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East Anglia Branch News - Snippets Issue 156 - 18/08/2006

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News from the East Anglian Branch of Railfuture, Edited by Martin Thorne and Jerry Alderson.

Railfuture News Snippets 156 - 18/08/2006

The long-awaited unveiling of the Ron Callaby Memorial will take place at Watlington Station on Saturday 19th August 2006 at 14:45. These arrangements have been made in close collaboration with Ron's widow Dorothy and their family. Trevor Garrod will be speaking on behalf of the Railfuture East Anglia Branch as he knew Ron, a signalman and later a supervisor at King's Lynn who campaigned to get the station reopened (opened on 05/05/1975). Local politicians and the media have been invited. Organiser Clara Zilahi hopes that as many branch members as possible will be able to attend. Earlier this year the long-awaited £5,000 cycle sheds were erected, which included a £700 contribution from Railfuture, much of which was raised with two sponsored cycle rides and a charity stall in Downham Market.

During August, ESTA members are again being asked to complete a questionnaire for each train or bus journey which they make. The responses will enable ESTA to pinpoint problems and good points as well as identifying trends. For example, have punctuality and cleanliness improved or deteriorated since they did their 2005 survey? They hope to publish the results in October 2006. Extra forms can be downloaded (in PDF format) from http://www.eastsuffolktravel.org.uk.

Railfuture representatives regularly meet officials. Peter Lawrence and Nick Dibben have met the East of England Regional Assembly this week and directors of Railfuture will be attending meetings with both Derek Twigg, parliamentary under secretary for transport, and Chris Austin, director of public policy at ATOC, in the next couple of months.

The Railfuture Freight Committee are planning to invite Mike Young, recently retired, Norfolk County Council Transport Officer to their meeting on 23rd September if they can obtain a suitable venue within East Anglia. If a branch member with a specialist interest in freight who could make a positive contribution to the meeting wishes to attend they should contact the chairman of the Freight Committee, Gary Tinsey.

Reg Harman's recent 24-page report on the benefits that high speed railway lines might deliver in Britain can be found at http://www.lttonline.co.uk/report_link.php?uid=1404" courtesy of "Local Transport Today".

Railfuture is increasingly planning ahead. The 2006 Rail Users' Conference is being held in Reading on Saturday 4th November - see http://www.railfuture.org.uk/tiki-index.php?page=Rail+Users+Conference. A provisional date and venue has been set for 2007 as well: Ely Maltings, Saturday 3rd November 2007.

BRTA are asking their contacts to write to Ruth Kelly MP, Secretary of State, Department for Communities and Local Government to call in the decision by Bedfordshire County Council's Development Control Committee to give permission for the rowing lake at Willington (application BC/CM/2003/33). They are asking for a public inquiry to be held, despite the EE Plan Inspector's report not recommending that the route be protected. Mrs Kelly can be contacted at Elland House, Bressenden Place, London, SW1E 5DU.

BRTA will be holding a conference entitled "Rails for Cambridge" at Homerton Road, Hills Road, Cambridge on Saturday 21st April 2007. Whilst the £35/£30 fee is high, group discounts can be obtained, along with four stall pitches at £25 each plus £10 x 2 (max) of stall holders.

Bob Kiley, the former Transport commissioner for London Transport will be appearing in a Channel 4 Dispatches programme "Britain's Commuter Nightmare" at 20:00 on Monday 21st August.

Railfuture still has copies of past publications, such as the A-Z of Reopenings, Case for Rail, Fighting for Rail and Have They Done Well? These are all available for £2.50 per item (incl. P&P) from Norman Bradbury, Railfuture Book Sales, 30 The Mount, Worcester Park, Surrey KT4 8UD. See: http://www.railfuture.org.uk/tiki-index.php?page=Sales.

