Loading...
 
List Articles
Monitoring
Stop monitoring articles

Updating train passengers

Author: Jerry Alderson - Published Fri 10 of Jun, 2016 20:56 BST - (4163 Reads)
The worst passenger experience is surely when there is a complete lack of information and they have no idea what is happening. This is a frequent complaint that Railfuture hears from passengers and passes on to train operator management. It is pleasing when operators such as Eurostar, which has faced lots of criticism in the past (including from Railfuture), seems to be rectifying its failings - and it is not alone. The graphic above shows how Eurostar made good use of Twitter to inform passengers of severe delays to a service and the options available but was it at the expense of face-to-face communications?

Actions for Updating train passengers
Print

Railfuture gives evidence

Author: Jerry Alderson - Published Tue 07 of Jun, 2016 18:56 BST - (4124 Reads)
In June 2016 Railfuture appeared before Parliament’s Transport Select Committee to give evidence about Improving the Rail Passenger Experience. Railfuture was represented by the head of its Passenger Group, Chris Fribbins (pictured).

Actions for Railfuture gives evidence
Print

Metro reaches New Street

Author: Michael Tombs - Published Fri 03 of Jun, 2016 19:28 BST - (4544 Reads)
As a proud Brummie, Railfuture member Michael Tombs has always been disappointed to see the city lagging behind others in the country in terms of transport planning. However, Monday 30th May 2016 was a rare occasion to hang out the bunting, to collect the promotional ‘goodie bag’, and celebrate the long awaited trams, much delayed, running to New Street station – better late than never!? New CAF-built tram leaves New Street station for Wolverhampton. Photo by Michael Tombs for Railfuture.
Actions for Metro reaches New Street
Print

Rail Week 2016

Author: Chris Page - Published Thu 26 of May, 2016 18:55 BST - (4226 Reads)
Young Rail Professionals is a voluntary organisation which promotes the rail industry as an exciting career choice for young people. Rail Week 2016 will provide an opportunity for the rail sector to engage with young people, and with those who influence young people’s career choice too. It will run from Monday 27th June to Sunday 3rd July.
Actions for Rail Week 2016
Print

Prague compared

Author: Jerry Alderson - Published Sun 22 of May, 2016 21:40 BST - (6957 Reads)
Prague has a reputation as one of the most beautiful cities in Europe (even if graffiti appears to be everywhere) but arriving in Prague on a long-distance train doesn’t give a good first impression of the Czech Republic’s capital city, especially if doing so at night. The above photo shows the view on a very dimly-lit platform.

Actions for Prague compared
Print

Nice to see you

Author: By Trevor Garrod (additional material by Jerry Alderson) - Published Mon 09 of May, 2016 17:28 BST - (3585 Reads)
In April 2016 a group of Railfuture members visited Nice in the south of France, having taken a train from London. Place Garibaldi (centre photo, above) has been pedestrianised since the introduction of the initial 8.7km Nice tram system in 2007. At this point the tram lowers its pantograph and is powered by batteries. Birmingham Victoria Square will also be catenary-free when Midland Metro opens its extension to Centenary Square in 2019. All photos taken from Wikipedia.

Actions for Nice to see you
Print

Washington DC compared

Author: Ian Brown - Published Tue 03 of May, 2016 21:34 BST - (8159 Reads)
Washington DC has a developing network of Metro routes and suburban and long distance rail routes. Railfuture’s Policy Director, Ian Brown CBE spent a week working in Washington in April and took the opportunity to examine the Metro network, visit Washington Union main line station also travel on the two suburban rail systems as well as Amtrak’s Regional main line service to New York.
Restored glory in the form of the concourse at Washington Union station. The station serves as a hub for long distance and commuter services serving the City with good interchange on to the Washington Metro. All photos by Ian Brown for Railfuture.
Actions for Washington DC compared
Print

