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East Anglia Branch News - Snippets Issue 193 - 28/07/2009

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

Railfuture News Snippets 193 - 28/07/2009



Morrison's supermarket is currently offering a voucher for 30% off a Family and Friends Railcard. The voucher has to be redeemed online by the end of August 2009. Go to http://www.familyandfriends-railcard.co.uk/morrisons and use the code "Morris10".

The 1st-14th July edition of 'Rail' magazine (issue 621) contains Ely electrificaion and resignalling plus a 2-page article on the Wisbech branch.

Peter Wakefield had a meeting with Fenland District Council's "Access to Services Review Team" at Fenland Hall in March on 17th July to discuss reopening the Wisbech branch line.

Industrial action by both RMT and ASLEF will likely see severe disruption to National Express East Anglia services on the following Thursdays and Fridays in July and August: 30-31 July, 6-7 August, 13-14 August and 20-21 August.

ESTA is concerned about NXEA's proposal to withdraw Lowestoft-Ipswich through services to London and has contacted local estate agents to obtain information about the effect on local property prices when the current through service was introduced in 2004. ESTA has also asked NXEA if they have done any recent market research on how many passengers travelling south of Ipswich would still do so if they had to change trains.

On Thursday 16th July the government confirmed the location of four new Eco-Towns one of which is Rackheath (on the fringe of Norwich City, a Second World War airfield site long dismantled and now farmland), which could be served by trains on the Norwich-Cromer line, either from nearby Salhouse or a new station. The Campaign for Better Transport supports the Eco Town, which will not be built until 2016 at the earliest, but only if the Norwich Northern Distributor Road doesn't go ahead.

On 24th July BAA submitted a TWA Order applicaiton to the government to construct the Heathrow Airtrack rail link. Rail supporters wishing to write to support this scheme can find more details at http://tinyurl.com/lv35fq.

East Midlands Trains is promoting cheap fares at http://eastmidlandstrains.co.uk/EMTrains/Tickets/CheapTrainTickets.

Meanwhile South Western Trains' http://www.southwesttrains.co.uk/SWTrains/News/_midsummermadness.htm website describes its 'Midsummer Madness' £10 day return fares between any two stations served by SWT, except west of Honiton, Warminster-Bristol, and on IOW. This offer runs from 1st-23rd August and applies to SWT trains only with no discounts for railcards.


RAIL OVERCROWDING
NXEA continues to generate unnecessary overcrowding through short-formation diesel trains

On Saturday 11th July the Cambridge-Ipswich service operated by National Express East Anglia shot itself in the foot again after a single Class 153 unit was diagrammed for some services between Cambridge and Ipswich on the day that the July Meeting was being held at Newmarket's July Racecourse. This led to passengers being left behind at Newmarket after the service departed to Cambridge full to bursting with 66 people reported standing. NXEA has a poor record for providng sufficient accomodation to serve special events, despite regular complaints from Railfuture and user groups.

However, despite these criticisms NXEA often does 'go the extra mile'. On 23/14th July it provided extra trains on the Norwich-Lowestoft route for the Lowestoft Seafront Air Show. There were four additional morning trains to Lowestoft and two evening trains back again.


STATIONS
Ely station to have new platform lighting installed

Keywords: [ElyStation]

It is understood that Network Rail intends to replace the station lighting at Ely that dates for the British Rail (Network SouthEast) era. This should happen in the next few months, with energy efficient lighting units being installed. Recently the subway, which is too steep to meet current standards, as been fitted with anti-slip flooring and hand rails.

Cambridgeshire Transport Commission calls for government support to build Chesterton Interchange station

Keywords: [CambridgeNorthStation]

The Cambridgeshire Transport Commission, which has been set-up by the county council, has recognised the need for the government to support the creation of Chesterton station. Cambridgeshire County Council will now consider the report, which says that the station must be built along with a widened A14 prior to any possible congestion charge in Cambridge, and will give its views to the council's cabinet on 29th September. However, oppositon groups claim that the Transport Commission has given support to everything the county council had already proposed (rather like the CHUMMS study back in 2001) rather than offering an independent assessment. Cllr Lewis Herbert, leader of Cambridge City Council's Labour group said: "They don't seem to have challenged the county scheme or come up with any alternatives. They seem to have swallowed the county's scheme hook, line and sinker."


RAIL FREIGHT
EU provides £8m funding for Felixstowe to Nuneaton upgrade

The EU has provided £8m towards the cost of upgrading part of the Felixstowe to Nuneaton (via Ely) route to allow for larger containers to be carried on freight trains. The news was reported on 17th July in Hertford at the Annual General Meeting of the 105-member East of England Regional Assembly (EERA), which is is independent of Government. EERA has led the funding bid process by lobbying Network Rail, the Department for Transport, the European Commission. However, the funding must be ratified by a Committee of MEPs in Brussels in September for final sign-off.

The rail upgrade would avoid freight having to use the existing and congested rail route via North London and may in turn create opportunities for more passenger services into and out of London on the Great Eastern Line and on the Ipswich to Peterborough route.

The EU funding is for Gauge enhancements between Peterborough and Nuneaton. The route upgtade between Felixstowe and Peterborough, which will also remove speed restrictions imposed on heavy freight trains, has committed funding from Hutchison Port (at Felixstowe) and a section 106 agreement.


RAIL FARES
NXEA removes Mon-Fri evening restrictions during the summer to encourage leisure travel

During the recession revenue from discretionasry leisure travel has seen the greatest fall by some train operators. In response National Express East Anglia is lifting some travel restrictions during the school holidays to encourage more leisure travel particularly by families. This is because fewer commuters travel in the summer, resulting in most overcrowding in peak-times disappearing. From Monday 27th July until Friday 28th August Off-Peak Day Single and Return tickets and Off-Peak Day Travelcards will be valid for travel on trains departing Liverpool Street between 16:29 and 18:34.


RAIL COMPANIES
National Express shareholders suffer as the group attempts to get a grip on its debt

National Express has scrapped its interim dividend as part of measures to reduce its substantial levels of debt, which it incurred through its purchase of foreign operations. National Express said it expects to resume dividend payments when it has completed refinancing arrangements and lowered its debt to a "more appropriate level." The group has reported a 42% decline in half-year pretax profit down to £55.7 million.


WEBSITES
2M Group Against Heathrow Expansion

The 2M Group is an all-party alliance of 24 local authorities concerned at the environmental impact to the community of five million people from the expansion of Heathrow Airport through a third runway. Rail supporters will be interested by its support for a high-speed rail link. For more information about this group, see http://www.2MGroup.org.uk.

Find out more about Electric Trolleybuses in Leeds

Visit http://tbusleeds.org.uk to find out about a series of public events about the proposed trolleybus system being developed in Leeds as part of New Generation Transport (NGT) project. Thge events are being staged by Metro and Leeds City Council.


Railfuture East Anglia Branch News Snippets 193 - 28/07/2009

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