Fear of 'reputational damage' for East Midlands Railway if footbridge closure resumes

Nottingham City Council's leader says she fears East Midlands Railway (EMR) will suffer "reputational damage" if it continues with the closure of a footbridge. The rail operator first stopped access to a footbridge connecting Station Street to Queen's Road on October 28.

EMR said at the time that the footbridge was being used by some passengers to bypass ticket checks and avoid paying a fare. The company therefore said it was closing the side entrance for an initial three-week pilot.

The trial ended earlier this week, with passengers once again able to access the footbridge from Monday onwards (November 18). EMR now says it will be considering data from the trial to determine whether the closure should be permanent.

Neghat Khan, Nottingham City Council's leader, has now written to the company and urged it not to proceed with the plans. Councillor Khan, in a letter to EMR's managing director Will Rogers, said: "Once you have analysed the trial data, I would urge EMR to reconsider its plans to tackle fare evasion, including the installation of additional ticket barriers at the the exits. I fear that the reputational damage and loss of commuter trust would likely outweigh the benefit intended by the closure."

An East Midlands Railway spokesperson said: "The pilot was aimed at reducing fare evasion caused by individuals using the footbridge to bypass ticket checks and avoid payment. Additionally, it aimed to enhance safety for our customers and staff.

"In the coming weeks, we will review the data, information, and feedback gathered during the pilot. This will help us shape our future plans for the station.

"Our goal is to ensure that Nottingham Station remains a safe, accessible, and pleasant environment for all users, and to reduce costs for taxpayers and fare paying customers." The closure of the footbridge was criticised by Nottingham MPs, passengers and nearby businesses - with travellers being forced to use the station's main entrance on Carrington Street during the trial.

Councillor Khan added: "Nottingham prides itself on having one of the best integrated transport systems outside of London, so a decision to negatively affect the ease at which passengers can alight the rail network and embark upon a tram journey is hugely disappointing. I know that we both remain truly ambitious and proud of Nottingham's rich transport history, which is why it is so important that we work together to get this right."