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East Anglia Branch News - Snippets Issue 210 - 30/10/2010

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

Railfuture News Snippets 210 - 30/10/2010

The next Railfuture East Anglia Branch meeting will be on Saturday 4th December in Bury St Edmunds. However, prior to that on Saturday 13th November Railfuture will be holding the national Rail Reopenings Conference, which will be in Shoreditch to celebrate the opening earlier in 2010 of the East London Line.

On Saturday 23rd October Railfuture East Anglia branch officers attended a meeting in Bicester organised by the Thames Valley branch to plan for Chiltern Railways' Evergreen 3 public inquiry, which commences in Oxford on 2nd November with John Watson as the inspector. Although there were originally 300 objections, it is understood that many have since been resolved and withdrawn leaving around 80 objectors. The upgraded line from the Chiltern line to Oxford is a vital component of the branches' top campaign: the East West Rail Link. See Ox-Cam campaign.

Maria Eagle MP, who represents Garston and Halewood, has been appointed Shadow Transport Minister replacing Sadiq Khan. Many years ago she used to work for the Capital Transport Campaign. The following also received junior shadow transport posts: Jim Fitzpatrick MP, Andrew Gwynne MP and John Woodcock MP.

As part of the Comprehensive Spending Review the government announced that fares are to rise at RPI+3% from 2012. It also confirmed that the A14 upgrade was being abandoned although the A11 dual carriageway from Norwich to M11 would go ahead.

Passenger Focus has survived the latest round of quango abolition, although it will be slimmed down to focus on passenger protection but the surveys will be dropped. The government announcement said "Retain on grounds of performing a function which requires impartiality. Substantially reform to focus on core role of protecting passengers, while reducing cost to taxpayers."

The 125th Birthday Celebrations of March Station will be held on Saturday 11th December from 08:45 to 11:00. The event is being organised by the Friends of March Station together with Fenland District Council's Street Pride team.

The part-time ticket office at Wymondham Station, which had been closed since mid-April because of staff shortages elsewhere, has re-opened. It is scheduled to open on Mondays to Fridays from 05:45 to 10:15.

Speakers at the FLUA AGM in King's Lynn on Saturday 27th November 2010 will be Chris Patman, Senior Commercial Manager, and Jon Hill, Senior Development Manager, both of First Capital Connect.

RAIL INFRASTRUCTURE
Secretary of State minded to approve Hitchin Flyover subject to some conditions on construction traffic

Keywords: [HitchinFlyover]

On 20th October a letter on behalf of the Secretary of State was sent to Network Rail's solicitors confirming that he was minded to allow Network Rail to construct and operate a new section of railway to the north of Hitchin Station, known as the Hitchin Flyover. However, Network Rail may have to alter its construction process in order to satisfy objectors.

Decision letter: http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/twa/dl/CambridgeJunction/doc/decisionletter.doc.

Secretary of State confirms government funding for Beccles Loop but Suffolk County Council just find £1m

Keywords: [BecclesLoop]

Meanwhile on 28th October the government gave the go ahead for the passing loop at Beccles on the East Suffolk line, confirming that Network Rail would pay £3m towards the £4 million cost (see [Snippets 209]) providing that local stakeholders fund the remaining £1m.

The news was welcomed by Guy McGregor, Suffolk County Council member with responsibility for transport who has been at the forefront of the campaign over the past six years. The train operator, currently National Express, will be able to run an hourly service between Ipswich and Lowestoft rather than the two-hour service because of the single line between Halesworth and Oulton Broad South stations.

BBC news story: http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/government_backs_beccles_rail_loop_scheme_1_709858.

Cambridgeshire County Council announces results of public consultation over Barrington construction waste landfill proposal

Keywords: [BarringtonBranch]

Cambridgeshire County Council has received comments from statutory consultees such as the Environment Agency and Natural England and other organisations such as parish councils about the proposals from Cemex to return rail traffic to Barrington cement works for a landfill in the quarry. It has also received letters from around 40 individuals or households, mostly objecting to the proposed development or raising concerns.

Around 130 people attended the exhibition, which was advertised by means of five site notices and in the local press. A press release resulted in local papers and radio stations making reference to the exhibition which was also notified to members of the site liaison group, principally the local parish councils.