STATIONS
GB station usage figures for 2004/05 published

An Excel spreadsheet containing the station usage figures for April 2004-March 2005 can be obtained from the Office of Rail Regulation website at http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk/upload/xls/station_usage_2004-05_excel.xls. The top 'one' stations are Liverpool Street (2nd) and Stratford (24th). Its third ranking station, Cambridge, is now the branch area's most used station. At 35th in the country it has just over 3m entries and 3m exits a year. It beats all of the following well-known stations: York, Newcastle, Bristol Temple Meads, Nottingham, St.Pancras, Sheffield, Southampton Central, Leicester, Slough, Basingstoke and Watford Junction.

The second most used branch station is 56th-placed Colchester (2.1m each direction)m, and Stansted (61st) with a 1.85m entrances and 1.96m exits. The airport's variance is not obvious. Perhaps some visitors take the train, decide they don't like the service or the price and return to the airport by coach. An 18-page guide to these figures can be found at http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk/upload/pdf/station_usage_2004-05_report.pdf. It has been produced by AEA Technology and is fare more detailed than the SRA's guides.

The station usage figures are just one of the National Rail Trends and other statistics available from the ORR at http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk/server/show/nav.129.

'one' continues minor station improvements

Keywords: [OneRailway]

Recent station improvements by 'one', as part of its franchise commitments, have largely focused on lighting and CCTV. More significant improvements include a new passenger lift and new automatic doors to the ticket office at Colchester North.

'one' Press Release: http://www.onerailway.com/latestinformation/news/newsdisplay.asp?id=922.

'one' looks to reduce staffing levels at some stations

Keywords: [OneRailway]

According to the Eastern Daily Press on 2nd August, about 26 full-time ticket office jobs at 'one' are under review. These affect Norwich, Great Yarmouth, Lowestoft, Ipswich, Colchester and Ely. Staff have received "displacement notices" requiring them to move to other stations.

'one' calls for more station adopters as 50th station adopted

Keywords: [OneRailway]

Rochford Station, on the Liverpool Street to Southend Victoria route, has become the 50th of one's 167 stations to be adopted. According to 'one', the initiative is aimed at improving lines of communication with station users, promoting and encouraging feedback about the station buildings and facilities to help ensure that they meet the standards expected. Volunteers report to the train operator about the standard of facilities at the station. Many have brought their own schemes to fruition, such as acquiring new platform benches, planting gardens and filling flower tubs, and keeping platforms free from litter.

More volunteers are being sought by 'one'. Contact 01206 363948 to enquire about unadopted stations.

RAIL PUNCTUALITY
Six-monthly figures for 'one' see return to pre-Hatfield punctuality levels

Keywords: [OneRailway]

At the end of July it was announced that during the six 4-week periods to 24th June, 89.6% of 'one' trains were punctual (within 5 minutes [local trains] or 10 minutes [inter city] of scheduled arrival time). In 2005 the figure 88.4%. The improvement was greatest on the mainline services from Norwich, Ipswich, Harwich, Clacton, Colchester, Braintree and Chelmsford to London - up from 85.2% to 91.2%: the best result over those six period since before the Hatfield accident in October 2000. Comparing the same period in 2005 and 2006, the Norwich-London service improved from 79.9% to 87.2%. Punctuality on the rural lines went up from 87.0% to 89.3%. Metro services from Southend/Shenfield to London also improved from 89.5% to 91.3%.

The good news is at the expense of West Anglia's drop from 91.8% to 88.1% - "slightly down" according to 'one' - and Stansted Express' fall from 85.7% to 85.0%. Both figures were blamed on major infrastructure failures and a number of fatalities.

RAIL ROUTES
Half of Sudbury branch relayed over two-week period at a cost of £5.5m

Keywords: [SudburyBranch]

The 12-mile-long Marks-Tey to Sudbury branch was completely closed between 23rd July and 7th August so that around 6 miles of jointed track in three sections (between Chappel Viaduct and Marks Tey station, Mount Bures Level Crossing and Bures Station and between Lamarsh and Little Cornard ) could be replaced by continuous welded rail. (Note: RAIL magazine erroneously stated that all 12 miles was being replaced during this blockade.). The work cost £5.5m and is the greatest investment in the line (which became a stub in 1968 with the closure of the line from Sudbury to Cambridge via Haverhill) in 50 years. It will improve the ride quality and allow an increase in line speed.

