News from the East Anglian Branch of Railfuture, Edited by Martin Thorne and Jerry Alderson.
Railfuture News Snippets 65 - 16/07/2001
- RAIL MEETINGS [all issues]
- RAIL SERVICES [all issues]
- ON-BOARD CATERING [all issues]
- PURCHASING TICKETS [all issues]
- WEBSITES [all issues]
- CAMPAIGNING FOR RAIL [all issues]
- MULTI-MODAL STUDIES [all issues]
- CHUMMS - A14 CORRIDOR STUDY [all issues]
- Public backlash against guided busway proposals in the CHUMMS preferred plan
- Huntingdon's Conservative MP holds public meetings to discuss A14
- LOCAL TRANSPORT PLANS [all issues]
- HIGH-SPEED RAIL LINES [all issues]
- TRANSPORT COSTS [all issues]
Snippets have sometimes seemed like the Anglia Railways fan-club. Well, thanks to issue
one of a new WAGN passenger booklet called "Tracking" (available on the web:
http://www.wagn.co.uk/wnews/issue1.pdf) there's some
positive news from WAGN.
RAIL MEETINGS
RPC July 2001 meeting to be held in Cambridge
 |
The Rail Passengers Committee for Eastern England will be meeting at Queens College Cambridge on Tuesday 24 July starting at 10:00. This date clashes with the Railtrack AGM in York. RPC and Railtrack obviously have a communication problem! |
| There will be presentations from WAGN, Central Trains, Anglia Railways and Railtrack. In the afternoon there is an open discussion on the future of rail services in the Cambridge area. Members of the public are welcome to attend and can ask questions to rail managers and local authorities during the meeting, which will include John Wilson (Railtrack), Dominic Booth (WAGN), Peter Northfield (Great Eastern) and Brian Smith and Alan Browning (Cambs CC). | |
RPC Eastern England 2000-2001 annual report published
The Rail Passenger Council for Eastern England has issued its 2000-2001 annual report. The accident at Hatfield and the disruption to services during the checks of gauge corner cracking dominate the report. The number of complaints from passengers has nearly doubled from 815 to 1508. For each train operator the results are:
Anglia 235 (215 number in 1999/2000)
Central 159 (183) well done!
GNER 76 (54)
Great Eastern 276 (77)
c2c 177 (48)
WAGN 552 (204).
RAIL SERVICES
Anglia Railways provide extra trains for special events and for summer peak
Keywords: [AngliaRailways]
Norfolk County Council — through the Community Rail Partnerships — is providing £10,000 funding to sponsor additional trains and extra seating. There will be two extra Norwich-Great Yarmouth trains on summer Saturdays only from 14 July until 1 September.
August sees Anglia Railways operating extra Norwich-Great Yarmouth trains for the Vibe FM and Radio One roadshows at Great Yarmouth. There are also extra Bittern Line trains for the Worstead Festival (27-29th July) and Cromer Carnival (15th August) with funding from the Bittern Line Community Rail Partnership.
The Wherry Line sees extra Norwich-Lowestoft trains on Thursday 26 & Friday 27 July for the Lowestoft Seafront Airshow thanks to funding from the Wherry Lines Community Rail Partnership and Waveney District Council.
Anglia Railways press release (Lowestoft): http://www.angliarailways.co.uk/latest-information/news-detail.asp?id=191
Anglia Railways press release (All): http://www.angliarailways.co.uk/latest-information/news-detail.asp?id=192.
ON-BOARD CATERING
WAGN now offer refreshments on the Fen Line north of Cambridge
Keywords: [WAGN]
WAGN now operate a refreshments trolley on the 45-minute long journey between Cambridge and King's Lynn. Previously the trolley service stopped at Cambridge.
PURCHASING TICKETS
WAGN introduce new "Fast-ticket" and "Multi-ticket" machines
Keywords: [WAGN]
WAGN have gradually been replacing their ticket machines with touch-sensitive computer display machines which accept credit and debit cards. According to their "Tracking" booklet, the machines will remember a person's most frequent destination thereby allowing them to book a ticket much faster.
