Activists Briefing
Issue 33 - 17th December 2007
IN THE NEWS
On 21st November a delegation from Railfuture held a meeting with Susan Kramer MP, Liberal Democrat Transport spokesperson. Among the issues discussed were:
● New Approach to Appraisal (NATA) Refresh – The DfT are currently looking at the NATA process. We pointed out the current appraisal imbalance caused by the inclusion of road fuel tax revenue as a benefit resulting in a strong bias in favour of road based schemes at the expenses of public transport investment, particularly in heavy and light rail projects.
● We gave our views of the Rail White Paper especially the reluctance to even look at more electrification and the DfT's misguided assumption that oil prices will fall to $35 a barrel.
● We mentioned the abstraction from rail services caused by free concessionary bus travel for over 60's not being matched by free local rail travel.
● We discussed Crossrail and issues related to Eurostar service cuts at Ashford.
● We urged her to sign Early Day motion (EDM) 730 in opposition to longer heavier lorries and pointed out the numerous disadvantages of these vehicles.
On 29th November when the media found out about the January 2008 fare increases Railfuture President and Media Spokesman, Peter Lawrence, was busy. He carried out a live interview with Radio 5 Live at 08.45. During the day a local newspaper from Derby and the Eastern Daily Press telephoned for comments. Peter's day ended at 21.15 with a live BBC NEWS 24 interview from BBC Norwich studio.
To coincide with the fare increases on January 2nd 2008 we will be issuing a press release pointing out that worse is to come as fares increase to meet the government target of passengers bearing 75% of rail costs. We will point out that passengers expect value for money. They expect some real investment in much needed new capacity, more stations, reopened lines and a serious policy of electrification.
NEWS FROM RAILFUTURE BRANCHES
Railfuture North East have organised a meeting at Sunderland Civic Centre on Wednesday 12th March 2008 at 7pm. The speaker will be Tom Clift, Managing Director of Grand Central. The Civic Centre is 5 minutes walk from Sunderland railway station and adjacent to Park Lane metro/bus interchange.
Railfuture Lincolnshire conducted a survey of rail replacement bus services whilst Lincoln station was blockaded for 3 weeks in August 2007. A copy of the survey report can be obtained by emailing david.harby at ntlworld.com.
BRANCH AGMs
Railfuture West Midlands AGM will be on Saturday April 5th at Kidderminster.
Railfuture Lincolnshire AGM will be held at St. Mary-le-Wigford Church Hall (alongside Lincoln station) on 15th March.
Railfuture Severnside AGM will be in Bristol on Saturday 26th April.
Railfuture Wessex AGM will be held in Bournemouth on 15th March.
Railfuture Scotland will be setting at date at their January 2008 committee meeting.
BRANCH FINANCES
A reminder to all branches to please ensure that their year end accounts are sent to the National Treasurer, Bob Imrie by 31st January 2008 at the very latest. If you are waiting for an examination/audit to be completed then please send your draft version.
Branch subventions for 2008 will be the same cash amount as in 2007. Branches and User Groups are reminded that in addition to subvention grants to promote reopenings or fight closures and service cuts are available from the Fighting Fund. For more information and an application form contact the appropriate committee chairman. (Jerry Alderson/Network Development for reopenings and Howard Thomas/Passenger for closures and service cuts) Also if branches would like to organise something that is beyond their own resources they are free to contact Mike Crowhurst to discuss if any additional finance can be made available from National Funds.
SELRAP ANNOUNCE POSITIVE REPORT INTO SKIPTON – COLNE RE-OPENING
On 30th November SELRAP (Skipton – East Lancashire Rail Action Partnership) held a press conference to launch a study into the re-opening of Skipton – Colne. Produced by the Leeds office of the national firm JMP Consulting in full compliance with Department for Transport (DfT) guidelines, the report looks at the costs and benefits associated with the re-opening.
“The study shows a BCR approaching 2.5”, says SELRAP chairman Derek Jennings, “which is well above the figure at which Network Rail and the DfT can take the re-opening proposal forward. It also allows us to campaign at a new level, and SELRAP now plans to discuss its ideas with Network Rail and the many other bodies that will be involved in the coming years.”
However, in addition to the benefits within the scope of this BCR calculation, JMP has identified and assessed various other benefits which will all positively impact on the quality of the lives of people in Craven, Pendle and the wider community. These aspects include: regeneration, that is new or better businesses and more jobs; environmental (less pollution, car journeys and accidents); and social inclusion (more mobility for, for example, the young, elderly or those without a car).
The report’s cost of over £10,000, was met by several sponsors and by donations from SELRAP’s own membership including a grant from the Railfuture fighting Fund.
For more details and a copy of the report see www.selrap.org.uk
RAILFUTURE SUMMER CONFERENCES 2008
We expect to be holding our summer 2008 conference in Salisbury on Saturday 5th July. We have tentative offers to speak from two well known individuals with a close interest in rail services.