The first stretch of relaying occurred in 2005. Summer 2007 will see the work completed with the line being closed for nine days to replace the track between Little Cornard and Sudbury, and across the viaduct at Chappel. Work Details also suggest that the platform at Marks Tey station is to be extended at that time.

Branch website: http://www.sudbury-branchline.co.uk.

ST.IVES LINE
Agreements with bus operators revealed for Cambridgeshire Guided Busway

Following confirmation of funding and the final vote to go ahead, agreements between Cambridgeshire County Council and the bus operators who will use the guided busway are now becoming clear.

The council's Scrutiny Committee revealed that contract will lock in bus operators for five years. They will have to pay the access charges whether or not they use the busway and the County Council can increase the charges each year. If the operator doesn't meet the agreed 'quality' standards, which includes frequency, they can be barred from the busway but still made to pay the access charge.

On 8th August branch chairman Peter Wakefield was one of the randomly chosen focus group members invited to a meeting organised by English Partnerships and Swansea University about housing standards/design for Northstowe. Attendees were put into five discussion circles of eight people each plus facilitator and scribe. All groups were totally against guided busway and for rail option. Transport and the A14 was a major negative concern. English Partnerships, who publicly welcomed the go-ahead for CGB, own most of the land and have a brief from government to provide a town of the highest quality.

RAIL FRANCHISES
GNER loses legal challenge to ORR following its decision to support Grand Central

Keywords: [GNER]

On 27th July lost its legal challenge to the ORR's decision on 23rd March to allow Grand Central to operate a high-speed service between London and Sunderland in competition with GNER on the East Coast Main Line. After a four-day hearing, Mr Justice Sullivan declined to grant an order quashing the regulator's decision, which would also have removed Hull Trains' additional daily journey. GNER had argued that the access charging regime contravenes regulations implementing EU rail directives by discriminating between franchise operators and open access operators, and amounts to an unlawful grant of state aid to open access operators. GNER said it was "extremely disappointed" at the decision and was taking legal advice on an appeal.

Ian Yeowart, MD of Grand Central, said "Having sat through every minute of the Court hearing it is clear that the Judge understood the complexities of the issues placed before him. We are grateful for the professional way in which the case was defended, and the important role played by our legal adviser, Tom Winsor, and his team." GNER has already paid Grand Central's six figure costs as a result of being an 'interested party' in the judicial review proceedings. Grand Central has now started recruiting - mostly in York - train drivers, managers, on-board train staff and administrative staff.

During the court proceedings it was revealed that First lost the franchise to GNER by a whisker and that GNER's competition "caveat" in its bid compensating it for any effect from open access was removed hours before the franchise was signed on 18th March 2005.

Now that Network Rail has found 20 new paths, largely by withdrawing unused rights from other operators, such as North of London Eurostars, the ORR also said that it was minded to approve access rights for GNER to run additional services to Leeds if further work found that there was sufficient capacity.

BBC News Report: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/5221174.stm.

Chris Garnett resigns as GNER Chief Executive

Keywords: [GNER]

Two days before the judicial review decision was made public, GNER announced that Chris Garnett would be leaving the company ion 31st August. This had been speculated for several months, with GNER having denied the suggestion in the Independent on 13th April. Sea Containers' chief Bob MacKenzie will take personal charge at GNER.

Sea Containers has admitted that GNER has underperformed financially. In its report, MacKenzie said: "GNER faces significant challenges and I believe the original projections for the franchise now appear optimistic." Profitability has been hit by Network Rail's improved performance (partly to its strengthening of the troublesome overhead electrification) resulting in additional 'variable' payments to NR instead of receiving compensation. Electricity charges rose in April 2006 by 26%, with a further 65% increase likely to occur in April 2007. GNER currently employs around 3,200 people, which presently represent about 45% of total costs.

