The Nottingham Trundler

East Midlands Trains has put a brave gloss on the new timetable for Nottingham. And more seats on those crowded London trains is a step in the right direction.
But 'step' is the operative word here.
The express service between the Capital of the East Midlands and the Capital City of the UK seems incapable of moving much faster than a leisurely jog.
Businessman David Pemberton (a former automotive industry bean counter) has carried out a forensic analysis of the new timetables, unearthing the awkward realities beneath EMT's story of 'major investment' in services.
An economic centre of Nottingham's magnitude should have a 90 minute link to London. Nothing less is acceptable.
But beneath all the sleek livery, what we are stuck with is little better than a rural bus service, stopping here, there and everywhere in Northants as it trundles south. A 90–minute service is years away.
Why? 'Rationing' of fast trains is one reason. But is weak political influence another? The way the world works is that you have to push solid arguments hard and lever political influence to make important changes happen.
On that basis, you’d never know this was the rail timetable for the city nearest Transport Secretary Geoff Hoon.
Pemberton makes a point which should set a few people thinking very carefully.
In Nottingham, all the political effort is going into transforming the faded glory of the Midland Station into a 21st century transport interchange where tram meets train.
It would, he says, be far more immediately effective if the city pushed for better services instead.
Otherwise the risk is that, rather like the timetable announcement, what looks like an impressive station on the surface will turn out to have a depressingly pedestrian service underneath.