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East Anglia Branch News - Snippets Issue 80 - 20/12/2001

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

Railfuture News Snippets 80 - 20/12/2001

TRAIN OPERATORS
Greater Anglia franchise to enable single operator out of Liverpool Street station

New SRA chairman, Richard Bowker, is eager to reduce the number of TOCs saying "it could be 10, six or one" and particularly to have a single train operator serve each London terminus. Liverpool Street station will have just one operator, under a new "Greater Anglia" franchise. It is believed that significant operational benefits can be achieved where a single TOC uses a station. Chiltern Railways, which has exclusive use of Marylebone Station, has the best punctuality and amongst the best passenger satisfaction.

BBC News Report http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/uk/newsid_1719000/1719396.stm.

Anglia Railways has always claimed that having separate operators has meant key benefits for passengers through competition, cheaper fares and more choice. However, it confirmed that it intends to bid for the enlarged franchise (which the SRA says must be based in Norwich), though its small size, and insecure financial situation may be a disadvantage. First Great Eastern says it intends to mount a strong bid if invited by the SRA. WAGN owner National Express - whose Stansted Express service might not be part of Greater Anglia - has said that it will not be bidding. Central Trains is unaffected.

The SRA plan has received some criticism. Adrian Gunson, Norfolk County Council's cabinet member for planning and transport, said "It is disappointing that the SRA has moved towards a pan-Anglia franchise from 2004. The council has warned that this has potential dangers for Norfolk, because the franchise could become very focused on London commuter business."

Norwich South MP Charles Clarke said: "It is important that any franchise gives full weight to the inter-city nature of the Norwich to London service and secondly to the need for properly integrated transport facilities in the Norfolk area."

Peter Lawrence, Railfuture chairman, was quoted in the Norwich Evening News as saying "Big is not necessarily beautiful. The aim is to weld a large commuter area with rural services and that may not be good for the future of rural services - standards could be lowered. Certainly, Anglia Railways know the area and have been very pro-active but there are some operators who we would regret seeing win the franchise."

Richard Bowker, who is taking decisions at break-neck speed - such as forcing the resignation of chief Executive Mike Grant - has published a list of the intended new franchises. 

SRA Franchise List http://www.sra.gov.uk/news/releases/2001/dec/Franchise_List.htm.

New chairman of Association of Train Operating Companies

Keywords: [ATOC]

GNER chief executive Christopher Garnett has been announced as the new ATOC chairman.

RAIL COMPANIES
GB Railways PLC announce a six-month operating loss following post-Hatfield network issues

Keywords: [GBRailways]

GB Railways PLC, parent of Anglia Railways, announced a pre-tax loss of £1.78m for the half-year to 30th September 2001. Turnover fell from £44.67m to £33.2m, although passenger fares for the same period totalled £33.4m, up from £31.6m (1st April-30th September 2000). No interim dividend is proposed. Share price has been around 37.5p recently, close to its 35p all-time low in April 2001.

Financial results: http://www.hemscott.com/EQUITIES/company/cd03249.htm.

In October 2001, GB Railways PLC admitted that it was in preliminary discussions with a number of parties which could ultimately lead to a bid for, or investment in, the company.

RAIL PUNCTUALITY
WAGN fined £10.5m for poor punctuality

Keywords: [WAGN]

  West Anglia Great Northern has been fined £10.5 million for having "the worst punctuality record in the region". Peak time WAGN trains came bottom of the trains-on-time table for London and the South-East from April-October 2001.
WAGN also received slightly more complaints than last year, with 32 complaints per 100,000 passenger journeys, compared to 26 in 2000.

A passenger survey conducted this autumn showed just 53 per cent of travellers were satisfied with WAGN's punctuality, while only 32 per cent of people felt the services were value for money. A spokesman for WAGN said: "Since the Hatfield crash, we have had problems as speed restrictions have been in place. We've also had a driver shortage but hope that will soon be rectified as we have 50 drivers in training."

Strategic Rail Authority figures for local TOCs: Anglia (main line): 76.4% (-8%) Anglia (local): 87.0% (- 3%), c2c: 81.5% (-7%), Central Trains: 75.7% (-8%), Great Eastern: 84.3% (-7%), GNER: 71.4% (-9%), WAGN: 78.6% (-12%).

CHUMMS - A14 CORRIDOR STUDY
Government confirm support for EELGC's recommendations supporting CHUMMS proposals

Local Transport Minister Sally Keeble visited Cambridge's new bus park and ride site in Trumpington on 13th December and said that she hoped work on a guided bus scheme could be up and running in five years, and that work on the road itself would begin in seven years, with completion in 10 years' time. She did not give details of how it would be funded.

Ms Keeble said: "We endorse EELGC's report. I welcome the solutions proposed by the [CHUMMS] study, which will improve conditions for travel in the corridor between Huntingdon and Cambridge. I believe that public transport investment alone cannot meet the objectives of the study and I am satisfied a new alignment for the A14 south of Huntingdon would secure balancing environmental benefits by taking through traffic off the highly intrusive viaducts through Huntingdon.

