News from the East Anglian Branch of Railfuture, Edited by Martin Thorne and Jerry Alderson.
Railfuture News Snippets 297 - 31/12/2017
RLW Estates, one of the two promoters of Waterbeach New Town, will hold a public exhibition and feedback session from 10:00 to 16:00 on Saturday 20th January 2018 at the Salvation Army Hall, Station Road, Waterbeach. The exhibition looks specifically at the proposed move of Waterbeach Station northwards by around 1km. Railfuture met the station designers in November 2017 to discuss what the new station could look like, and called for significant shelter from the elements on the London-bound platform. The new station would have platforms for eight-car trains when it first opens but with 'passive provision' for 12-car length platforms in future. Railfuture felt that it was a false economy and would be more cost-efficient to build it with 12 from the start, even if the last four are fenced off and not provided with lighting, seats or shelters until needed.
The brand-new car park extension at Littleport station, which provides 79 new spaces and doubles capacity, was officially opened on Friday 22nd December.
The Cambridge University Railway Club (CURC) have announced a top-rate line-up of guest speakers for early 2018. Lord Adonis, head of the National Infrastructure Commission speaks on Friday 19th January 2018; Rob Brighouse of the East West Railway Company on "Oxford to Cambridge Varsity Line for the 21st Century" on Wednesday 24th January; Tom Joyner of Arriva Trains Wales on Wednesday 7th February; Philippe Mouly, COO of Eurostar on 7th March 2018; David Waboso of Network Rail on "The Digital Railway" on Wednesday 14th March 2018. Lord Adonis, Tom Joyner and David Waboso will speak from 20:30-22:00 at the William Thatcher Room, Fitzwilliam College; Rob Brighouse and Philippe Mouly will speak from 18:00-19:15 in the Knox Shaw Room and Mong Hall respectively at Sidney Sussex College.
The CURC has also organised a public debate on Renationalisation of the Railways. This features journalist and writer Christian Wolmar, who is also Railfuture's Honorary President, David Franks, Michael Holden, Tony Miles and another speaker. It will take place on Thursday 15th February 2018 from 19:30-21:30 at the Mong Room, Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge.
RAIL ROUTES
East West Rail Company formally launched by Secretry of State of Transport
Keywords: [EastWestRail]
In late 2016 the government announced that it would create an East West Railway Company, which would be put in charge of restoring the rail link between Oxford and Cambridge. Around a year later on 14th December 2017 (less than two weeks after Peter Austin of the company had spoken to Railfuture East Anglia in Cambridge), Chris Grayling, the Secretary of State for Transport, officially launched it at the historic Second World War site of Bletchley Park, almost 50 years to the day since the closure of much of the Oxford-Cambridge line (only Bedford to Bletchley remained open to passengers). Mr Grayling also visited nearby Bletchley Station (which will have two new high-level platforms built) and Bletchley Viaduct (which will be see trains running throughout the day on it, for the first time ever, having been constructed in 1962 for use by freight trains to a marshalling yard that was never constructed).
At the launch Chris Grayling said: "East West Rail is the perfect example of how we can revitalise the railways, grow the network and unlock jobs and housing growth." It will be "one of the country's most strategically important rail projects, with its direct link through the corridor dubbed the UK's own 'Silicon Valley' when it is completed in the mid-2020s. The new line will also create a direct link between East Anglia and central and southern England, delivering benefits for passengers and businesses regional and nationally by unlocking additional housing and economic growth."
Rob Brighouse, interim chair of the East West Railway Company, regional council leaders and Milton Keynes South MP Iain Stewart were all present at the launch. Mr Brighouse said: "This railway has huge potential to spread prosperity all the way along the line, making life better for those who live and work here. That's why it's so important to deliver it quickly and cost effectively; and that's what the East West Railway Company has been set up to do. We are working very closely with local representatives, to make sure we build a railway that works for the passengers and the communities it will serve."
