School children, residents, councillors and MP Steve Barclay gathered at Manea train station to celebrate an improved service to the village today.
Manea, where previously only two trains stopped a day, now has a two hourly train service, provided by Abellio Greater Anglia, which connects the village directly with Peterborough, Ely and Ipswich.
The train operator teamed up with Fenland Community Rail Partnership to organise the ceremony, which was attended by pupils from Manea Community Primary School.
The school children stuck posters they had designed on the fences surrounding the train station to encourage people not to drop litter.
Lucy Johns won the competition for the best poster. She was presented with a framed copy of it by Fenland District Councillor Ralph Butcher.
At 10.17am, everyone boarded a train to Ely to celebrate the improved service.
Andrew Goodrum of Abellio Greater Anglia said, “Being able to offer this new service to the people of Manea is a great moment for us and will be of great benefit to the community.
“With the new platform at Peterborough we’re now able to re-time our services to offer real public transport alternatives for the people of Manea.”
Cllr Butcher said: “I am delighted at the new timetable for Manea.
“Transport is a vital issue for a big rural area like Fenland and especially for Manea and this service is a very significant improvement.
“Fenland District Council has been working with Manea Parish Council and Abellio Greater Anglia on railway related matters for some time.
“We have had strong support from local people, who know what a big difference this service will make.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here