WEBSITES
WAGN website relaunch before end of 2001
Keywords: [WAGN]
 |
WAGN's website [http://www.wagn.co.uk] currently just has details of delays, cancellations and engineering work. However, it will be relaunched in the next few months, with interactive features |
CAMPAIGNING FOR RAIL
As Railfuture meets the public "RDS" feels like "Rail and Downpour Society"
This change of name was humorously suggested following a rather soggy morning with the Railfuture East Anglia branch display stand at the Histon Feast in Cambridgeshire, where Railfuture is campaigning to reopen the mothballed railway line to St.Ives..
The poor weather kept the punters away and few were tempted to consider buying our collection of second-hand books and CDs. Railfuture East Anglia branch secretary Nick Dibben says thanks to all who turned up, and Railfuture made some income form its sales stall.
Railfuture is always looking for similar events to attend. Providing the cost of the stand is not too high, they are a useful way to promote Railfuture's campaigns and hopefully make some money.
MULTI-MODAL STUDIES
Railfuture East Anglia branch meets A12 Study consultants Mott McDonald
East Anglia branch secretary Nick Dibben represented Railfuture when a group of transport campaigners met the "LOIS" multi-modal study consultants Mott McDonald on 9th July to discuss rail solutions that should be considered as part of the A12 multi-modal study.
Protecting the route to allow the Great Eastern line to Colchester to be upgraded to a fou-track railway over the years was the main item discussed. Extra Crosslink services around London along with improved branch line services to Clacton and Harwich, better bus interchange and general improvements to stations were also reviewed. A very useful meeting.
CHUMMS - A14 CORRIDOR STUDY
Public backlash against guided busway proposals in the CHUMMS preferred plan
The Cambridge Evening News published four letters - from Railfuture members - on Monday 9th July criticising the busway proposal and advocating rail. Nick says thanks to everyone who wrote in and keep those letters coming.
Huntingdon's Conservative MP holds public meetings to discuss A14
Jonathan Djanogly MP [http://www.hcca.org.uk/new-ppc.htm] (John Major's successor) has arranged three meetings on:
Friday 13 July - St.Anne's School, Godmanchester starting at 19:30
Friday 20 July - St Ives Corn Exchange starting at 19:30
Friday 27 July - Brampton Community Centre also 19:30.
LOCAL TRANSPORT PLANS
Cambridgeshire County Council re-iterates rail improvements in its Corporate Plan
Cambridgeshire County Council have published their Corporate Plan 2001-2005 on their website, which includes the LTP [http://www.camcnty.gov.uk/sub/ceu/pol_rev/prospects/transpo.pdf]. It mentions rail twice in the "Key Plan".
Cambridge and the surrounding area: Developing bus and rail services and interchanges, including park and ride."
Strategic routes: "Improving strategic rail routes linking Cambridgeshire to key destinations outside the county (notably Thameslink 2000, East Coast Main Line, and East-West Rail). Encouraging road to rail transfer."
Perhaps they would like to explain how these aims can be achieved at the same time as supporting the guided busway plan to
destroy the St.Ives line, when a reopened line would:
a) be part of Thameslink 2000
b) link up to the East Coast Main Line
c) possibly be part of the East-West Rail
d) encourage road to rail transfer.
HIGH-SPEED RAIL LINES
Document "A high speed line for Britain's Railways" available on internet
A document entitled "A high speed line for Britain's Railways", published in July 2001 can be found at: http://www.uk-fast-rail.freeserve.co.uk.
TRANSPORT COSTS
Ken Livingston's £5 congestion charging could come to other cities such as Cambridge
London Mayor Ken Livingstone, has announced plans to introduce a £5 road toll for motorists wanting to drive into the capital. Cambridgeshire is one of 24 local authorities considering similar road tolls despite the enormous outrage that such a move is likely to generate.
Railfuture East Anglia Branch News Snippets 65 - 16/07/2001
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