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East Anglia Branch News - Snippets Issue 108 - 13/02/2003

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News from the East Anglian Branch of Railfuture, Edited by Martin Thorne and Jerry Alderson.

Railfuture News Snippets 108 - 13/02/2003



The next Railfuture East Anglia branch meeting is on Saturday 22nd February 2003 at 2pm, at the library in Bury St Edmunds. The address is: Sergeants Walk, St Andrews Street North, Bury St Edmunds, IP33 1TZ. Telephone: (01284) 352545. See: http://www.suffolkcc.gov.uk/libraries/locations/burystedmunds-library.html.

Special guest is respected journalist, columnist and author Christian Wolmar - he of Broken Rails, Down the Tube and Stagecoach amongst other books, which he will be signing. He has recently written an article for the New Statesman titled "Wrong kind of Prime Minister on the line", which accuses Tony Blair of ignoring transport issues. The guest was not known when Rail East was published. It will be prohibitively expensive to write to each Rail East recipient, so, if you know a fellow member who might like to meet Mr Wolmar but does not receive Snippets, please could you let them know. A poster advertising the event is available on: http://www.railfuture.org.uk/wolmar.pdf.

The branch is hoping to have a railfreight guest at the next meeting. In the meantime, John Smith, MD of GB Railfreight will be speaking at the Cambridge University Railway Club meeting on Thursday 27th February at 20:30. It is in Supervision Room 2 at Magdalene College, Bridge Street, Cambridge. Railfuture members are welcome to join the meeting; there is no charge for occasional visits by non-members.

Richard Bowker, SRA Chairman and Chief Executive, will be on the BBC Radio 4 programme "You and Yours" at Noon on Friday 14th February 2003. There will be an opportunity for listeners to put questions. Railfuture chairman Peter Lawrence asks members to try asking a question, and remember to mention Railfuture.

Panorama on BBC-1 on Sunday 16th February at 10-15pm, entitled "promises, promises...", will focus on the Government's inability to deliver its improvements to the UK's transport infrastructure both on rail & road. For info, see: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/panorama/2725661.stm.


RAIL OVERCROWDING
WAGN plans fare reductions on Cambridge-Liverpool Street route to cut overcrowding on King's Cross route

Keywords: [WAGN]

WAGN has announced plans to encourage passengers away from the Great Northern route, which suffers overcrowding, onto the West Anglia route (out of Liverpool Street) where overcrowding is not a big problem. According to an interview with the Cambridge Evening News, WA route director, Julian Drury intends to entice more passengers to use his route by creating a price differential of around 20% on the fares from Cambridge to Liverpool Street and King's Cross from late spring or early summer 2003. This has been precipitated by the SRA's plan to split the WAGN franchise.

Encouraging more Cambridge passengers to travel to Liverpool Street may see a reduction in complaints, since the WA route has faced less passenger criticism than King's Cross in 2002, with between 85 and 87 per cent of services arriving within five minutes of the advertised time.


STATIONS
Chesterton Interchange station plan for Cambridge promoted once again

Keywords: [CambridgeNorthStation]

Plans for a new four platform railway station in northern Cambridge at Chesterton Sidings made local front page headlines in December 2002. First proposed as "Cambridge Parkway" by Network South East over 16 years ago, back in Chris Green's day, and in the county's LTP for years, it is now estimated to cost £18m.

The location is not yet determined. At least two platforms will be on the main line, but the two bay platforms might be on the St Ives branch. The station will not be at Chesterton Junction, as shown in the Cambridge Evening News' map. According to Cambs County Cabinet Member Shona Johnstone, their planned guided bus will connect with the new station, which she says "could be built by 2007".

Up to six London trains an hour would serve the station, and perhaps the Norwich/Birmingham services too. It is hoped the new station would drastically reduce the number of motorists trying to get to the existing station at peak periods. Network Rail believe the ability to split and join trains at the new station will free up platform occupation at Cambridge station and defer the need to build an island platform and footbridge.

Despite being suggested for 16 years, the chance of it happening is better than at Addenbrooke's Hospital. Network Rail is opposed to Addenbrooke's for operating inconvenience reasons (delaying trains by two minutes which might then lose their path on the ECML). Also around half of the land at Chesterton sidings will be freed up for other development, which could contribute to the cost, although a developer has not yet been found.

Proposals for redeveloping area around Cambridge Station approved by council

Keywords: [CambridgeStation]

In Snippets 104 it was mentioned that an exhibition of proposals to redevelop the run-down area near to Cambridge station was held in November 2002. This new £250m "gateway to the city" was endorsed by councillors from the county, the city and South Cambridgeshire at an environment and transport joint strategic forum in late January 2003.


