East Anglia Branch News - Snippets Issues for 2011

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The East Anglia branch of Railfuture has been producing news 'snippets' since 1999. The aim is to produce concise easy-to-read information, often extracted from long-winded press releases, without the spin.

The following is a list of the news 'Snippets' produced by the East Anglia branch of Railfuture for 2011. They are listed in descending date order. Click on an issue to read the news.

Click [ALL] to see a list of all issues.

390	-	Date TBC	-	Issue 390 in progress - read content produced so far
2011 [hide contents]
224	17/12/2011
	RAIL FRANCHISES [all issues] Premium payments for Abellio's 29-month franchise appear to be greater than National Express original franchise agreement Companies reveal interest in bidding for Thameslink and Essex Thameside franchises RAIL ROUTES [all issues] Surprise government funding for Western Section of the East West Rail Link should see opening in 2017 Shock as Evergreen 3 public inquiry inspector recommends rejecting TWA Order for Marylebone-Oxford link Government to fund doubling of Ely-Soham route to support increased freight traffic STATIONS [all issues] Refurbished Colchester North station officially opened Cyclists at Cambridge station are hoping that new franchisee will improve cycle parking provision GUIDED BUSWAY [all issues] Council already had plans too cope with snow on busway itself but now invests on solution for maintenance track as well County Council defends its decision for allowing only single-deck buses on route to Trumpington and Addenbrooke's Another car driver gets trapped on the guided busway WEBSITES [all issues] BAM Nuttall website has photos of the conversion of the Gosport railway line to an unguided busway Fascinating vintage railway films made available thanks to the East Anglia Film Archive
223	15/11/2011
	RAIL FRANCHISES [all issues] East Anglia's railway returns to state ownership after 15 years - but this time is Dutch State Railways! National Express East Anglia reports positive news at its last Rail Users Meeting before its franchise ends STATIONS [all issues] More closure for Cambridge station to complete signalling work for new island platform ROLLING STOCK [all issues] Extra carriages to be provided on the Norwich to Liverpool route RAIL ROUTES [all issues] Omission from Network Rail's Initial Industry Plan is not a setback for East West Rail as it is a private scheme Resignalling at Kennett sees capacity increase for additional freight trains Calls for an intermediate railway station at Winslow on the East West Rail route between Bicester and Bletchley Cambridge-Sudbury Rail Renewal Association chooses simpler title to promote aims of the organisation Construction giant awarded contract for Hitchin flyover by Network Rail BBC report features covert trains looking for cable theft incidents RAIL FREIGHT [all issues] Stobart Rail Trial Train runs from Felixstowe GUIDED BUSWAY [all issues] Claim that Cambridgeshire Guided Busway is 'a success' as more use it than expected Cambridgeshire Guided Busway cost could top £200m More money could be spent on busway to make it fit for purpose at Swavesey and within Cambridge PRESERVED RAILWAYS [all issues] North Norfolk Railway runs service for Christmas shoppers to visit Norwich Wisbech-March Bramley Line funding by Wisbech town council dependent on public vote in the Fenland Citizen newspaper WEBSITES [all issues] Website promotes Bishop's Stortford Ultra Light Railway scheme
222	09/10/2011
	STATIONS [all issues] New footbridge lifted in place at Cambridge station as December island platform opening date looms Work starts on passenger facility improvements to Peterborough station Official opening ceremonies for new Southend Airport station and upgraded Southend East station Joint Railfuture-MARPA passenger count at Newmarket station showed significant growth since last count RAIL ROUTES [all issues] Hornsey depot enlargement for Thameslink Programme trains approved Fastest ever Liverpool Street to Cambridge rail journey achieved on Friday 30th September RAIL FREIGHT [all issues] Port of Felixstowe now has 29 daily rail freight services GUIDED BUSWAY [all issues] Bus interchange work at Cambridge station completed - busway stop no longer in a building site Two cars attempt to drive onto busway and get stuck in the car traps whilst bicycle gets crushed Videos of the entire Cambridgeshire Guided busway route
221	10/09/2011
