Activists Briefing - Issue 10

16th January 2006

HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM THE CHAIRMAN

Mike Crowhurst would like to thank all those members who kindly sent him Christmas cards, which he failed to reciprocate. Excuses include pressure of work (!) and being poorly for much of December.

IN THE NEWS

On Thursday 22 December Anglia TV telephoned Railfuture President, Peter Lawrence, about the proposed strikes over the Christmas and New year holiday period by 'one' railway and Central Trains. Train crews on both TOCs were unhappy about holiday arrangements and Peter did an interview on Norwich station that day. Peter said that the combatants should sort out their differences without inconveniencing passengers. Later that day both TOCs settled their differences with unions concerned and strikes were called off.

On Friday 23 December Eastern Evening News telephoned Peter for Railfuture views on the complex rail fares structure particularly on the Norwich to London route. Peter’s view was that we need a much more simplistic fares system throughout the UK. Passengers get confused by the number of different fares on offer.

The lead reader’s letter in Rail 531 is from our chairman, Mike Crowhurst. It calls for ATOC to look again at a National Railcard and stresses Railfuture’s support for the RPC in their fight to retain Saver Tickets.

NEWS FROM RAILFUTURE BRANCHES

In early December 2005 Coastway division of Railfuture London & S.E. issued a press release on the 'new' Ashford - Brighton venture by Southern. The new timetable, which started on December 11th, saw a new direct service from Brighton to Ashford replace the current ‘semi-fast’ Brighton to Hastings service and the only hourly service East of Hastings. The new service means drastic reductions for small stations east of Hastings, with only one very early and one late train a day each way stopping between Ore and Rye. Cuts on this scale could be seen as the forerunner of complete station closures, which Railfuture would strongly oppose.

Railfuture spokesman, Ivor Heuting, was interviewed on Southern Counties radio in between a broadcast from Brighton station - and an interview with Mr Horton, the Southern chief exec, who also had to answer two of the questions posed by our press release. The BBC covered the first train - the second actually, the first was cancelled because of 'signalling problems'. The second, with four town mayors and dignitaries was late. Our views were also highlighted in the BBC South East local TV programme the same night, helped by another Coastway member who rode the train and talked to reporters.

They also had some coverage in the Eastbourne and Bexhill local papers – and would have had a good spot in the Brighton Argus had our contact, the assistant Editor, had not died the day before. (yes, really!)

The TWA Order application to upgrade the Felixstowe Branch and Ipswich Yard has been submitted by Hutchinson Ports. Details can be found on: http://www.portoffelixstowe.co.uk/fsr/branchline/plansfbl.htm
East Anglia branch are writing a letter of support. You may like to do a personal letter of support to:
Department of Transport, TWA Orders Unit, Zone 9/09, Southside, 105 Victoria Street, London. SW1E 6DT Letters have to be in by 3rd Feb.

RAILFUTURE MEET THE RAIL MINISTER AND RAIL PASSENGER COUNCIL.

In the week before Christmas Railfuture parties had meetings with both the Rail Minister, Derek Twigg and Rail Passengers’ Council. Notes of the meeting with Derek Twigg will soon be available on the Railfuture website.

Railfuture Chairman Mike Crowhurst, Rail Users Group Liaison Officer, Tony Smale, and two members of Railfuture’s Passenger Committee met with RPC Chairman Colin Foxall and Director Anthony Smith. Some points emerging from discussions were…
- Five Passenger Link Managers are now in post and have been out and about dealing with local issues.
- A further seven PLMs will be recruited shortly. PLMs will be the first points of contact for rail user groups.
- The RPC has a modest budget to sponsor new user groups and transport forums, and to help with specific projects.
- The RPC will liaise with activists, user groups and Railfuture on important issues.
- The first issue for analysis in 2006 will be Fares; a report is to be drafted and circulated.
- The most important task annually will be the National Passenger Survey involving 50,000 responses.
- Other work includes: Route Utilisation Strategies, new Franchises, the High Level Output Statement and HST replacement.
- The RPC is pleased with the way Network Rail is now conducting RUS consultations, but NR still needs to have a better customer focus.
- The RPC plans to keep in touch with user groups via regular newsletters, but probably only by email.
- On “Closures” we were assured that the RPC considers it has no fewer powers than before – arguably a better chance to make voice heard (hmmm…)
- Railfuture made its views known on issues such as the splitting of through services and the holding of connections.
- We explored the possibility of a new printed Directory of Rail User Groups as a joint RPC/Railfuture venture.
- After the time-consuming structural changes of 2005, the new RPC is now in fully operational.
- The RPC is to relaunch itself on 25 Jan 06 with a new name and new website. Launch packs will be available.