The Council is of the view that the locations used for background noise level measurement are inappropriate and likely to lead to misleading conclusions about the impact of the development. The Council is concerned that none of the locations chosen represent residential amenity in external areas such as gardens where significant impact can be anticipated, particularly those properties that back onto the Barrington Light Railway. In its view the applicant has not sufficiently addressed the moderate adverse impact the proposal will have on the River Rhee County Wildlife Site (CWS). It is also convinced by the comments that it has received that the information provided by Cemex in their application is not enough for either us or other interested parties to make an informed decision on the likely impacts of the proposed development on the environment and on local residential amenity. It has therefore formally requested Cemex to provide it with further information.

First Capital Connect plans to expand Hornsey depot to cope with larger fleet

Keywords: [FirstCapitalConnect] [HornseyDepot]

Hornsey depot, close to Alexandra Palace, is used to maintain First Capital Connect's fleet of trains that operate the Great Northern services. It is planning to construct a new train cleaning facility between Hornsey and Harringay stations, with a 125-metre-long canopy. It is expected to be open 24 hours a day. Network Rail also intends to build a 280-metre-long maintenance building there as well. When all work is complete (probably in 2016 before the first trains for the full Thameslink service start to arrive) it will become is one of the biggest train depots in Britain.

Meanwhile Norwich Crown Point depot has recently seen a buffer stop moved and a short length of track laid in order to service longer trains comprising the logo, nine carriages and a driving van trailer (DVT).

ROLLING STOCK
National Express East Anglia Class 379 trains previewed to the press

Keywords: [NationalExpressEastAnglia] [Class379]

The first of 120 new carriages (forming 30 4-car trains) for National Express East Anglia have come off the production line at a factory in Derby and were previewed to the press on 13th October. The £155m Class 379 Electrostar trains will come into service in May 2011 and it is hoped that they will ease the overcrowing during the 2012 Olympics.

BBC news story: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/9092241.stm.

RAIL FRANCHISES
Government's Rail Franchising Review

The East Suffolk Travellers' Association (ESTA) wrote a letter to the Transport Minister in response to the Government paper on "The Future of Rail Franchising" calling for "a balance between accountability and innovation" in the rules for new rail franchisees. It says that "Train operators must be required to provide a minimum service level without being micromanaged but must also have enough scope and flexibility to try out new ideas in response to local needs.".

It wants train operators to consult users early enough over proposed timetable changes for the consultation to be meaningful. ESTA in uncertain on the size of franchises but believes it is important rural services managers with real power to serve the needs of local communities.

ESTA news items: http://www.eastsuffolktravel.org.uk/news/.

RAIL FREIGHT
New record set for rail freight at Port of Felixstowe

Keywords: [FelixstowePort]

The Port of Felixstowe has set a new rail record, handling 10,764 containers (16,209 TEU - twenty-foot equivalent units) by rail in the week ending 26th September 2010 transporting them across 28 daily services . The previous record of 10,582 units was achieved in the same week in 2009.

The growth has been aided by recent infrastructure improvements including a 39-metre extension of the south rail terminal to accommodate 22-wagon trains, a major line refurbishment of the same terminal over the New Year 2008/9, and a second brand new rail-mounted gantry crane in August 2010. In addition they have recently trialled 30-wagon trains from the North Terminal.

News article: http://www.logisticsmanager.com/Articles/14748/Rail+Record+at+Port+of+Felixstowe.html.

STATIONS
New bus interchange to be built at Cambridge Station

Keywords: [CambridgeStation]

A new bus interchange at Cambridge railway station has been approved. It will have nine stops, including two for the guided busway, with on-street ticket machines and information points giving real-time, timetable information and details of services. However, the long-distance coach parking on Parkside will not be transferred to the station.

Council proposal: http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/Home/Bus-interchange-to-cut-city-congestion.htm.

Network Rail publishes plans for £38.8 million revamp Peterborough station to increase capacity

Keywords: [PeterboroughStation]

Network Rail has published plans to spend £38.8 million at Peterborough station, which will see two new platforms added to the current five platforms, some of which will be extended to allow longer trains - the north-of-London Eurostars had two cars off each end of the platform. Lifts will be installed to provide access to all platforms and the current footbridge will be extended. In addition a loop for freight trains to avoid the station will be completed by December 2013. The project has received government funding with the Department for Transport's 'Access for All' programme funding the footbridge and lifts.

