Voluntary Yorkshire railway now struck by double whammy

Jun 21 2008 by Our Correspondent, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

AS the hugely lucrative tourism market in rural Yorkshire is facing its biggest crisis in almost a decade because of soaring fuel costs and the credit crunch concerns have been expressed over the impact on Britain’s volunteer community by one of the county’s most popular attractions.

The North Yorkshire Moors Railway, which attracts over 300,000 visitors a year and attracts some £18m into the local economy, sustaining over 500 jobs, says the Government needs to fully recognise the adverse impact these additional costs are having on the tourism industry.

The NYMR depends on over 400 volunteers to operate through the year and many travel long distances to carry out a range of duties.

The running of one train alone can involve up to 15 people, including drivers, firemen, guards, ticket collectors, fitters and station dispatch volunteers.

The railway operates between six and nine return services a day from March to November, linking Pickering, Levisham, Goathland, Grosmont and Whitby along 24 miles of track.

Many volunteers are pensioners with fixed incomes and the rocketing price of petrol is starting to eat into their disposal income.

NYMR general manager Philip Benham says the credit crunch and soaring fuel costs were hitting the railway hard in two ways; a drop in the number of people with discretionary spend and by hitting the volunteer labour so vital to the running of the railway.

He believes the Government could do no worse than cut at least 5p from the duty on fuel.

He added: “We are holding our own – just – and this is as a result of our expanded services to and from Whitby.

“ But many attractions don’t have that diversity with which to keep up.

“Some are undoubtedly struggling.”

It is estimated that the tourism industry is worth some £85b to the UK economy.

It is the country’s sixth largest industry.

Yorkshire receives around 10% of domestic tourists visiting England.

Despite this, the Government has refused to shift its position in relation to the cost of fuel. It takes about 70p from every £1.35 per litre in fuel as a result of tax and VAT.