News from the East Anglian Branch of Railfuture, Edited by Martin Thorne and Jerry Alderson.
Railfuture News Snippets 138 - 02/07/2004
- RAIL FRANCHISES [all issues]
- ST.IVES LINE [all issues]
- Cambridgeshire Guided Busway statements of case from applicant and CAST.IRON submitted
- Cambridgeshire Guided Busway scheme had more objectors than almost any other TWA application
- Cambridgeshire County Council continues its claim that rail reopening cannot happen
- CAST.IRON not concerned by failure of Grand Central to obtain track access agreement
- STATIONS [all issues]
- List of busiest East Anglian stations announced
- Redevelopment of area around Cambridge Station commences with small scheme
- RAIL ROUTES [all issues]
- Network Rail commence travelling exhibition to explain about Ipswich tunnel closure
- Manningtree Rail Users Association call for improvements to Great Eastern Main Line
- Two level crossings on March-Wisbech line lifted and tarmaced over
- RAIL PUNCTUALITY [all issues]
- WAGN and Network Rail announce that punctuality and reliability is improving
- Trains more punctual than aeroplanes
- RAIL FREIGHT [all issues]
- RAIL SAFETY [all issues]
- PRESERVED RAILWAYS [all issues]
Railfuture National Executive has appointed Peter Harris as Membership Promotion and Fund Raising Officer. He will be working for three days a week based at the Railfuture Office in the Colourworks.
A new Railfuture booklet "The Case for Rail" written by Norman Bradbury and edited by Keith Dyall is available for £2.75 including post and packing from Railfuture. It is full of arguments for rail campaigners and statistics to back up arguments.
Railfuture members may be interested in some statistics about Railfuture membership. The age of members from a members' survey conducted in 2002 are: <25 - 1%, 26-35 - 4%, 36-45 - 15%, 46-55 - 21%, 56-65 - 24%, >66 - 35%. According to this 2002 survey, 41% had been a members for 10 or more years.
Transport for London has launched a consultation exercise regarding the route and design details of their West London Tram Scheme. Information can be read on their website: http://www.tfl.gov.uk/trams/initiatives/wlt/index.shtml.
Dr Phyllis Starkey MP (Chair of Parliamentary East West Rail Group) is speaking at the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Rail Action Committee's [OBRAC's] AGM on Saturday 3rd July 2004 at 1.45pm, which is held at Rectory Cottages, Church Green Road, Bletchley, MK - 10-minutes walk from Bletchley railway station. The talk is abort Oxford and Aylesbury to Bedford rail - and the bigger plan for East West rail. All are welcome and admission is free.
CAST.IRON chairman Tim Phillips will be giving a presentation to the Bedfordshire Railway and Transport Association (BRTA) at their AGM on Saturday 10th July at the Friends Meeting House in Bedford. Tim's presentation will commence at 15:00 after the tea break.
Gordon Brown has set Monday 12th July to announce the details of the Comprehensive Spending Review, in which the government will set out its spendign plans for 2005-2008. Meanwhile, Secretary of State for Transport, Alistair Darling, is spected to announce the conclusions of the Rail Review on Monday 5th July.
About 40 MPs came along to the Transport 2000/Railfuture's 'National Railcard' event opposite the Houses of Parliament in London on 17th June and many have signed an Early Day Motion in support of the controversial plan.
RAIL FRANCHISES
Former GB Railways shareholders fail to earn from Northern Franchise
Keywords: [GBRailways]
Former GB Railways PLC shareholders, already disappointed by the failure to be awarded with the Greater [East] Anglia and Wales franchises, suffered further financial setback when the SRA announced that Serco-Ned Railways are preferred bidder for the Northern Rail franchise. Had First been awarded the franchise, shareholders would have received 50p per share. They received nothing from First's successful wins of ScotRail and TransPennine since GB Railways had not been shortlisted for these.
SRA press release: http://www.sra.gov.uk/news/2004/6/preferred_bidder_northern_rail.
ST.IVES LINE
Cambridgeshire Guided Busway statements of case from applicant and CAST.IRON submitted
Keywords: [CASTIRON]
Objectors to the Cambridgeshire Guided Busway have until 21st July to submit their statement of case. The applicants one can be found at: http://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/sub/eandt/planning/raptrans/statementofcase.pdf.
CAST.IRON's 80-page statement of case is at: http://www.cmarge.demon.co.uk/castiron/CI-SoC.pdf.
The original deadline was 11th June, but CAST.IRON executive Stephen Ades spotted that the DfT had failed to correctly explain the process, and notified them. They replied: "It would seem that you are indeed correct, and that no formal notice had been served to require the submission of a statement of case. In order to rectify the situation the said notice has now been sent. As a consequence, the deadline for the submission of statements of case is now 21st July 2004."
