Activists Briefing - Issue 22
17th January 2007
IN THE NEWS
The Eastern Daily Press telephoned Railfuture President, Peter Lawrence, on Thursday 21 December. They had just picked up the story from the Sunday Observer regarding the comments made by John Armitt recommending some rail closures. Peter gave his comments from the point of view of the Norwich area and said rather than closures it was more likely we would see some expansion of rural services mainly due to the increase in commuter travel into Norwich. Local peak hour travel is at capacity and 'One' are currently trying to find solutions. Rail cuts in Norfolk would be unlikely.
Railfuture spokesmen have responded to media enquiries about the usual New Year fare increases. On Tuesday 2nd January Vice President Michael Caton was interviewed by Three Counties Radio. On the same day Peter Lawrence went to the BBC Norwich studios to give a live interview to BBC News 24 on the increased fares announcement. While he was waiting to be interviewed the BBC TV Look East team interviewed him and after the BBC News 24 interview the BBC Radio Norfolk team also gave him an interview. What he expected to be a 15 minute interview in fact lasted 75 minutes in the various studios. Later, on arriving home there was a message from BBC Wales also seeking an interview. However, on ringing back they had already arranged with someone for an interview on the fares increase
Peter also received a telephone call from Radio 5 Live from Manchester asking me to take part in a phone in on "Rail Fares". He was told that the Communications Director Virgin Trains was to be questioned and they wanted someone to put opposing views. Radio Five later came back and said Peter could do two spots, the second subject being the latest figures from BT Police on rail station violence. It appears that Leeds Central is the most dangerous. Peter was due to go on air at around 23.05 but because an item over ran on smoking it was 23.40 before he went on air. The discussion continued to 24.15. The whole programme centred on Virgin Trains but Peter was able to get some useful points in on the high cost of fares, Premium payments made by TOCs, competition from domestic airlines, Europe v UK rail fares etc. The item on BT Police was scrubbed because of running out of time.
Cambridge Evening News telephoned Peter on 4th January to ask for Railfuture opinions on the recent fares increases.
On 3rd January Andrew MacFarlane was at Manchester Piccadilly station at 13.30 to be interviewed by Channel M, a Manchester-based Cable TV station (also on SKY channel 203), about the rail fare increase. The footage was due to be shown at 17.00, 17.30 and half-hourly to 19.00.
NEWS FROM RAILFUTURE BRANCHES
On behalf of all Railfuture Wales Branches and members living along the Borders, Railfuture South Wales have sent a submission to Arriva Trains Wales commenting on the ATW May-December 2007 draft timetable.
Railfuture Lincolnshire President, Brian Hastings, was interviewed by Scunthorpe Telegraph for an article on crime at Scunthorpe station. Brian pointed out that crime figures were actually very low with only 29 offences reported in 2006. This was quoted but Brian's additional comments about the recent improvements in security (CCTV etc) were not reported.
The 1st East Urban Regeneration Company (URC) Area Action Plan (AAP) Preferred Option and Draft Sustainability Appraisal for Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft Local Development has been launched. Our President Peter Lawrence, who also chairs The Wherry Lines CRP, wishes to hear from any Railfuture member their views on any matters likely to affect the development area surrounding Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft Stations. Do remember one plan suggested is to move Lowestoft Station. Your views are welcome. While the consultation period ends on 19 February 2007 these plans are ongoing so do let Peter know your views as soon as possible even after the closing date. More information can be obtained from the following web sites:
www.great-yarmouth.gov.uk, www.waveney.gov.uk, www.1st east.co.uk
Please send your comments and views by post or Email to and mark subject "Future plans for Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft station areas".
Railfuture Severnside held a public meeting at Gloucester Leisure Centre on 21 October 2006 The meeting was attended by 30 people including David Drew, MP for Stroud. In the chair was John Walker, Railfuture Severnside Chairman, and the speakers were Mike Obst, Principal Transport Planner (Rail), Gloucestershire County Council; and Andrew Griffiths, Regional Manager (Severn & Solent), First Great Western. A report on the meeting is available on the web at http://glostransporthistory.visit-gloucestershire.co.uk/Railfutur211006.htm
We are pleased to be able to report that Railfuture Scotland Secretary, Mike Harrison, is continuing to recover from his accident last year. He has however had to move to a more mobility friendly property which has limited storage space. Mike has therefore requested that, wherever possible, members communicate with him by email so that he can store documents electronically. His email address remains Secretary at RailFutureScotland.org.uk.