GNER passenger revenue (representing half of its revenue) has not met predictions. When the new franchise commenced in May 2005 a 9.9% rise was expected in the first 14 months to 30th June. However, passenger revenue rose just 3.3%, partly owing to the London bombings in July 2005. Over the ten-year franchise total revenue was forecast to increase 8.6% annually with UK GDP growing by 2.5% annually. GNER initially projected a net profit margin before tax of 3.75% after payment of franchise premium amounts.

Speculation mounts that Sea Containers will be forced to sell off GNER. Were it to 'hand back the keys' to the DfT then it would forfeit a £15m bond.

Sea Containers financial report: http://www.prnewswire.co.uk/cgi/news/release?id=176995.

First Capital Connect is subject of official complaint by London TravelWatch

Keywords: [FirstCapitalConnect]

On 11th August London TravelWatch wrote to the ORR demanding action against FCC following its recent introduction of peak-time travel restrictions, supposedly to ease overcrowding but according to LTW chief executive Rufus Barnes wrote: "to pay the massive £800 million-plus premium to which they committed over the full life of the franchise." He said there was also 'concern' over whether there had been 'unreasonable and anti-competitive collusion' between First Capital Connect and GNER/Midland Mainline, both of which had also applied restrictions. First Group profits increased by 6.5% to £176m for the year ending March 2006.

News article: http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/news/article.html?in_article_id=411623.

Has DfT cheated on consultation period for Cross Country franchise?

The DfT's original consultation document on the proposed specification of the new cross-country franchise, which is due to commence on 11th November 2007 and includes the service to Stansted Airport, outlines the standard code of conduct for consultation. This is to "Consult widely throughout the process, allowing a minimum of 12 weeks for written consultation at least once during the development of the policy."

The DfT's website says that "a summary of responses to this consultation will be published on this website after the consultation period has closed." The document has a published date of 8th June 2006 and a closing date of 7th August 2006 - just two months later, in the holiday period.

RAIL BARGAINS
Season ticket for football matches introduced by 'one'

Keywords: [OneRailway]

'one' has launched a new ticket scheme for season-ticket holders of East Anglian Championship football clubs. Fans travelling by train to home games at Colchester, Ipswich, Norwich or Southend can buy a season-long rail ticket, saving up to 25%, which are only valid for travel on match days and must be bought in advance from its Customer Services Centre on 0845 8 50 90 20.

Sample prices for a season are:
* Norwich City: from Cromer £86.25, or Great Yarmouth £94.88
* Ipswich Town: from Stowmarket £60.38, or Woodbridge £48.30
* Colchester United: from Clacton £112.13, or Marks Tey £51.75.

Children travel for 50% of the adult price. As a bonus, travel to home League Cup and FA Cup games will be free.

Network Card available for only £10 instead of 20 prior to 4th September

Anyone who wishes to buy a Network Railcard in the near future can purchase it for half price before 4th September. A special application form from http://www.cheapertraintickets.co.uk/application.asp must be used. The catch? This needs to be taken to a staffed South West Trains station - e.g. Waterloo.

RAIL FREIGHT
Additional railfreight traffic in East Anglia

Peter Wakefield has reported the following information about the branch area to the Railfuture Freight committee :
* The government has given permission for both the Harwich Bathside Bay and Felixstowe South port developments. Hutchison Ports, their owner, has confirmed that it will fund the gauge and other infrastructure enhancement between Felixstowe, Ipswich, Ely, Peterborough, Doncaster, Leeds / Wakefield / Selby.
* Scrap metal is now being handled at the Hitchin Up Yard in addition to the aggregates. Two or three trainloads per week run to either Sheerness or Cardiff.
* The inter-modal traffic from Southampton to Potters at Ely has ceased and remaining traffic is handled on a twice weekly Enterprise service from / to Wembley.
* Redevelopment / regeneration plans for the railway / port and other lands at Lowestoft seem to suggest that the ability to handle rail freight will be lost. The branch is contesting this.
* Several additional inter-modal trains are operating each day from Felixstowe to Doncaster or the north of England. There are about 52 daily workings to/from the port of Felixstowe now.
* The resurfacing of Stansted Airport's runway is benefiting rail, as there is a train of stone several times a week to Bury St. Edmunds from Rylstone in the Yorkshire Dales.