Cambridge North progress

Author: Peter Wakefield - Published Thu 14 of Apr, 2016 17:26 BST - (9554 Reads)
Cambridge North station is well underway to completion. It is due to open in May 2017.
Photos courtesy Network Rail
Actions for Cambridge North progress
Print

Moscow compared

Author: Ian Brown - Published Wed 06 of Apr, 2016 17:50 BST - (8531 Reads)
Moscow is served by a huge system of long distance and suburban rail, an efficient Metro and tram system. Railfuture’s Policy Director, Ian Brown CBE, gives his impressions of using the system over a few days in April 2016 and visiting four of the main line stations.
Best practice station design. Many Moscow metro stations are extremely ornate. Here is an example of one which is not but shows best practice in terms of station design. Total access to the length of the train. No clutter. Escalators at each end. All photos by Ian Brown for Railfuture.
Actions for Moscow compared
Print

East-West double boost

Author: Phil Smart - Published Tue 05 of Apr, 2016 16:09 BST - (6463 Reads)
Phil Smart, a member of Railfuture and a councillor on Ipswich Borough Council (one of the founders of the ‘East-West Rail Consortium’ of local authorities) welcomes the announcement by Network Rail of the preferred corridor for the East West Rail Central Section, and the support of the National Infrastructure Commission. The new Addenbrookes station site, the only common point on the various route options. Photo by Peter Wakefield for Railfuture.
Actions for East-West double boost
Print

Hopping to catch a train

Author: Jerry Alderson - Published Mon 28 of Mar, 2016 20:16 BST - (6427 Reads)
Many railway passengers spend time nervously hoping to catch a train. However, Railfuture director Jerry Alderson spent a day in Vienna hopping to catch a train thanks to an accident that left him with a cast (bottom right photo) and hobbling around on crutches. Becoming a person of restricted mobility, albeit only for a couple of months, opened his eyes to how transport systems fail to cater properly for all their customers. His experience will certainly influence Railfuture’s campaigns to improve the rail-based systems in Britain.

In highly respected and advanced countries such as Austria the trams dating from the 1960s (top left photo from “Wiener Linien Blog” – all others by the author) are already being scrapped and modern trains are replacing the high-floor 1980s ones (bottom row) but passengers must still “mind the gap”.

Actions for Hopping to catch a train
Print

Keeping London moving

Author: Chris Page - Published Thu 24 of Mar, 2016 21:12 GMT - (7976 Reads)
By the 2030s London will be a megacity of more than 10 million people. Even allowing for planned investment and the imminent arrival of the East-West Crossrail line, the capital will grind to a halt unless significant further improvements are made. That’s why London needs Crossrail 2 as quickly as possible.
Actions for Keeping London moving
Print

Response to Shaw report

Author: Ian Brown - Published Wed 23 of Mar, 2016 11:40 GMT - (5094 Reads)

Nicola Shaw CBE, formerly CEO of HS1, was asked by government to produce a report on the future shape and financing of Network Rail. This is Railfuture's response to the Shaw Report, by our Policy Director, Ian Brown CBE BSc FCILT.

Graphic from the Shaw report shows the new shape for Network Rail.
Actions for Response to Shaw report
Print

Blue sky over Wight

Author: Chris Page - Published Mon 21 of Mar, 2016 12:17 GMT - (5778 Reads)
Written on a bright sunny day on the island, this article does not pretend to provide the answer for Island Line; rather it aims to stimulate the political discussion, economic analysis, commercial negotiation and technical investigation necessary to achieve a sustainable long-term solution. T69 tram recently withdrawn by Midland Metro, suggested in the Garnett report for the Isle of Wight – photo by Joshua Brown reproduced under Creative Commons
Actions for Blue sky over Wight
Print

Garnett on Wight

Author: Stuart George - Published Fri 11 of Mar, 2016 12:08 GMT - (5564 Reads)
Stuart George, chairman of the IW Bus & Rail Users’ Group and a Railfuture member living on the Isle of Wight, reviews the report by Christopher Garnett on the future of the Island Line.
Actions for Garnett on Wight
Print