CHUMMS was also mentioned in parliament. Answering a question from Helen Jones MP, Sally Keeble said that "The multi-modal study process does not pre-empt any of the other statutory processes. More detailed work is now required to develop and appraise individual proposals. We are inviting Cambridgeshire County Council to come forward with a full appraisal of the early phases of the guided bus project within six months and to explore further with the Strategic Rail Authority, Railtrack and the train operators the viability of the third phase alongside an existing railway line".

DTLR Press Release: http://www.press.dtlr.gov.uk/0112/0540.htm.

Further criticism of guided busway from Huntingdon

Councillor Derek Holley, leader of Huntingdonshire District Council, said the guided bus was "unworkable and unusable" according to the Hunts Post. He said it was a cynical ploy by the planners to make sure the Government gave approval to the project. "This Government will not approve plans for new roads unless public transport is involved. The guided bus will make zilch difference to the traffic on the A14. I can't see people using it. It has a clear run until it reaches the outside of Cambridge but once it gets into the city it will get snarled up in Cambridge traffic. This scheme is just a sop. It doesn't make any sense. There is no evidence that a guided bus will take traffic off the A14. "What we need is a Docklands-type light railway, that is the only way of getting people off the road.

"I would use that, but I wouldn't use anything else. People don't want to spend time on a bus and then have to mess about at either end. "It has been put forward because it is the cheapest option, but as we know in local government, the cheapest options are not always the best. It is a pity the other options were dismissed."

"A guided bus on that route won't benefit anyone. This is a black mark against my original idea which is working so well in Essen in Germany and Adelaide in Australia. What we need is a rail link that joins Huntingdon, Peterborough and Cambridge."

Jonathan Djanogly, MP for Huntingdon, said: "I am not convinced that this is the best option, but it is the option on the table and I am concerned that it goes all the way to Huntingdon and doesn't stop at St Ives. The worry is that it will be done in parts and that could mean that it will take more than 15 years and that some sections will become worse than they are at the moment."

GUIDED BUSWAY
Cambridge City council approve in principle guided busway on old Cambridge to Bedford line

In mid-December, Cambridge City councillors approved the principle of a guided bus route on the Cambridge to Bedford railway line, linking Cambridge to Addenbrooke's Hospital and Trumpington, but said they wanted to see the plans in more detail before deciding to back it. According to the Cambridge Evening News, areas of concern included noise and pollution, lighting along the route, the need to find a "green" way of powering the buses and drainage of the land used to avoid flooding.

However, some members of the city council's Planning sub-committee argued it was too soon even to agree the scheme in principle. Councillor Nicola Harrison felt particularly strongly that nothing should be done until the council had drawn up a "master plan" for transport in the south of the city. She said: "We are not at the point where we can endorse the principle of this proposal."

Car drivers encroach on bus only route

Barriers have been installed at Cambridge's latest park and ride site after it became an rush-hour rat-run. The site on Trumpington Road, which opened on 26th November, was used by drivers hoping to avoid congestion on Hauxton Road. The barriers are intended to slow motorists' progress through the site and making it less attractive as a short cut.

In another part of Cambridge, £22,000 rising bollards have been deliberately sabotaged by car drivers eager to use an industrial estate as a rat-run.

Both incidents clearly show the need for the proposed guided busway to have barriers or bollards to prevent it being used by car drivers. Installing - and maintaining - these at each road junction will be expensive. CHUMMS did not include anti-car obstructions in their costing. By comparison, a railway would need so such infrastructure.

PRESERVED RAILWAYS
Mid-Norfolk Railway completes purchase of northern section to North Elmham

Keywords: [MidNorfolkRailway]

In a press release, the Mid-Norfolk Railway revealed that on 13th December it completed the purchase of the section of line between Dereham and the end of the track about a quarter of a mile beyond North Elmham Station. This increases the length of the line to 16 miles making the MNR the longest preserved railway in East Anglia, and in the top five in Great Britain.

The purchase was greatly helped by a grant from Breckland District Council. Part of the money raised from the current MNR bearer bond will be used to perform initial work on the northern section of the line, which has not been touched since 1989 when the last train ran.

STATIONS
Ian Carter memorial seat at Halesworth station

Keywords: [HalesworthStation]

A suitable Victorian style seat has been chosen which would cost around £600. So far ESTA members have donated £70 and contributions are expected from Anglia Railways, Halesworth Town Council and the Alzheimers Society. The Branch will also make a donation.

Clearly there is still a shortfall and Branch members are asked to make to small contribution. Cheques made payable to RDS East Anglian Branch should be sent to the Branch Treasurer Lewis Buckingham, 25 Drury Road, Colchester C02 7UY. Please indicate that the money is for the Ian Carter seat.

WEBSITES
Bittern Line website relaunched

Keywords: [BitternLine]

The Bittern Line community partnership website http://www.bitternline.com has been relaunched and now offers a superb range of promotional material. A forthcoming events page includes information on the North Norfolk and Bure Valley railways.

Railfuture East Anglia Branch News Snippets 80 - 20/12/2001

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