The new company will primarily manage the so-called Central Section between Bedford and Cambridge. The upgrade and reopening of the Western Section (Phase 2 - providing rail services between Oxford, Bicester and Bedford and Milton Keynes and Aylesbury) is being managed by Network Rail, which was given £1 billion in the autumn budget statement in November 2017 to do so.
Network Rail is seeking the views of residents, businesses and passengers over four weeks on revised plans for the central section, with changes (primarily between Bicester and Winslow) having arisen from its consultation carried out in July and August 2017. The third round of consultation will run from 12th January until 9th February 2018. The drop in events take place at the following locations:
STATIONS
Greater Anglia to close seven ticket offices with very low sales and install hi-tech ticket machines instead
Keywords: [GreaterAnglia]
Upgraded ticket machines with a 24-hour helpline and additional customer assistance are being introduced at seven stations in Essex which have very low levels of sales in their part-time ticket offices, which fell well below minimum sales thresholds set by the Department for Transport to consider an application to alter the statutory opening hours. As a result GA close the ticket offices on Monday 8th January 2018. This follows a consultation earlier in 2017, to which Railfuture responded with conditional acceptance.
The affected stations are on the eastern side of the region at Walton-on-the-Naze, Thorpe-le-Soken, Alresford, Great Bentley, Dovercourt, Harwich International and also Great Chesterford on the West Anglia mainline. For the first month, ticket office staff will remain at the stations to give support to any customers who may need help using the TVMs. Thereafter the staff will be deployed either as mobile "welcome hosts" at these stations on the line (one at Walton-on-the-Naze and two at Harwich International, present at times of major demand, such as when there are cruise ships in port) or to other ticket offices. The affected stations will also get better customer information systems on platforms, as one of the roles ticket office staff played was in giving train information. Additional CCTV and new lighting are also due to be fitted enhance safety and security at the stations. GA is upgrading Customer Help Points at many of its stations. The existing waiting rooms and toilets will remain open Walton-on-the-Naze, Thorpe-le-Soken, Great Bentley, Harwich International and the waiting room will remain open at Great Chesterford. This was one of the requirements that Railfuture raised. Greater Anglia says it will continue to have procedures in place to provide assistance to mobility impaired customers, although Railfuture raised concerns that with de-staffing of stations passengers would have to book assistance in advance in future.
Greater Anglia says that across its network, currently half of all tickets are bought online, on mobile phones or at ticket machines - i.e. only half of purchases are at ticket counters. During 2017 Greater Anglia's app and the total online sales, including season tickets, have seen big increases. GA is promoting the use of smartcards for Season Tickets and is expanding its web sales and digital ticketing for mobile devices. All the ticket offices affected, except for Great Chesterford, are served by trains with on-board conductors who can also sell tickets to passengers.
The ticket machines are fitted with a new button that enables a member of staff to help with ticket enquiries 24 hours a day - a feature GA says is already proving popular with customers.
Greater Anglia to create additional cycle parking at stations along with improved lighting
Keywords: [GreaterAnglia]
Greater Anglia (GA) informed Railfuture that Whittlesford Parkway station will have 200 new cycle spaces (on unused Network Rail land). These would be split between secure and open. Both would be covered and monitored by CCTV. The total cost would be £700k split between £630k from the DfT and £70k from local sources.
GA also revealed to Railfuture that Dullingham station will have 20 new cycle spaces. These would be two-tier racks under cover, at a cost of £40k.
Railfuture has called for better and more appropriate lighting at and around stations. Solar-powered LED cats eyes have recently been installed on a walkway at Chappel & Wakes Colne railway station, which is on the Marks Tey to Sudbury branch. The 54 illuminated cats eyes are located along the entrance road and provide a clear path for passengers, being especially useful on dark mornings and evenings. The project was funded by Association of Community Rail Partnerships (ACORP), which donated £5,000, Essex and South Suffolk Community Rail Partnership (ESSCRP), which donated £3,800, and a further £2,000 was added by Wakes Colne Parish Council.
Railfuture East Anglia Branch News Snippets 297 - 31/12/2017
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