	STATIONS [all issues] Rail minister visits Cambridge to learn more about proposal for a north Cambridge railway station Possible second station for King's Lynn included in council's transport strategy New entrance opened at Witham station after decades of campaigning RAIL ROUTES [all issues] East West Rail report from Oxford Economics claims that reopened western section will benefit UK economy Bletchley flyover has visits by a series of test trains GUIDED BUSWAY [all issues] Guided busway attracts impressive number of passenger journeys in its first 30 days of operation Newspapers may print county council press releases verbatim without analysis but readers are not fools Council doesn't know - and perhaps doesn't want to know - who is using the busway and what journeys are being made Cambridge News conducted one-off race amongst its journalists to identify fastest mode of travel from St Ives to Cambridge - the car won! Busway maintenance track from St Ives to Swavesey to be raised to avoid flooding and surfaced to aid cyclists County Council releases bus drivers' instruction manual following a Freedom of Information request WEBSITES [all issues] New social website aims to ensure travellers' transport problems are quickly fixed by relevant authorities
220	08/08/2011
	RAIL ROUTES [all issues] Network Rail's Ipswich Chord plans accepted for examination by the Infrastructure Planning Commission RAIL FRANCHISES [all issues] DfT announces plans for franchises affecting East Anglia GUIDED BUSWAY [all issues] Very low-key opening of Cambridgeshire Guided Busway on Sunday 7th August but two thousand people try out busway 'novelty' Opening of busway makes the national news as CAST.IRON wastes no time in exploiting media Can busway really get the patronage it claims - legitimately? Busway smartcards unexpectedly available from day one but facility is lacklustre Question raised over maintenance cost of busway after Bedfordshire County Council allocates £250k per year to its busway PRESERVED RAILWAYS [all issues] Whitwell and Reepham Railway sees 2,500 visitors to its steam rally Leiston Works Railway acquires former rail trackbed to Leiston Station
219	24/07/2011
	RAIL ROUTES [all issues] Network Rail to investigate business case for redoubling Fen Line between Littleport and Downham Market by September 2011 STATIONS [all issues] Privately funded Southend Airport Station opens Local MP pushes for improvements to Whittlesea station RAIL FRANCHISES [all issues] DfT considers merging Essex Thameside with Greater [East] Anglia franchise to reduce long-term rail costs RAIL FREIGHT [all issues] Reopening of Fleetwood branch for Crossrail construction spoil may call into question Barrington branch reopening RAIL DEPOTS [all issues] Network Rail opens National Track Materials Recycling Centre at Whitemoor Yard, March GUIDED BUSWAY [all issues] Publicity ramps up for opening of Cambridgeshire Guided Busway on Sunday 7th August 2011 CAST.IRON researches proposed busway services against existing buses and promises made at the public inquiry Will bus service on Cambridgeshire Guided Busway attract the predicted number of passengers? Council cabinet member makes astonoshing remark about buses not being "the way forward" First serious injury on the Cambridgeshire Guided Busway - and it hasn't even opened yet! Clarity received on proposals for dealing with accidents on the guided busway Conflicting messages from Cambridgeshire County Council about urgency of A14 upgrade WEBSITES [all issues] Website promotes transformation of "Birmingham New Street to create modern transport hub for Birmingham and West Midlands
218	26/06/2011
	STATIONS [all issues] New island platforms at Cambridge station start to take shape Ipswich station footbridge opened allowing step-free access to all platforms for the first time RAIL ROUTES [all issues] Network Rail confirms plans for East Suffolk Line resignalling RAIL FARES [all issues] Special-rate rail fares for Olympics and Paralympics in 2012 announced in order to maximise use of public transport GUIDED BUSWAY [all issues] Cambridgeshire County Council announces that the guided busway will open on Sunday 7th August 2011 Cambridgeshire Guided Bus timetable leaves many people disappointed Cambridgeshire County Council initiates £6.5 million legal proceedings against BAM Nuttall to recover massive overspend costs PRESERVED RAILWAYS [all issues] Mid-Norfolk Railway reveals proposals to obtain funding for capital works at its AGM Mid-Norfolk Railway expects its first-ever Steam gala to be a success with enthusiasts and tourists
217	28/05/2011