BUSTITUTION DURING ENGINEEERING WORK

During our meeting with the rail minister, Derek Twigg in Christmas week, this issue was raised, and we expressed the view that (possibly due to access charges etc) TOCs are rather too ready to reach for a fleet of buses during line closures, even when it would seem practicable to use diversionary routes. The minister asked us to give him specific details of instances when this has happened, and he promised to look into them. Could members therefore let Mike Crowhurst have any recent examples – with full details (date, route, arrangements made, and what you feel should have been done) to pass on to the minister, please? Alternatives must be realsitic – for instance when Manchester Piccadilly was closed in November, clearly not everything could get into either Oxford Road or Victoria!

ELECTIONS TO THE RAILWAY DEVELOPMENT SOCIETY LIMITED BOARD.

Anyone who is intending to stand for election to the RDS Board is reminded that all nomination papers must reach the Railfuture Returning Officer, P.O.Box 7690, Hinckley, Leicester LE10 9WJ no later than 1st February 2006. Nomination papers may be obtained from the same address or downloaded from the Railfuture website.

ANNUAL DRAW 2006

It is intended to have the tickets for the 2006 Draw printed as soon as the date and venue of the autumn conference is known. It is anticipated that the conference will be on 11th November but the booking is yet to be confirmed. If any branch has an open meeting where they think they may be able to sell any draw tickets and would like some please contact the Draw Administrator, Chris Precey. All profits from the Annual Draw are put into the Railfuture Fighting Fund. This fund is available for both resisting cuts and closures, and campaigning for new or reopened routes or stations. Awards are made on the recommendation of the Passenger and Network Development Committees. None of the draw profit is used for general Railfuture running costs.

RAILFUTURE SUMMER CONFERENCE 1ST JULY 2006

At the Campaigners' Conference in Stoke-on-Trent on 1st July we would like to include a 5 to 10-minute statement from each of the 16 Railfuture branches on their current and recent campaigns, how successful they have been and what lessons have been learned. Hopefully each branch will be able to send a representative. If not, please could a statement to be read out be sent to the organiser, Jerry Alderson, at jerry.alderson at virgin.net by 25th May at the latest.

If anyone wishes to guarantee accommodation (incl. breakfast) at the venue for £25 on either Friday or Saturday and £45 for both nights, please send your booking for to Jerry Alderson at 32 The Oaks, Milton, Cambridge, CB4 6ZG by end the end of February. Rooms may be available after that date but we cannot guarantee them.

Lastly, please note: the building as noted on the booking form sent with Railwatch in December 2005 has changed. Anyone booking will be given new details. No-one should turn up on the day without confirming which building the conference will be held in.

RAILFUTURE SUBMISSION TO SIR ROD EDDINGTON STUDY

In the 2005 Budget the Secretary of State for Transport and the Chancellor announced that they had asked Sir Rod Eddington to work with the Department for Transport and HM Treasury to advise on the long-term impact of transport decisions on the UK's productivity, stability and growth. Railfuture Policy, Lobby and Campaigns Committee have submitted a paper to the DfT team assisting Sir Rod. A copy of the Railfuture submission will shortly be available on the Railfuture website.

CENTRAL TRAINS, CROSS COUNTRY AND MIDLAND MAIN LINE REMAPPING

Railfuture East Midlands, West Midlands and Lincolnshire branches have already started to liase with each other so that they avoid coming to opposite conclusions over the Central Trains/MML remapping. There are also implications for London & S.E. and North West branches and these will be included in the discussions. In addition to train services there are significant implications for the future management of stations along the routes.

