News from the East Anglian Branch of Railfuture, Edited by Martin Thorne and Jerry Alderson.
Railfuture News Snippets 136 - 19/05/2004
- RAIL FRANCHISES [all issues]
- National Express admits that 'one' causes confusion in station announcements
- SRA announce four pre-qualifying bids for ECML InterCity franchise
- National Express takeover sees first deterioration in service
- ST.IVES LINE [all issues]
- Liberal Democrats in Hunts call for referendum on the guided bus proposals
- Cambridge City Council assumes guided bus is done deal when revising local transport plan
- CAST.IRON organises trip for members to visit Wensleydale Railway
- Save Our Station campaign sets up online donations facility to help save Histon Station
- STATIONS [all issues]
- Improvements at St.Neots
- Walton-on-the-Naze station upgrade completed
- Judge rules that taxi is not required substitute for lack of disabled facilities at Thetford station
- Station car parks refurbished at two of 'one's stations
- RAIL ROUTES [all issues]
- RAIL FREIGHT [all issues]
- ROAD BUILDING [all issues]
- PRESERVED RAILWAYS [all issues]
- WEBSITES [all issues]
The next March-Wisbech "Bramley" line meeting is on Wednesday 26th May in St Peter's Church Hall, located in St John's Road, off Station Road (opposite local shops), March, Cambs. See http://www.bramleyline.co.uk/ or contact Peter Downs on 01945 467740.
The next CAST.IRON members' meetings are on 7th June, 12th July, 13th September (no August meeting). They are held at Histon Baptist Church Hall. Doors open 19:30, meeting begins at 19:45.
RAIL FRANCHISES
National Express admits that 'one' causes confusion in station announcements
Keywords: [OneRailway]
Highly-paid rail professionals have now admitted what any simple passenger could have told them: announcements such as "The 11:50 'one' service to ..." and "the 'one' train to ..." can be confusing. Does the train leave at 11:50 or 11:51? Is there really just a single train to the destination?
Station announcements involving train times no longer include the word 'one'. Jonathan Denby, of 'one' Railways, said: "Inevitably, when you put something into practice, you pick up things which perhaps don't work quite as well" admitting that they had only two months to think of a name: "It may have looked very good on paper, but it was difficult to tell exactly how it would work out in the field."
There is still confusion for passengers as the name 'Greater Anglia' appears on credit card statements but cheques are written payable to London Eastern Railway Ltd.
BBC news item: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/3686593.stm.
SRA announce four pre-qualifying bids for ECML InterCity franchise
On 7th May the SRA announced the bidders who have pre-qualified for the 7-year East Cost Main Line franchise, which commences on
1st May 2005. The franchise can be extended by up to 3 years, like the Greater Anglia one. The successful companies are:
* DSB (Danish Railways)
* First London, Scottish and North East Railway Ltd (FirstGroup plc)
* Great North Eastern Railway Ltd (Sea Containers Ltd)
* inter city-railways (consortium of Deutsche Bahn AG, Stagecoach Group plc and Virgin Group Investments Ltd).
National Express, which had publicly said it wanted the franchise to compliment its Midland Mainline service, failed to get shortlisted.
SRA press release: http://www.sra.gov.uk/news/2004/Folder.2004-03-29.7357331632/intercity_East_Coast_Franchise.
National Express takeover sees first deterioration in service
Some passengers have expressed concern that since National Express have taken over Liverpool Street station the staffing levels will be reduced to meet the £75m annual payment to the SRA. The former Anglia ticket office on platform 10 was open at reduced times in late April owing to "staff illness". It seems surprising that 'one' have so few qualified staff at one of the biggest stations in Great Britain.
ST.IVES LINE
Liberal Democrats in Hunts call for referendum on the guided bus proposals
On 6th May the Hunts Post reported that Huntingdonshire Liberal Democrats, who are firmly against the guided bus proposals have called for a referendum on it. "This issue is causing huge controversy across the centre of the county," commented Councillor Peter Downes, leader of the Lib Dems on Huntingdonshire District Council. "Many residents want to have their say. We believe residents have a right to have a say.