	RAIL ROUTES [all issues] East Suffolk Line resignalling design work to start in June STATIONS [all issues] Network Rail closes Downham Market station's barrow crossing following 'one abuse too many' GUIDED BUSWAY [all issues] Commencement of work by new contractors may see Cambridgeshire Guided Busway open in August 2011
216	28/04/2011
	RAIL FRANCHISES [all issues] DfT issues the Grester [East] Anglia franchise Invitation to Tender RAIL FREIGHT [all issues] Reopening of Barrington rail line for new construction land-fill deliveries gains planing approval Additional sand trains from Middleton Towers quarry (near King's Lynn) commence running STATIONS [all issues] First work on the ground for Cambridge station island platforms
215	28/03/2011
	RAIL FRANCHISES [all issues] Shock as National Express is not short-listed for 17-month interim franchise starting in 2012 National Express holds stakeholder presentation just before hearing the bad news ROLLING STOCK [all issues] Politicians line up to gain positive publicity from NXEA's new Class 379 Stansted trains Fen Line Users' Association learns that 'Intercity Express Programme' (IEP) trains will operate to King's Lynn STATIONS [all issues] Congestion caused by gating of King's Cross station is alleviated by some common sense Cambridge City Council gives go-ahead for new island platforms RAIL ROUTES [all issues] Network Rail's TWA Order for Hitchin Flyover is confirmed after Secretary of State earlier 'minded to approve' announcement GUIDED BUSWAY [all issues] Cambridgeshire Guided busway is now more than two years late and penalties mount up for contractor BAM Nuttall WEBSITES [all issues] Yes to High Speed Rail launches an impressive professionally-designed website Rail campaigners' book from 1970s appears on the web
214	26/02/2011
	STATIONS [all issues] Funding secured for passing loop at Beccles station Increased car parking for Wickham Market and Melton stations on the East Suffolk Line Cambridge City Council gives go-ahead for new island platforms at station East Cambridge District Council receives grant to pay for Soham station feasibility study New footbridge for Huntingdon station by end of 2011 Buildings around Bedford railway station demolished as part of the station improvements CPRE campaigner calls on Network Rail to remove litter at Cambridge station to improve city's image ROLLING STOCK [all issues] Fen Line stations will not be served by new Thameslink trains RAIL ROUTES [all issues] Cambridgehsire County Council endorses Wisbech-March railway reopening in new Local Transport Plan Hunstanton Town Council will not give up on reopening of railway line from King's Lynn High Speed 2 could help East West Rail Link according to Greengauge 21 GUIDED BUSWAY [all issues] County Council announces replacement contractor for BAM Nuttall but certificates delayed yet again WEBSITES [all issues] French website has unique London Underground map showing track layouts Mid-Cheshire Railway Association now has dedicated website for its successful rail tours
213	31/01/2011
	RAIL FRANCHISES [all issues] Government launches invitation to tender for interim Greater [East] Anglia franchise to last until 2013 RAIL FREIGHT [all issues] Network Rail consults on revised Ipswich Chord plans to take 750,000 lorry journeys off the road every year by 2030 STATIONS [all issues] Network Rail and East Coast fund £2.5m development of Peterborough Station More car parking at Diss station to cope with additional passengers Bletchley remodelling is a step in the right direction for the East West Rail Link RAIL INFRASTRUCTURE [all issues] Network Rail revises plans for Hornsey Depot to maintain new Thameslink Programme rolling stock GUIDED BUSWAY [all issues] Cambridgeshire Guided busway could finally open in July 2011 if no further delays As many as one-in-ten busway beams could need 'trimming to avoid expansion in hit weather Cambridgeshire Guided busway to be dug up as soon as it is finished Stagecoach no longer obliged to use Cambridgeshire Guided Busway Rail supporters in Leigh use Cambridgeshire Busway fiasco to spur investigation of railway reopening instead PRESERVED RAILWAYS [all issues] Whitwell and Reepham Preservation Society finally gets electricity supply to its station North Norfolk Railway achieves record success in 2010 following reopening of level crossing WEBSITES [all issues] New Year fare rises may encourage more passengers to split their ticket to save money Councillor launches website to promote road user charging in and around Cambridge to fund public transport

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Snippets news list last updated on 17th September 2025.

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