RAIL REVIEW
Essex Rail Users Federation responds to the Conservative party's rail policy review

In July the Essex Rail Users Federation responded to the Conservative party's rail policy review. They believe that the writer of the report understands well the fundamental problem: the railway having grown 50% in the last 10 years has not been given the investment to allow for further growth.

ERUF feels that radical changes should be avoided, as "these will cost the railways large sums of money that could be much better spent on improving the rail infrastructure." It says there will be little to gain by fragmenting Network Rail, which "has now established itself as a responsible and responsive provider of infrastructure to the railway. To change this would be to wreck one of the few success stories of Labour in dealing with the railways." However, ERUF believes there is certainly scope for consolidation.

ERUF insists that the DfT "does not have the expertise or local knowledge to create timetables" and claims that people in Essex are still suffering from the ill-advised timetable changes that the government forced on 'one' in December 2004. It would like government to encourage rail companies to apply for grants to build transport interchanges next to railway stations, and to run rail feeder buses.

PRESERVED RAILWAYS
Full steam ahead for the Wisbech-March Bramley Line if they can find the money

Keywords: [WisbechBranch]

On 17th July the chairman of the Wisbech March Bramley Line (WMBL) and two other committee members met Network Rail at their offices in London to discuss taking over the line from NR. The meeting was requested by NR as they wanted to fund out how the group were progressing and explain what they wanted from them.

NR said they could not see any complications at this stage. The Office of Rail Regulator will check the proposals but envisage no problem with WMBL running the line. NR will lease the 8-mile-long March-Wisbech disused line for £10,000 per year, which is an increase on the figure suggested in 2004 (around £4,000) and is more than the Wensleydale Railway have been paying for a 22-mile-long open railway. It is unclear what the lease charge would be prior to passenger services commencing. WMBL would also have to pay NR's legal costs, which would be a maximum of £20,000 requiring a £10,000 down payment before making a start on any paperwork.

WMBL will be charged £500 for the installation of a ground-frame two 'Stop' boards at Whitemoor, which are part of the re-signalling programme due to start on 3rd September.

These costs cannot be found solely from the 200 or so current members. The group have appealed in the local press for funding. Mr Downs said: "We are going to get there this time. It will be third time lucky. We firmly believe we can make it happen but we need businesses to come on board and support us." Anyone who can help financially should contact The Bramley Line at PO Box 132, Wisbech, PE13 2WZ or telephone 01945 467740 during office hours.

The WMBL's track clearance teams have been removing vegetation covering the track (to allow for basic inspection) since June. Work has taken place between Chain Bridge as far as Weasenham Lane. On Sundays they meet at 10:00 at Station Road in Coldham and based on numbers they decide where to work. On Tuesday and Thursday evenings they currently meet at Newbridge Lane in Wisbech at 18:15. All work is performed under the guidance of a Team Leader. Note: there will be no work carried out on Sunday 20th due to other commitments by the Team Leaders. However, work will resume on the Sunday 27th August and also take place on Bank Holiday Monday. If anybody wishes to go in the daytime during the week they should contact Vice-Chairman/Membership Officer Brian Baylis ( [wismodrailclub at onetel.com], 01945-474636, mobile: 07731-859199). All volunteers must strong boots (no trainers or soft shoes), gardening gloves, a pair of goggles and an orange hi-vis top. It would be helpful if shears, lobbers or even a petrol strimmer, could be brought.

North Norfolk Railway's beer festival is the most successful yet

Keywords: [NorthNorfolkRailway]

According to the North Norfolk Railway, 5,045 pints were drunk over the three days of the 5th Poppy Line Beer Festival (14th-17th July), breaking the 2005 performance by over 68 gallons. 73 different brews were on offer in the special marquee at Sheringham Station. The Festival marked the start of the Poppy Line's high-season programme, which features a steam train from Sheringham to Holt and back every 45 minutes every day.

Railfuture East Anglia Branch News Snippets 156 - 18/08/2006

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