Councillor Mark Rainer, Lib Dem Transport Spokesman supported this: "We did not vote in favour of the busway at the county council and we will continue to oppose them on every possible occasion. However, the Tories are in total confusion, voting for it in county, against it in St Ives Town Council and neither one nor the other in the district Council. We feel that when the ruling Tory party are unable to provide leadership. They should consult more widely, in the interests of democracy. It would also help them resolve their own internal differences."
Lib Dems believe that everyone in Cambridgeshire should be balloted, as they will all contribute towards the subsidy the guided bus will require.
Cambridge City Council assumes guided bus is done deal when revising local transport plan
People who made representations on the Cambridge Local Transport Plan will have recently had replies from Cambridge City Council. The council says that they assume the guided busway public inquiry will in favour of it, and therefore rail schemes are irrelevant. Objectors to the pro-bus LTP should write saying that they wish to maintain our objections to the relevant policies.
CAST.IRON organises trip for members to visit Wensleydale Railway
Keywords: [CASTIRON]
The Cambridge And St.Ives Railway Organisation was inspired by the Wensleydale Railway, which opened on 4th July 2004. Therefore it is quite appropriate that CAST.IRON members have the chance to visit the Wensleydale on a NENTA-run train from Norwich on Saturday 25th September 2004. The train will stop at Ely, and there are free connecting trains from Cambridge.
CAST.IRON is offering its members a cheaper rate: £46.30 instead of £48.75. To join the trip, members should send a cheque made pay able to CAST.IRON to David Pepperall, 15 Vine Close, Stapleford, Cambridge CB2 5BZ.
Wensleydale trip details: http://www.castiron.org.uk/railtour.php.
Save Our Station campaign sets up online donations facility to help save Histon Station
Keywords: [HistonStation]
S.O.S - Save Our Station [http://www.saveourstation.org.uk] has set-up an online donation facility for people to make a small financial contribution. They have already raised more than £500 out of the planned £700 to carry out minor repairs. Credit/debit card payments can be made via: http://www.saveourstation.org.uk/donations.php. Further information is available via [donations at saveourstation.org.uk]. The group has applied to English Heritage to list the station. Their superb website now has a wealth of historical material such as the original Cambridge and Huntingdon Railway Bill is available to view on the website.
STATIONS
Improvements at St.Neots
In mid-April £80,000 of improvements were completed St. Neots railway station. This included a toucan crossing for pedestrians and cyclists to provide much improved access to the railway station. Bus passengers also have a safer crossing point. The work is designed to benefit the 467 bus service which runs between the Market Square and the railway station via Eynesbury at peak times, and Longsands Road off-peak.
Walton-on-the-Naze station upgrade completed
Keywords: [WaltonOnTheNazeStation]
The £150,000 refurbishment of Walton-on-the-Naze station has been completed. The platform height has been raised and then resurfaced with new drains installed and tactile paving fitted. All work was funded by Network Rail.
Judge rules that taxi is not required substitute for lack of disabled facilities at Thetford station
Keywords: [ThetfordStation]
Keith Roads, an "accomplished politician", and disability rights activist took Central Trains to court about the inability of disabled passengers to access the Norwich-bound platform at Thetford station: access to the platform requires a half-mile journey from the front of the station. However, a recent judgement delivered at Norwich County Court said it was unreasonable to expect Central Trains to pay the cost of an accessible taxi to enable alternative travel to Norwich. The alternative is to go via Ely - a round trip of 55 miles instead of 30 miles direct. The Disability Rights Commission (DRC) expressed "disappointment" at the ruling.
Prior to taking Central Trains to court, Mr Roads engineered a stunt at Thetford station in early 2003, which appeared on BBC Look East. It is believed the BBC reporter has since become the press officer for the disabled Rights Commission!