2007 ELECTIONS FOR DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS
Readers are reminded that nominations forms for the 2007 Board must reach the Returning Officer by 1st February 2007. Forms for completion can be downloaded from the Railfuture website or by post from Railfuture Returning Officer, PO Box 7690, Hinckley, Leicester LE10 9WJ. All candidates and their proposers must be paid up members at the time of nomination.
It is anticipated that the Board will hold 4 or 5 meetings in 2007/8. The first meeting after the 2007 AGM will be in Birmingham. In the last 2 years meetings have been/will be held in London, Birmingham, Leicester, Peterborough and Derby but this list is not exhaustive if somewhere else is more convenient to the new board.
RAILFUTURE BRANCH AGM'S
Dates etc. of branch AGM's for Cambrian, North East, North West, West Midlands, Yorkshire, East Anglia, Thames Valley, London & SE and Lincolnshire are listed in Forthcoming Events. East Midlands is likely to be on 10th or 17th March. They are still trying to find a suitable venue on a date when the speaker is free. Can other branch Chairmen/Secretaries please let Mike Crowhurst and myself know your dates as soon as they are fixed.
WANTED – LOTTERY ORGANISER
Due to a change in family circumstances Elisabeth Jordan will be resigning as Lottery Organiser later this year. The organiser basically records payments, conducts a monthly draw and sends out the payment cheques. The Lottery, which only takes up about 3 hours per month, is a useful regular source of funds which are allocated to the Fighting Fund. If anyone is interested in taking over from Elisabeth please either contact Mike Crowhurst or David Harby.
DEPARTMENT FOR TRANSPORT NEWS
This web page provides links to information on personal travel, based mainly on data from the National Travel Survey. This is a continuous survey designed to monitor long-term trends in personal travel in Great Britain. The survey collects information on where, how and why people travel as well as factors which affect personal travel such as car availability, driving licence holding and access to key services. http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft_transstats/documents/divisionhomepage/037582.hcsp
The South Eastern and Southern Regional Planning Assessments for the Railways have been released and can be found at http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft_railways/documents/page/dft_railways_614113.hcsp. The notice from DfT says that it is the Government's intention to publish the Thames Valley RPA covering west London, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire, later this year.
FRANCHISE NEWS
A reminder that a Stakeholder Consultation process has started for the ECML Franchise with a deadline for responses of 15th February 2007. Martin Murphy from Railfuture North East is co-ordinating the Railfuture response and all branches are asked to send copies of individual branch responses to Martin before they are submitted to DfT. For full details of the Stakeholder Document etc see DfT website http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft_railways/documents/divisionhomepage/613780.hcsp
There are reports in RAIL magazine that the management agreement does not include continuation of GNER franchise commitments such as support for bus and coach links, additional car park spaces and provision of additional cycle storage facilities. If anyone knows of any formal announcement of the provisions in the management agreement please pass them on to David Harby so that it can be included in the next briefing.
Many words (farce, shambles and chaotic being just a few) have been used to describe the introduction of the First Great Western timetable in December 2006. I am sure readers can think of a few more appropriate comments. The following links might help them.
The Oldfield Park blogspot, http://oldfieldparktrains.blogspot.com/, is a somewhat depressing saga of the experiences of a commuter on the Westbury to Bristol line. The letter from DfT of 12th January is worth a read if your want an example of typical Civil Servant speak. This tries to try to appease passengers without actually setting any measurable or enforceable targets for FGW, i.e. a way for the DfT to save money without explicitly implicating itself in the fallout. The letter says "First Great Western has discretion to vary its timetable where there is commercial justification and operational practicability.". What the letter omits is that FGW need extra units to run extra services, and the DfT has to guarantee the lease of those units. Question: Who decides what commercial justification is required for them to sign the lease agreements on additional dmu's? Answer: The DfT?