The Cross Country changes affect almost every branch. Somebody will be appointed to co-ordinate the Railfuture response to these changes. In the meantime if any member has a contribution they wish to make to either of the new franchises would they please put their views to their branch secretary.

GREEN GROUPS CALL ON GOVERNMENT’S CLIMATE CHANGE WORK TO STOP IGNORING TRANSPORT ‘LIKE EMBARRASSING UNCLE AT CHRISTMAS’
A grand coalition of environmental groups, of which Railfuture is a member, issued a press release on 23 December 2005 challenging the Government to stop effectively ignoring transport in its work on climate change. They point out in particular that people in the UK are buying bigger new cars than before and that motoring has become cheaper while public transport fares have risen.

The groups point out that:
 Transport is the fastest growing source of greenhouse gas emissions and accounts for almost a quarter of UK emissions.
 The cost in real terms of motoring has decreased whereas the cost of public transport has increased.
 Despite engines becoming more efficient, emissions from new private cars are actually increasing on average in the UK due to a growing thirst for larger vehicles (Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders April 2005) and European targets to cut car emissions are unlikely to be met.
 Under Government plans for airport expansion, emissions from aviation could account for a quarter of all UK emissions by 2030.
Despite the Government’s Climate Change Programme, which seeks to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from 1990 levels by 20 per cent by 2010 and 60 per cent by 2050, current action by Government is unlikely to meet their targets. Currently UK greenhouse gas emissions are only 12.6 per cent below 1990 levels, and transport is one of the key reasons for this huge gap between policy and action. Between 1997 and 2004 motoring costs fell by 7 per cent whereas bus and coach fares increased by 11 per cent and rail fares increased by 4 per cent. (Transport Secretary Alistair Darling Parliamentary in written answer 11 October 2005)

The Ten-point Plan for action for Government is:
1. Tax reforms: Keep the costs of motoring constant rather than falling.
2. Air travel: Remove tax exemptions and withdraw airport expansion plans.
3. Incentives for changing travel patterns: Adequately fund programmes to influence travel patterns.
4. Roads and road-user charging: Set up a national charging scheme to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, raise money to pay for alternatives to car travel and review the roads programme.
5. Land-use planning: Promote higher density development on brownfield sites that enjoy public transport links, together with a wide range of local services to reduce the need to travel.
6. Speed management: Enforce and reduce motorway limits while reducing the single carriageway limit to 50mph to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.
7. Freight: Promote regional sourcing for food and construction materials while increasing investment in rail and water freight transport.
8. Public transport: Develop the quality and quantity of public transport networks.
9. Walking and cycling: Promote walking and cycling, by ensuring better conditions and encouraging increased use of these activities as attractive and healthy alternatives to car travel.
10. Cleaner vehicles and fuels: Make legally binding EU agreements to improve fuel economy and promote carbon dioxide reductions.
A comprehensive version of the Ten-Point Plan is available at www.transport2000.org.uk

Source: Press release http://www.transport2000.org.uk/

JUST TO SHOW THE GOVERNMENT WILL FUND RAIL SCHEMES

The Community Infrastructure Fund (CIF), which has been established by the Department for Transport and the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, will provide £24m of funding for improvements to Milton Keynes Central and Wolverton railway stations and £10m for regeneration and public transport enhancements at Dalston Junction station. Further infrastructure projects in housing growth areas will be announced early in 2006.
Source DfT press release http://www.gnn.gov.uk/environment/fullDetail.asp?ReleaseID=182400&NewsAreaID=2&NavigatedFromDepartment=False

ORR SETS OUT ITS FRAMEWORK FOR THE REGULATION OF THE RAILWAY IN SCOTLAND

On 21 December 2005 the ORR published out their conclusions on the regulatory framework they are putting in place following the transfer to Scottish Ministers of powers and responsibilities for funding railway services and for specifying high-level railway outputs