The enhancements will cope with a predicted 20% increase in station footfall by 2016. In 2009/2010 the footfall at the station reached almost four million. However, some locals feel that a new station, located on the west side of the current location should be built in the longer term.

Great Yarmouth's Vauxhall rail Bridge to be examined to estimate cost of refurbishing it

Norfolk County Council is the major funder of a £30,000 two-week survey of the disused Vauxhall Bridge in Great Yarmouth, which commenced in mid-October, is looking at the condition of the structure in order to find out the costs of restoring it. The work will include ultrasound examination, testing of materials and a 3D laser scan to establish the bridge dimensions. The nearby footbridge was closed recently because of problems with the timber deck and will also be inspected.

GUIDED BUSWAY
Final pre-cast concrete beam laid on Cambridgeshire guided busway but still plenty of other work is outstanding

In early October Cambridgeshire County Council announced that the final beam of the guided busway had been laid. This was in the section of track in Trumpington. However, completion of the construction stage is more than a month away and passengers will not be carried on any part of the "world's longest busway" until at least spring 2011, rather than February 2009 as originally intended with the council having deducted £8m penalties from payments to BAM Nuttall.

The council has confirmed that BAM Nuttall will be carrying out some minor work on the River Great Ouse viaduct over the next few weeks, but this is not to correct the leaking of water through an unsealed expansion joint onto the steel below.

Stagecoach Cambridgeshire, according to its managing director Andy Campbell, believes the northern section of the track is usable now. The £3 million that it spent on new buses and around £1 million in staffing and other costs should have been paid for by new services on the busway. It has been planning to operate a 10-minute frequency from St Ives to Cambridge and 20-minute frequency from Trumpington but because of the lack of housing at Northstowe and the limits on car parking at St Ives and Northstowe the service may be reduced.

News story: http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/Home/Final-beam-is-laid-on-guided-busway.htm
CGB Wikipedia entry: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cambridgeshire_Guided_Busway.

PRESERVED RAILWAYS
First rail tour originating from North Norfolk Railway planned for 2011 thanks to new level crossing

Keywords: [NorthNorfolkRailway]

In July 2011 the new Sheringham level crossing linking the North Norfolk Railway to the national network, which Railfuture members made a contribution towards, will be used for the first charter originating from the NNR. Nenta Rail Tours (http://www.nentatraintours.co.uk tel: 01692 406152) has announced a rail tour from Holt to Scarborough on 9th July 2011. The train will be limited to 6 coaches because of the track layout at Cromer.

WEBSITES
Meldreth, Shrepreth and Foxton Rail User Group launches website to promote three stations

Following a station count conducted by Railfuture art Meldreth station, and the forwarding of its report to councillors one county councillor was inspired to set-up a rail user group for the three small stations between Cambridge and Royston. There is now a website at http://melbourn.org.uk/railusergroup for the Meldreth, Shrepreth and Foxton Rail User Group.

Rail reopening campaigners can use Airdrie-Bathgate project gallery website to show how ease of reopening lines

The http://www.airdriebathgateraillink.co.uk/project/gallery website shows how a major railway line was reopened in a little over two years.

Friends of March Railway Station (FOMRS) launches website

Keywords: [MarchStation]

The Friends of March Railway station has been in existence now since July 2009, having been launched following an event in March March 2009. The group have worked very hard and have made some fantastic improvements at the Station. The www.fomrs.org.uk website, which is still under construction, gives a flavour of this work.

The 'Friends of March Station' is the brain child of NXEA Area Manager Alan Neville and Fenland District Council's Jeanette Milner. The group's aim is to bring the whole of the station back into positive use and to make people feel proud of this major gateway into the town. Together volunteers from the community and from organisations such as NXEA, Network Rail, The Probation Service and the Fenland District Council's Street Pride have been getting together to undertake work at the station such as clearing overgrowth and rubbish from the redundant platforms, and planting new floral displays on the operational platforms.

High-Speed 2 supporters launch website to counter the NIMBY lobby

High-Speed 1 is now seen as a magnificent triumph. However, it faced deep opposition when the route was being planned. That was before the age of the 'web'. Now NIBMY groups can use the web to voice their opposition so pro-HS2 campaigners have launched a website at www.yestohs2.co.uk to show politicians that HS2 is wanted. This is not related to the HS2 official website www.hs2.org.uk.

Railfuture East Anglia Branch News Snippets 210 - 30/10/2010

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