Cambridgeshire Guided Busway scheme had more objectors than almost any other TWA application
A CAST.IRON member has obtained a list of all TWA Order applications submitted to the Department for Transport since the 1992 act was passed. The 15-mile Cambridgeshire Guided Busway, which had more than 2,700 objections, has generated more objections that any other scheme except Central Railway PLC (13,000) and Scarweather wind farm. The Fawley Line proposal [refused] generated 6,000 objections in total, but only 12 related to the TWA order. Busway schemes at Chester [approved] and Luton-Dunstable [on-going] generated 1,131 and 362 respectively. Cambridgeshire County Council have officially said they anticipated a large number of objections, and are not surprised at receiving just four letters of support as supportive responses are rare. However, several schemes have had many letters of support (e.g. 465 letters for Ffestiniog Railway, 400 for Yorkshire Marina, 133 for Greater Manchester LRTS extension).
Cambridgeshire County Council continues its claim that rail reopening cannot happen
Cambridgeshire County Council is continuing to trot out the same anti-rail arguments: the government will only fund the busway; the rail industry doesn't want the railway etc. On 30t June the Cambridge Evening News published the council's press release "Major blow to rail campaigners" citing a letter the council had solicited from the SRA saying that it would not pay for the railway and therefore supported the busway, which had received government money.
On Thursday 1st July, CAST.IRON chairman Tim Phillips explained on BBC Radio Cambriudgeshire that "this is a non-story. CAST.IRON has always know that the SRA does support it, but CAST.IRON does not need the support of the SRA, which could well be abolished, giving the example of the independently-built and run Heathrow Express." Mr Phillips also revealed that CAST.IRON had been in discussions with a railway operator, with whom it would be meeting in the next few weeks. The interview, plus one with councillor Shona Johnstone is available on http://www.noguidedbus.com.
CAST.IRON not concerned by failure of Grand Central to obtain track access agreement
Keywords: [GrandCentral]
CAST.IRON has already informed the Office of Rail Regulation of its intention to run trains from the St.Ives branch line - which it would own - onto Network Rail metals into Cambridge station and possibly Stansted Airport. Heathrow Express is already a precedent for this, and Hull Trains has recently obtained approval to run a fifth daily service between London King's Cross and Hull Paragon.
CAST.IRON is disappointed that Grand Central has been refused a track access agreement to run a rival trans-Pennine service on the grounds that it would be abstracting revenue from other operators. CAST.IRON's service would not be taking reveuue from train operators, and therefore is unaffected by this news.
CAST.IRON website: http://www.castiron.org.uk.
STATIONS
List of busiest East Anglian stations announced
According to the SRA's latest rail trends document, the ten busiest stations in East Anglia (using the
Government Office Region as its definition) are:
1) Chelmsford: 6.44m passengers per year
2) Cambridge: 5.47m
3) St Albans: 5.38m
4) Colchester: 4.0m
5) Watford Junction: 3.87m
6) Peterborough: 3.38m
7) Stevenage: 3.26m
8) Luton: 2.98m
9) Stansted Airport: 2.97m
10) Billericay: 2.71m
Nationally, the busiest stations (excluding London) are Glasgow Central 22.9m, Manchester Picc 16.2m, Birmingham New Street 14.2m, Reading 12.9m, Edinburgh 12.5m and Leeds 11.2m
Redevelopment of area around Cambridge Station commences with small scheme
Keywords: [CambridgeStation]
Cambridge city councillors have authorised the first part of the major regeneration of the area around Cambridge station. The vacant Red House building on Station Road is to be bulldozed and a 77-flat apartment block built in its place by Domain Developments, who are separate from Ashwell Property Group who are behind the £250m redevelopment of the area.
RAIL ROUTES
Network Rail commence travelling exhibition to explain about Ipswich tunnel closure
Keywords: [IpswichTunnel]
Network Rail have organised a travelling exhibition about the Ipswich tunnel. The first of these was at Manningtree library on 1st June. It is hoped that everyone will be aware of the closure before it happens, avoiding situations like the recent 9-day closure of the WCML that saw Milton Keynes taxi drivers sitting outside the station and getting only one fare every two hours.
Manningtree Rail Users Association call for improvements to Great Eastern Main Line
Keywords: [ManningtreeRailUsers]
Derek Monnery, chairman of MRUA, has called for urgent improvements to the Great Eastern Main Line. He mentioned that the GEML was quadrupled only as far as Shenfield in the 1920's because East Anglia was an unfashionable place to live. In 1970 Manningtree had a dozen rail commuters, in 1983 around 75 and today over 1,000. Astronomical growth has occurred at several main line stations in Suffolk and Essex. with train services increased to meet demand the Shenfield to Witham section is now the second-busiest stretch of double-track line in the country, beaten by the Welwyn viaduct. Capacity will be further constrained, Mr Monnery argues, when more 9'6" containers from Felixstowe run on the GEML, resulting in day-long line congestion.