The story of the fight against cutbacks at Melksham is also worth a read: http://www.savethetrain.org.uk/sofar.html
See also http://www.moretrainlessstrain.org.uk/ http://www.thisisbath.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=163490&command=displayContent&sourceNode=163316&contentPK=16379572&folderPk=89126&pNodeId=163047
http://www.thisisbath.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=163490&command=displayContent&sourceNode=163316&contentPK=16388666&folderPk=89126&pNodeId=163047
Angry commuters plan fare boycott - http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/somerset/6259027.stm
Severn Tunnel services - http://www.saveseverntunnel.co.uk/index.htm
Friends of Bristol Suburban Railways - http://www.fosbr.org.uk/index.php
Lib Dems under fire over train subsidies - http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=144936&command=displayContent&sourceNode=144919&contentPK=16405413&moduleName=InternalSearch&formname=sidebarsearch
See http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/NewsList.aspx for First Great Western press statements.
Peers are also complaining http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/wiltshire/6264911.stm
Special thanks to uk.railway newsgroup contributors who provided most of the above details.
NETWORK RAIL
The formal consultation for the ECML Route Utilisation Strategy is now expected in late Spring.
Network Rail has been given responsibility for developing the Wales Route Utilisation Strategy (RUS). They are about to launch the RUS process and have invited stakeholders, including Railfuture, to meetings in February where the process will be explained in more detail. The Scoping Document for the Wales RUS is now available from the Network Rail website. In you have any views on the RUS please send them to the South Wales Secretary, Roland Pittard, at rowlandpittard1 at yahoo.co.uk. The scoping document is on the Network Rail website at http://www.networkrail.co.uk/browse%20documents/rus%20documents/route%20utilisation%20strategies/wales/wales%20rus%20draft%20scope.pdf
ORR
National Rail Trends 2006-2007 Q2 is now on the ORR website: http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk/server/show/nav.68
The Railways Act 2005 (the 2005 Act) sets out statutory procedures concerning proposals for the closure of passenger services, passenger networks and stations. The 2005 Act placed a duty on Scottish Ministers and the Secretary of State to publish closures guidance outlining how such proposals should be assessed and processed. The “Railways Closure Guidance” was published on 18 October 2006 and came into effect on 1 December 2006. Links to the ORR’s “Procedures for reviewing closure references” and the “Summary of responses to ORR’s consultation on closure procedures” can be found at http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk/server/show/nav.1478. This web address also gives a link to the Railfuture response.
A copy of ORR's letter to Network Rail on North West Draft RUS, January 2007 can be found at http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk/server/show/nav.1480
As part of the Periodic review 2008, ORR believe that the compensation mechanism for possessions should be reviewed. A letter from ORR to Network Code Industry Steering Group (ISG) setting out what ORR think is wrong with the current mechanism and the remit for a review by ISG of the arrangements is on the ORR website at http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk/upload/pdf/pr08-toc_comp.pdf
SNIPPETTS
The next Regional launch in the Growing the Railways campaign is the South West Launch on 19 January 2007 in Bristol. Speakers, who include Jenny Agutter actress and patron of Transport 2000, Dan Okey of the RDA, Nigel Hutchings of Business West and David Drew MP, will make the case for why we think expanding south west rail is critical. The event will also be attended by Sardine Man, the Growing the Railways mascot.
Are there any remaining services (outside of Wales, Scotland, PTE's and London) which are still receiving revenue support from Local Authorities, RDA's etc? If members know of any services can they please notify David Harby. He already knows of Robin Hood and Ivanhoe line services where funding is to be taken over by DfT in the new East Midlands franchise.
Derek Monnery FRICS, Chairman, Essex Rail Users Federation has produced an excellent and concise review of the Eddington Transport Study. This is only four pages long, a better read than the 64 of the original report. If anyone would like a copy please email david.harby at ntlworld.com.
Transport 2000 are looking for anecdotal evidence of very overcrowded services. If you know of a rail service that is regularly subject to severe overcrowding can you please advise david.harby at ntlworld.com who will pass on the information.