ST.IVES LINE
Threat of super-sized bendy buses dismissed

Cambridge residents had opposed the threatened monster-sized "Franken-bus" proposed by the SuperCAM guided bus consortium. However, Graham Hughes, head of transport development at Cambridgeshire County Council has now made it clear that bog-standard buses, with £3,000 modifications for guide wheels, will be used on their guided busway, and not the impressive state-of-the-art "trams-on-tyres" mock-ups that had been demonstrated at the public exhibition. However, the council are still using the largely favourable public reaction to the high capacity large bus to show support for their alternative scheme.

The County Council officers are keen that the busway should be open to all operators and should not be a monopoly. This begs the question: what happens if one operator insists on running slower vehicles than other operators? Also, despite funding not being granted in December 2002, as they hoped, the council are still telling people they will submit a Transport and Works Act Order during 2003, with 18 months build time giving a planned opening date in 2006/7.

Nick Dibben, Railfuture East Anglia Branch Secretary, was interviewed in late January by the Hunts Post newspaper as part of their Boot out the misguided bus campaign. He commented on why the Government did not approve the busway in the end of 2002 LTP announcements.


MULTI-MODAL STUDIES
London to South Midlands study proposes East West Rail Link through St.Neots

Keywords: [EastWestRail]

The London to South Midlands Multi Modal Study (LSM) held a presentation in Luton on Tuesday 4th February to publish its report, following a three-year investigation. The £4,000m proposals included a rail link between Bedford, St Neots and Cambridge along the existing A428 road. This idea immediately won support of Huntingdon MP Jonathan Djanogly and South Cambs MP Andrew Lansley, who back a plan to promote St Neots as the main transport and development centre in Huntingdonshire over the next 30 years. Hunts Liberal Democrats are claiming the credit for suggesting the rail idea to LSM in 2002.

The study also suggested a reopening the rail route from Bedford to Northampton. Despite these positive announcements, there were several road schemes as well (including Great Barford By-pass), and there is no evidence that the rail schemes will be granted funding by the government.

Comments on the study can be sent to LSM Regional Planning Body, c/o Bedfordshire County Council, County Hall, Cauldwell Street, Bedford MK42 9AP.


ROAD USER ACCIDENTS AFFECTING RAILWAYS
Lorry driver successfully prosecuted

The lorry driver whose vehicle was hit by an Anglia railways train carrying 56 passengers in April 2002 on the level crossing at Blaxhall Farm, near Saxmundham on the newspaper and Lowestoft line, admitted a charge of dangerous driving in court. He was given a 100-hour community punishment order, banned from driving for a year and ordered to take an extended test to regain his licence.

The crossing had no barriers, and the driver claimed he failed to hear warning claxons because his cab stereo was on. The accident cost the rail industry a total of £683,000. This included £75,000 repairs to the damaged train. The cancellation of 38 trains and the early termination of 14 other services as a direct result of the crash had cost another £200,000. Extra staffing costs had come to £55,000, but the £350,000 costs of rebuilding the crossing had cost the most. Since then a Network Rail attendant has been manually operating the crossing, which has had temporary gates installed.

A spokesman for Network Rail said: "Level crossings have a 100% safety record when used correctly and it's only when the green cross code of level crossings is broken that incidents happen."

Another road vehicle on East Suffolk Line level crossing hit by train

Keywords: [EastSuffolkLine]

Only days before the prosecution of the lorry driver for the Blaxhall Farm accident, a train hit a car on the unmanned Haywards crossing, just outside Woodbridge, on the same railway line. The car driver and all 15 passengers on board the 9.15am from Ipswich on 28th January escaped injury. Peter Meades, Anglia Railways spokesman, confirmed there was no fault on the railway infrastructure or the train and said: "Unfortunately if you look at the history of the incidents that have occurred on these crossings in recent years, virtually all have tended to be caused by misuse by road users."


RAIL AWARDS
Anglia Railways wins its fourth Charter Mark award for customer service

Keywords: [AngliaRailways]

Anglia Railways has won its fourth Charter Mark for excellence in customer service, although the first (1993) was won prior to privatisation. The Charter Mark, which lasts for three years, is a Government scheme to recognise organisations that give high standards of public services, and is not limited to the rail industry. An assessor would have talked to passengers, staff, user groups and other stakeholders, travelled on numerous services, visited many stations and examined the company's policies and quality of service. Only two other train companies have been awarded a Charter Mark, Chiltern (3 times) and Island Line (twice).