The MRUA believes that the government should pour money into the Great Eastern as it has done with the West Coast Main Line to meet future demand. It suggests an extra line between Shenfield and Witham to act as a tidal-flow line and dynamic loops allowing freight trains to enter passing loops at speed, so they do not obstruct trains behind them. An upgrade of Felixstowe-Ely-Nuneaton route for freight would alleviate the mainline, perhaps using EU money for the Trans-European Network.
Two level crossings on March-Wisbech line lifted and tarmaced over
Keywords: [WisbechBranch]
The March-Wisbech Bramley Line group were horrified to discover on 9th June that the rail on the two most northerly level crossings on the Wisbech branch (Weasenham Lane and A47 Wisbech Bypass) was removed and the road was tarmaced over. The Bramley Line, who are trying to lease or purchase the line, were aware that Weasenham level crossing was in a bad state of repair, but did not realise that a complaint had also been made about the A47, which had only been resurfaced a year earlier. Apparently the rails had broken loose from their concrete base.
It is not known what is to be done with the disused line. An announcement was placed in local newspapers announcing the closure of the A47 from 21:00 on Saturday 3rd July for the replacement of corroded rails. However, this was subsequently delayed to 10th July, and this too has been cancelled.
The Bramley Line has contacted local MP Malcolm Moss, who is very supportive of their aims and has pledged to do whatever he can to help.
Bramley Line chairman, Peter Downs, would be eager to hear from anyone who can confirm the future of the level crossing and the legality of Network Rail's actions. Please phone him on 01945 467740. [Editor's update: In March 2006 the A47 level crossing was reinstated.]
Bramley Line website: http://www.bramleyline.co.uk.
RAIL PUNCTUALITY
WAGN and Network Rail announce that punctuality and reliability is improving
Keywords: [WAGN]
WAGN and Network Rail have jointly produced a second "Tracking our progress: We're improving your train service" leaflet for passengers, following the first in February 2004.
According to the leaflet, the target of 85% punctuality on peak-tie trains was reached on 31st March, and it has not fallen below since. It had been just 77% in January 2004. This is due in part to Network Rail having spent £16m on WAGN's routes, including laying five miles of track, replacing 22 sets of points and resettling track on the Hertford Loop thus reducing speed restrictions to their lowest level in four years. WAGN have also increased the turnaround time for trains at King's Cross, to reduce the knock-on effects of delayed trains. They've also commenced running 8-coach stopping trains from Cambridge, using selective door opening to reduce the need to join and split trains en-route. WAGN and GNER have co-operated to prioritise trains at key bottlenecks such as the Welwyn Viaduct and Cambridge Junction in Hitchin.
WAGN have set themselves a target of 90% punctuality by 31st July.
Trains more punctual than aeroplanes
According to the May 2004 edition of GNER's electronic newsletter 'Inside Track', in 2003 for journeys from Edinburgh, Newcastle and Leeds to London on GNER services were more punctual than corresponding air flights. Overall 80% of trains arrived within 15 minutes of the scheduled time but only 70% of flights were within 15 minutes. The railways are still suffering from a maintenance backlog and will get better. What excuse have the airlines got?
RAIL FREIGHT
GB Railfreight still in discussions with Royal Mail
Keywords: [GBRailfreight]
In the June 2004 edition of the Royal Mail's "The Voice" magazine, the Royal Mail have been in talks with GB Railfreight about carrying mail through the West Country, in addition to a five-year deal to reintroduce rail freight on the east and west coast mainlines.
Terry Pullinger, of Royal Mail Distribution Services was quoted: "We did not want the switch to road in the first place. I suspect more is going back on rail than was originally planned."
RAIL SAFETY
Rail is nine times safer than road according to Rail Safety Standards Body
The RSSB announced in its 'Annual Safety Report' published on 9th June that rail travel is nine times safer per mile than journeys by car. This is partly helped by the number of collisions and derailments in 2003 being the lowest recorded.
PRESERVED RAILWAYS
Mid-Norfolk Railway again employs Avondale Environmental Services to spray weedkiller on line
Keywords: [MidNorfolkRailway]
The Mid-Norfolk Railway's regular contractor, Avondale Environmental Services Ltd, sprayed the whole line from North Elmham gates (where the track ends) to the Down platform at Wymondham Station (on Network Rail metals) on 9th June. This is now an annual event, and is followed by flailing in the autumn.
The MNR are continuing to replace sleepers on the non-operational northern section just north of Dereham station, and will be performing an intensive replacement programme on 10th/11th July.
Railfuture East Anglia Branch News Snippets 138 - 02/07/2004
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