Fort William's Economy Will See Major Losses Following “Unneeded” Jacobite Suspension, Warns Local Councillor
Omar Malik
29/03/24
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No evidence to justify Jacobite train’s £7 million central locking system upgrade, says Fort William councillor.
The steam train service was suspended last week by operator West Coast Railways (WCR), after the company challenged expensive safety requirements.
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Angus MacDonald, a Liberal Democrat councillor for Fort William and Ardnamurchan, told Blether: “They are imposing some health and safety practices without there being any evidence that it's needed - to the detriment of the couple of thousand people who live in Mallaig.”
The Jacobite service - which runs from Fort William to Mallaig - was suspended after rail regulator the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) ruled that the train's carriage doors required a secure central locking system.
Known for featuring in the Harry Potter franchise, the steam train was refused an exemption to implement the safety upgrade, leading to WCR announcing the service’s suspension.
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MacDonald finds the multi-million pound safety upgrade unjustifiable: “That is a massive amount of money, and there are very few large businesses that would be able to justify that; never mind forcing it upon this railway company.”
With the Jacobite and its route across the Glenfinnan Viaduct boosting the area’s tourism industry after appearing in the Harry Potter films, MacDonald warns of economic troubles following the suspension.
“It will have an impact of millions of pounds in our area, where that sort of money is a very big thing. And that’s not just millions from people going on trains - people come to look at the trains, stay in the hotels and visit Mallaig,” says MacDonald.
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According to WCR, the Jacobite service brings around £20 million into the UK’s tourism industry - but the suspension could lead to £50 million losses both locally and UK-wide.
Despite operating for three decades under an exceptional exemption to allow for its hinged-door carriages, the Jacobite’s last temporary exemption was granted last November.
Subsequent requests to seek a further exemption - in addition to losing a High Court safety challenge in December - led to WCR indefinitely suspending the service.
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MacDonald fears for the local community's livelihoods post-suspension: “Even if somebody did step in and fund the changes, it would take a year to complete them. Meanwhile, shops are going to go bust. There’s a shop which just sells Harry Potter paraphernalia in Mallaig, and there’s no way it’s going to last the year.”
Criticising the proposed safety amendments, MacDonald told Blether: “They claim it’s for safety reasons, because theoretically people could open the door and get thrown out. But with Ben Nevis, at each stage you can step over a cliff and fall 3,000 feet. So do we make mountain biking illegal; do we enforce a handrail up Ben Nevis?”
ORR says the company should not have sold tickets while the service’s future remained uncertain.
Meanwhile, WCR announced that passengers who booked tickets for the world-famous 84-mile service will receive a full refund.