COMMUNITY RAILWAYS AND PARTNERSHIPS
Community Rail Partnership created for East Suffolk railway line

Keywords: [EastSuffolkLine]

Anglia Railways, Suffolk County Council and other local authorities will soon be creating a Community Rail Partnership scheme for East Suffolk line between Lowestoft and Ipswich, to join the successful ones created for the Bittern Line (1997) and Wherry Lines (2000) in Norfolk, which have seen an unprecedented increase in passenger numbers. The East Suffolk line is one of the longest branch lines in the UK, providing a vital link to communities along the Suffolk coastal area and an alternative to the A12.


RAIL FRANCHISES
GB Railways PLC holds stakeholder presentation at Ipswich Football Club to promote franchise bid

Keywords: [GBRailways]

GB Railways PLC invited around 20 invited stakeholder guests, including Railfuture, to the Premier Suite of Ipswich Town's football stadium on Tuesday 28th January for a presentation entitled "The Greater Anglia Franchise - GB Railways: we listen, we think, we act".

Mr Jeremy Long, Chairman and Chief Executive of GB Railways, along with several other directors, listed Anglia Railways' main achievements as they saw them, and explained why they think they should be given the Franchise, rather than what they would specifically do if they did win it, because the SRA has not yet published the full specification. He stressed that much can be achieved with little money, something the SRA will be pleased to hear.

Key points from their presentation included:
* Why choose GB Railways - Their Strategy is: Listen, Think, Act
* Key challenges: Punctuality and Reliability; Overcrowded trains; Clean/comfortable trains; Information provision
* Other Important Issues: Friendly, Helpful and Professional Staff; Facilities; Ticket Purchase and Collection; Responsive to Local Needs; Excellent Customer Service
* Past Improvements: Commuter Club innovation; Integrated Transport; New Routes; Car Parks; More Staff; Community Rail Partnerships.


RAIL ROUTES
Part of March-Wisbech line may have future as link to new maintenance depot

Keywords: [WisbechBranch]

Network Rail is seeking permission to build a new track maintenance depot in the 200 acres of derelict land beside Whitemoor Prison for the Channel Tunnel Rail Link - instead of Temple Mills in London, which will close by 2005. NR are in discussions with Fenland District Council for planning permission. Around 550 new jobs could be created: 300 during construction, and 200 jobs thereafter. These plans may help to explain why Railtrack resignalled March and Whitemoor sidings.

Although Network rail's plans are a positive sign for the line, there are no plans for a resumption of railfreight to Wisbech. The Spillers/Friskies site in Wisbech, which ended transport of petfood by rail to Deanside (Glasgow) in late 2000, is now owned by Nestlé Purina. The rail sidings remain intact but disused. Carnaud Metal Box, another former railfreight customer in Wisbech, is unlikely to be using rail again as it has covered over the siding leading to its factory with tarmac.


PRESERVED RAILWAYS
MoD trains may go to Worthing crossing on Mid-Norfolk Railway line extension

Keywords: [MidNorfolkRailway]

According to the Eastern Daily Press on 21st January 2003, the Defence Rail Executive - the rail arm of the Ministry of Defence - are considering plans to construct a permanent railhead for loading and unloading army road vehicles near Worthing crossing, about a mile and a half south of North Elmham. If the facility went ahead, it would end the movement of tank transporters on the narrow roads between Dereham and the nearby Robertson Barracks, Swanton Morley.

The Mid-Norfolk railway has been holding discussions with DFE, which has enlisted a specialist engineering unit to carry out a feasibility study on the proposed site. The DFE would contribute towards the infrastructure costs required to operate trains between Dereham and North Elmham, a long standing aim of the MNR.

Regardless of the army's plans, the MNR continues its northern extension plans. On 4th January, the MNR ran a load-test train across Dereham's Neatherd Road - the first train to use the crossing for more than ten years.

The Holt, Melton constable and Fakenham Railway Company, who are behind the proposed Norfolk Orbital Railway that would join the North and Mid Norfolk Railways, has put together £30,000 to pay for a revenue study of the complete route as well as a revised study of the first part: from the NNR at High Kelling to the centre of Holt. It is consulting North Norfolk District Council about route protection and environmental aspects.


WEBSITES
New website promoting Parry People Movers

Keywords: [ParryPeopleMovers]

Anyone interested in Parry People Movers, the light rail tram powered by flywheel stored energy, which has been proposed for various towns and cities, including Kings Lynn, can find out more information from a new website: http://www.parrypeoplemovers.com.


Railfuture East Anglia Branch News Snippets 108 - 13/02/2003

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