Disabled Rights Commission: http://www.drc.org.uk/open4all/.
Station car parks refurbished at two of 'one's stations
A refurbished car park, including lighting, and two new shelters costing £100,000 have opened at Brundall station in Norfolk. The car park at Cambridge has also been resurfaced. Meanwhile, on 27th April Prince Charles arrived by train at Mistley station in order to visit the recently renovated Mistley Quay.
'one anglia' press release: http://www.oneanglia.com/latest-information/news-detail.asp?id=559.
RAIL ROUTES
CSRRA/CCDC rail feasibility study says reopening Cambridge-Haverhill is feasible
Unsurprisingly the report by business consultants Wilson, Lee and Partners which was commissioned by the Cambridge - Sudbury Rail Renewal Association has shown a strong case for reopening the railway line between Cambridge and Haverhill. The report found rail to be more cost effective than road improvements or building a guided busway, add also feels there is a case for reinstating the line all the way to Sudbury, to link up with east coast ports.
The first stage of the feasibility study found demand for at least 6,000 journeys a week serving Haverhill, Bartlow, Linton, Great Abington, Sawston, Great Shelford and Cambridge. The figures take account of planned economic development of the area. The consultants undertook interviews with local government, businesses, industry associations and nearly 500 members of the public. Of those surveyed, 73% said they would use a railway and 87% though the 28-minute journey time was acceptable.
RAIL FREIGHT
IKEA commences distribution of freight by rail in East Anglia
In recent weeks the IKEA home-furnishing retail group has been moving its goods by rail throughout East Anglia, with trains passing Cambridge regularly. These trains run as part of a one-year contract with EWS.
ROAD BUILDING
Road building costs know no bounds
According to the Bedfordshire Railway Transport Association, a letter from the Highways Agency states that the Great Barford Bypass, the Clapham Bypass, dualling of the A421, widening of the A14 in Cambridgeshire, dualling the A428 in Cambridgeshire and the A1 widening all combined is going to cost £1074.21 million. A third of this sum would pay for the East West Rail western link, St.Ives line reopening, Cambridge-Haverhill reopening, second tunnel at Stansted with link to Braintree, redoubling of the Fen Line, a loop at Beccles and Chesterton Interchange station.
PRESERVED RAILWAYS
Mid-Norfolk Railway's new Kimberly Station official opening on 22nd May
Keywords: [MidNorfolkRailway]
Ex-transport minister, Lord MacGregor of Pulham Market, president of Mid-Norfolk Railway, will perform the re-opening ceremony at Kimberley Park Station on Saturday, 22nd May at 10:00. MNR volunteers have carried out all the work to reopen the station, which was paid for by a grant from the Countryside Agency that Kimberley and Carlton Forehoe Parish Council has applied for. Residents in the parish will receive travel vouchers, allowing them to travel at 1969 prices: 2/- (10p) return to Wymondham and 3/6 (18p) return to Dereham.
The MNR work to bring the platforms up to required standard included:
* Building a new fence along the platform
* Re-surfacing the platform
* Installing lights and the associated cables
* Building a passenger shelter
* Providing new cycle stands
* Fitting a new level crossing gate, fabricated in our workshops
* Modifying the platform itself to comply with modern safety standards.
The station has now been inspected and passed by Her Majesty's Railway Inspectorate, although some red-tape is temporarily holding up its reopening for regular passenger services.
WEBSITES
Bedfordshire Railway Transport Association revamps website and hopes to turn St John's site into working museum
The Bedfordshire Railway Transport Association (BRTA) is hopoig to save Bedford St.Johns signal box, which will become redundant once the Bedford-Bletchley resignalling project is completed. Details are on their recently revamped website http://www.brta.org.uk, which acts as a shop window on BRTA's campaigning.
Railfuture East Anglia Branch News Snippets 136 - 19/05/2004
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