totheir respective stations.
The Beeching Reportresulted in thousands of miles of railway being closed, leaving entirecommunities without a rail service. Following a major local campaign, the EastSuffolk Line was eventually reprieved in the Summer of 1966 and, fifty years later,continues to provide a vital transport artery through the east of the county.The more recent introduction of a Monday - Saturday hourly service has seen passengernumbers soar by 99% with additional services now added on Sundays to help copewith demand.
Aaron Taffera, Chairof the East Suffolk Lines Community Rail Partnership said: “We are delighted tohave teamed up with Abellio Greater Anglia to offer this very specialanniversary explorer ticket. The line running between Lowestoft and Ipswich hasso much for people to see and do and this special ticket will enable them to dojust that.”
“For many communitiesthat saw their rail service withdrawn in the 1960s the loss is still keenlyfelt today, thankfully here in East Suffolk the service was saved and fiftyyears on, this special explorer ticket is a great way to celebrate such amomentous decision.”
Jonathan Denby,Abellio Greater Anglia's Head of Corporate Affairs, said:
"We're delightedto join with the East Suffolk Lines Community Rail Partnership (CRP) to markthe 50th anniversary of the East Suffolk Line's reprieve from closure.
"Over the interveningyears the line has gone from strength to strength, especially in the last 5years following introduction of an hourly service from Mondays to Saturdays,plus additional Sunday services, resulting in a doubling of passenger numbers. Atthe same time a proactive partnership between the East Suffolk Lines CommunityRail Partnership, local authorities and ourselves as train operator hasresulted in a range of station improvements including installation of ticketmachines, real time travel information and platform refurbishments. We arecontinuing to invest in improvements for the route and have recently increasedour financial support for the East Suffolk Lines CRP, to ensure the route'srenaissance extends forward over the years ahead.
"We hope this specialanniversary travel offer will encourage people to explore the many historictowns and villages on this attractive, scenic route."
Availability of thespecial Anniversary Explorer Ticket is limited and is exclusively available online at http://www.greenrailtravel.co.uk/specialon a first come, first served basis. Please see online for full terms andconditions.