Recieved this update today - it's good news to a point, but looks like the railway won't operate this year and the future is not guaranteed at all. What does anyone else think?
SKLR SOS CAMPAIGN UPDATE 24th MARCH 2009
SOME GOOD NEWS
The following press release was issued jointly by M-real and the SKLR at 10.30am on Tuesday 24 March 2009:-
M-real and SKLR reach agreement about light railway operations at Sittingbourne
M-real closed down its papermaking operations in Sittingbourne at the beginning of 2007. After seeing to the removal of the papermaking machinery and dealing with the employment, pension and environmental issues at the site, M-real plans to sell all the land associated with the operations.
Sittingbourne & Kemsley Light Railway (SKLR) was therefore given 12 months notice that its arrangements with M-real would come to an end and SKLR would have to cease operating on M-real’s land at the end of January 2009.
Since the announcement of the mill closure at the end of 2006 and the notice from M-real at the start of 2008, SKLR has been actively investigating possible ways of securing the future of the light railway and has run a successful campaign highlighting its significance for the town of Sittingbourne and seeking support for its continued operation.
Both M-real and SKLR are pleased to announce that they have been able to agree an interim solution which will allow SKLR’s operation to continue as a key part of the development of tourist and leisure activities at Sittingbourne.
The agreement will allow SKLR to provide train services in the future within the Swale Country Park.
As part of the agreement, M-real has donated tracks, sleepers and materials to SKLR in addition to its previous donations of rolling stock.
With the support of Swale Borough Council and specialist professional advisers, SKLR is working on a new business plan for future operations and is grateful for the input and support received from all interested parties. SKLR has decided to suspend its passenger operations for 2009 in order to have time to focus on a number of very important issues which are involved in securing the future of this heritage attraction.
SKLR is also grateful to M-real for a cash donation made by M-real to assist SKLR with its expenses during this period of reduced income..
Both parties would like to express their gratitude to the Officers and Members of Swale Borough Council for their assistance in bringing this agreement about and to Mr Wyatt for his support. Support from Cllr Bowles, Cllr Wright, Ms Barbara Thompson and Mr Ian Lewis has been particularly valuable in bringing the parties together to reach this agreement.
It is hoped that SKLR will now be able to obtain grant funding to help to secure its long-term future, providing a steam railway for the benefit of the people of Swale and beyond for many years to come and allowing the continuing development of Sittingbourne as a major town in the South East.
“We are delighted that we have been able to reach agreement with SKLR. We think it gives the railway a much-needed boost for its future survival,” said David Scudder, Company Secretary at M-real.
“Our future is not yet guaranteed, but this agreement gives us a valuable opportunity to survive and thrive. We still have a great deal of work to do, both internally and externally, and we may have to rethink how we do things, but at least we are able to continue our work with a much greater degree of security”, Bob Newcombe, Chairman of the Trustees of SKLR added.
SKLR would also like to take this opportunity to thank all the legal and property advisers and other specialists who have donated their time and expertise as part of this process. Without their help there would have been no future for SKLR.
The above represents the outcome of over twelve months of negotiations between M-real and the Light Railway and, whilst it does not give us all that we would want, it does represent a starting point for our ultimate goal of keeping the whole Railway operational. The part of the Railway included in the above press release runs on the land that M-real owns in the area of the Country Park. It does not include Sittingbourne Viaduct station, Kemsley Down station or the viaduct itself. However the Light Railway is now in a position to open negotiations with SRP New Thames Ltd regarding the Kemsley Down station site and with the purchaser of the Sittingbourne end of the line once that land has been sold by M-real.
We still have some way to go to safeguard the whole of the line and our SOS Campaign will continue. Swale Borough Council has recently started consultation on the draft version of its Masterplan for Sittingbourne Town Centre and it is important that all views supporting the retention of the viaduct and the Light Railway terminus at Sittingbourne are recorded. You can view and comment on the draft masterplan at
www.swale.gov.uk and click on Masterplan.
The Negotiating Team SKLR