ASK YOUR MP TO PROTECT WOODHEAD TUNNEL FOR RAIL USE
It has been estimated that if the Woodhead route between Sheffield and Manchester was reopened it could save 100,000 tons of CO2 emissions per year by transferring freight to rail. The gradient means that the route would be carbon neutral if regenerative braking was used. Much of the track infrastructure still exists so the estimated costs are a very modest £139 million. (Widening 1.2 miles of M1 between Junctions 30 and 31 is estimated at £178 million)
However all this may never happen. Against the wishes of the Peak District National Park and local MPs, National Grid are proposing to run their power lines through the (new) 1954 Woodhead tunnel. Campaigners fighting to save the Woodhead tunnel are asking everyone to ask their MP to sign Early Day Motion 459 which calls upon the Government to investigate and intervene on this issue as a matter of urgency to prevent this strategic rail route being lost forever.
More details and an online petition can be found on the Save the Woodhead tunnel website http://savethewoodheadtunnel.blogspot.com
DEPARTMENT FOR TRANSPORT NEWS
On Thursday 6 December the DfT released the 2007 Edition of Transport Trends. This is a statistics publication with an introduction to the major trends in transport and travel. It gives an overview of key trends over the past 25 years. It is intended as a companion volume to Transport Statistics Great Britain, which contains reference tables containing more detailed figures and some longer time trends.
There are sections covering the following topics:
Roads, Vehicles and Congestion;
Personal Travel by Mode;
Public Transport;
Variation in Personal Travel and Access to Services;
Freight and Logistics;
Ports and Airports;
Safety;
Health and the Environment.
The complete publication, including a brief summary and the data underlying the graphics, can be found on the Department's website. http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/statistics/datatablespublications/trends
Transport Trends 2007 is available free of charge from DfT (telephone: 020 7944 4846, or e-mail: publicationgeneral.enq at dft.gsi.gov.uk )
Source: DfT press release
On Thursday 13 December 2007 DfT released Regional Transport Statistics 2007. This brings together a wide range of transport statistics at Government Office Region and former Metropolitan County level and includes other relevant data, including regional population and household numbers. Regional variations are complex, particularly because of the widely varying local circumstances. In particular, these include differences in economy, population structure and density, and transport systems. London, in particular, is very distinctive in transport terms.
Regional Transport Statistics 2007 Edition is an internet only publication and can be found at http://www.dft.gov.uk/transtat
Source: DfT press release
ORR NEWS
On 13 December 2007 ORR published updated guidance to the rail industry to help each regulated enterprise take appropriate account of the environment as part of its everyday operations. The guidance provides advice on the issues that each enterprise should address in its environmental policies and practices.
The 2007 environmental guidance document can be viewed on the ORR website at http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk/upload/pdf/348.pdf Responses to ORR's July 2007 consultation proposals can also be found at http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk/server/show/ConWebDoc.8939
The sustainable development policy is available from the ORR website at http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk/upload/pdf/324.pdf
Source: ORR press release
TRANSPORT SECRETARY DEFENDS AIR TRAVEL
On Sunday 18 November Andrew Marr interviewed Ruth Kelly MP, Transport Secretary
The Transport Secretary defended expansion of UK airports and increase in flights. Ruth Kelly says: 'we should not be telling people what form of transport they take'. She explained the government plans for increased security at stations. Andrew Marr asked her about reports that to travel by Eurostar train passengers will have to fill in a form with 53 questions. She was evasive and tried to avoid giving a straight answer even when she was asked for a clear yes or no to the 53 question form. She was proud of the 1300 new carriages the government have announced ad nauseum but said “ the big priority for us as a nation at the moment is not new lines and perhaps faster speed trains”. A transcript of the interview can be found at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/andrew_marr_show/7100496.stm
NETWORK RAIL
RUS programme:
There is a revised version, dated 4th December 2007, of the RUS programme on the Network Rail website. The website also says that the Greater Anglia RUS will be published in December 2007. http://www.networkrail.co.uk/
Interim results for the six months to 30 September 2007:
Network Rail published its interim results for the half year to 30 September 2007 on 23rd November 2007. The results show the best train punctuality for a decade, averaging 91% for the period, strong and stable finances allowing continued high levels of investment, and a pre-tax profit of £780m.
Train performance shows the best punctuality for a decade - an average of 90.87% of trains ran on time over the first six periods of the year (April to September). Rail remains the safest form of transport with broken rails and SPADS at record low levels.
Source: Network Rail press release http://www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk/Content/Detail.asp?ReleaseID=3453&NewsAreaID=2&SearchCategoryID=2
SNIPPETTS
The National Audit Office report into the role of the Department for Transport in assessing the revised proposals for light rail schemes in Leeds, Manchester and South Hampshire was published on 15th November.
The review found that the Department’s evaluation of the schemes was robust and the options it put to Ministers to enable them make their decisions were presented in a fair and even handed way. However the Department could also have communicated better with promoters in terms of what criteria the proposals would have had to meet to be approved. A clearer steer in July 2004 of what sort of costs were acceptable would have helped promoters decide whether to submit a revised proposal at all. The NAO report can be found at http://www.nao.org.uk/pn/07-08/0708_light_rail_scheme.htm
Source: NAO press release
If you are planning to stand for election to the 2008-9 Railway Development Society Board a nomination form can be downloaded from the Railfuture website or by post from Railfuture Returning Officer, P.O.Box 7690, Hinckley, Leicester LE10 9WJ. All completed nomination forms must be returned by 1st February 2008.