The ORR’s approach to regulation in Scotland: Conclusions document is available from the ORR website at http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk/upload/pdf/267.pdf. Source http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk/server/show/ConWebDoc.7621

NATIONAL RAIL TRENDS – JULY - SEPTEMBER 2005 (QUARTER 2)

The edition covering July - September (quarter 2) of the financial year 2005-2006 was published on 19th December 2005. Key findings in the report are:

Comparing July - September 2005 with July - September 2004, the national figure shows an improvement in performance of 3.7 percentage points. Sixteen train operating companies showed an improvement but seven operators showed a decrease in performance:
Complaints per 100,000 journeys for long distance operators between July - September 2005 decreased by 5.8% compared with the same period the previous year. In contrast the complaints rate for regional operators increased by 5%.
All sectors saw growth in total passenger revenue in July - September 2005, compared with the same quarter in 2004. Total passenger revenue, seasonally adjusted and at 2004-05 constant prices increased by 3.7% between July – September 2005 and the same period in 2004.
Between July - September 2005, and the same quarter in 2004 long distance operators experienced a growth in passenger kilometres of 0.6%, whilst passenger journeys increased by 4.4%. For regional operators, passenger kilometres increased by 5.7% and passenger journeys by 9.5%. Due to a change in methodology that occurred after 2004-05 quarter 3 it is not possible to make accurate quarterly comparisons for London and South East operators between July - September 2005, and the same quarter in 2004
Total freight moved increased by 4.5% in July - September 2005 compared with the same quarter in 2004. There was a significant increase of almost 24% in the amount of coal moved measured in tonne-kilometres over this period. However total freight lifted measured in tonnes decreased by 2.5% over this period.
Source: http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk/server/show/ConWebDoc.7620

TRACK WASHED AWAY BY HURRICANE KATRINA REPLACED IN ONE WEEK

I am grateful to John Sita, Jr, the editor of the November-December, 2005 Newsletter for Louisiana Association of Railroad Passengers for this tit bit about the speed of track restoration following Hurricane Katrina. How long would this have taken in the UK? Would Health and Safety constraints even have permitted it to happen?

“The CN route into New Orleans only sustained minor damage, but the rails and roadbed on top of Norfolk Southern’s Lake Pontchartrain trestle were completely washed away by the storm surge. NS had its bridge rebuilt in one week by heroically picking up the track from the bottom of the lake and relaying it on the bridge (with new ballast).”

2006 BRANCH AGM’S

Some AGM dates are in Forthcoming Events but dates are still awaited from Devon and Cornwall, London and South East, Thames Valley, Scotland, and Severnside branches. Would the branch Chairmen or Secretaries please notify the dates to Mike Crowhurst or David Harby as soon as possible.

THE WRONG KIND OF PASSENGER?

When disabled passenger, Bert Massie, needed to visit Liverpool he followed all the correct procedures to obtain wheelchair assistance. He pre-booked help and arrived at Euston station twenty minutes early as usual. However all did not go according to plan.

When he arrived at Euston he approached a Network Rail worker for help at the underground taxi-rank but was told ‘You will have to phone the office. I'm too busy’.
Mr Massie called the number but says he was confronted with another unhelpful member of staff. “I couldn't believe it when the person who took my call said, 'It's just one of those things. If you miss the train, you miss the train’. He didn’t seem to understand that there are only three seats on every train that a wheelchair user can use. If they are pre-booked we have to wait for a train that does have space.
"His attitude was particularly unhelpful and dismissive and he didn’t appear to understand customer service. I travel a lot by public transport and generally receive a decent service but when they get it wrong the consequences for disabled people can be dire."
Though Mr Massie was unhappy at the attitude of the staff, he blames Network Rail management for understaffing the station and using untrained security staff to assist disabled people. Usually he receives a good service from Network Rail staff at Euston.
This is not however likely to be the last we hear of this incident. During the last thirty years Bert Massie has served on a number of government advisory committees concerned with transport and disability including the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee. He is currently Chairman of the Disability Rights Commission.

Source: Disability Rights Commission website http://www.drc.org.uk/newsroom/newsdetails.asp?section=1&id=913