News from the East Anglian Branch of Railfuture, Edited by Martin Thorne and Jerry Alderson.
Railfuture News Snippets 239 - 29/03/2013
- RAIL FRANCHISES [all issues]
- Government extends First Capital Connect franchise until September 2014 when giant franchise will commence
- Passengers can look forward to improved services during lifetime of Thameslink, Southern, Great Northern super-franchise
- Government announces intention to extend Greater Anglia franchise to October 2016 subject to reaching agreement
- Government eager to sell-off East Coast operator to private sector in 2015
- STATIONS [all issues]
- GUIDED BUSWAY [all issues]
- WEBSITES [all issues]
Railfuture East Anglia has written Cambridgeshire County Council to welcome its Stage 1 report into the reopening of the March to Wisbech line, and to make some comments on the findings. The response has been acknowledged.
On 8th March the Railfuture East Anglia branch chairman attended a workshop organised by the Suffolk Rail Policy Group in Ipswich.
The Railfuture website now has a page listing volunteer roles that it would like to fill - see http://www.railfuture.org.uk/Railfuture+Needs+Your+Help.
Network Rail will be closing the Norwich-Ely line between Brandon and Ely for three days in April (20th 21st and 28th) in April and six days in May (7-12th inclusive) for engineering work. Rail user groups have criticised this when closures were undertaken in 2012 for the resignalling project. They have also criticised the rail replacement bus provision, which will see much longer journeys than by rail. However, journey time could be reduced if multiple buses were provided, some going to Ely and others going direct to Cambridge. Greater Anglia has been accused of only providing the minimum service it could get away with and pocketing the compensation from Network Rail.
Greater Anglia will be holding a Rail User Group Forum on Tuesday 23rd April at 17:30 Liverpool Street station.
British Transport Police has launched a new non-emergency text number "61016". This is intended to be used by callers reporting low-level crime (i.e. non-emergency incidents). The number will be monitored 24/7 and includes the capability to send a policing response if required.
On Thursday 4th April Patrick O'Sullivan of the East West Rail Consortium will be the guest speaker at the Bedford to Bletchley Rail Users Association AGM, which will be held at Lidlington Village Hall between 19:15 and 21:00. The other speaker will be Richard Brooks, Commercial Director at London Midland.
Fifty years after publication of the Beeching Report, a BBC news report compared towns that lost their railway with others that retained it, showing the stigma attached to towns without a railway station and how this can negatively affect their economy. See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-21829838, which looks at Yorkshire but should be relevant to East Anglia too.
Tours of the King's Cross site are being held. More info at http://www.kingscross.co.uk.
The March-Wisbech Bramley Line has published its latest newsletter, for February 2013, on its website - see http://www.bramleyline.org.uk/Documents/2013/BramleyLineNewsletterFeb13.pdf.
RAIL FRANCHISES
Government extends First Capital Connect franchise until September 2014 when giant franchise will commence
Keywords: [FirstCapitalConnect]
As indicated in Snippets 237, the DfT has extended First Capital Connect's contract by 12 months up to September 2014. It is intended that the new combined Thameslink, Southern, Great Northern 'management style contract' (a concession rather than the so-called franchises normally used) will begin, becoming the largest operator in Britain once the Southern operations are merged in during 2015. Once the Thameslink programme has been completed in 2018, there will be through trains from the north (e.g. Cambridge) to the south (e.g. Gatwick airport). The contract will see these services bedded in before it is re-let.
The DfT will need to develop the new framework contract from scratch. Observers have commented that even if there are sufficient skilled resources in the department, or they can be brought in on contract, it is still a tight timescale.
Passengers can look forward to improved services during lifetime of Thameslink, Southern, Great Northern super-franchise
The new Thameslink, Great Northern, Southern operator will provide improved services on parts of its network. The increased frequency Cambridge to King's Lynn and Norwich services to half-hourly are dependent upon the remodelling of Ely north junction to remove the single-lead, which will be carried out in 2014 at the earliest.
Nick Dibben, former secretary of the Railfuture East Anglia branch, told the Cambridge News: "Both the Cambridge to Norwich and Cambridge to King's Lynn trains are quite busy at times so the additional capacity will be welcomed. The stopping pattern of the Norwich train is something to look at because we would like a faster train. The thing that is missing now is an hourly service between Ipswich and Peterborough because that's now the only route in the region which is on a two-hourly service. The fact that is not happening is a bit disappointing."
News article: http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/News/More-train-services-promised-for-Cambridge-20130326152829.htm.
Government announces intention to extend Greater Anglia franchise to October 2016 subject to reaching agreement
On 26th March the government published its franchising programme. Amongst the series of announcements, it stated that subject to agreeing terms with Abellio the Greater Anglia franchise would be extended to October 2016, when the long franchise would begin. The tenders for that would be issued in August 2015 with the franchise being awarded in June 2016.
Government eager to sell-off East Coast operator to private sector in 2015
Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin that the government wants to return the East Coast Mainline operator, which calls at Peterborough station and connects with East Anglia services to Ely, Norwich and Cambridge, to the private sector by February 2015. This appears to be taking priority over putting the franchise system back on a firm footing after the West Coast franchise debacle in October 2012. However, it will be unique in that private companies will be bidding to take over the existing East Coast operator with all of the top management in place.
STATIONS
Notorious level crossing at Foxton could be bridged as Network Rail commissions study to look into options
Network Rail has commissioned a study on possible options and the potential cost of closing Foxton level crossing, which is notorious for the number of driver prosecuted for 'jumping' the lights at the crossing. The options include a bridge and underpass on the busy A10 road between Cambridge and Royston. The crossing is disliked by motorists as the barriers can be down for up to five minutes at a time add long queues build up. Cambridgeshire Country Council is eager to see a solution within the next four years. Network Rail said: QWe are committed to looking for a long-term solution for Foxton because of the safety issues there and because the council wants to reduce congestion in the area."
News article: http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/News/Bridge-could-bypass-queues-at-Foxton-level-crossing-20130325060000.htm
GUIDED BUSWAY
Stagecoach bus driver prosecuted for driving without due care and attention on the Cambridgeshire Guided Busway
The driver of the Stagecoach single decker Volvo bus who crashed into the centre of the busway when crossing the road at Longstanton on 20th November 2012 was prosecuted for driving without due care and attention. The case was heard by South Cambridgeshire magistrates on Friday 8th March. The driver was the first to be prosecuted for failing to drive properly on the busway. The bus blocked both tracks to the busway entrance and had to moved by a rescue vehicle. The busway was damaged and a speed restriction was temporarily introduced.
WEBSITES
East Midlands Trains launches 'mobile friendly' version of its website
The problem with websites is that they are often designed to be viewed on a PC with a large screen or a laptop with a wide-screen. This is also suitable for an iPad but not necessarily smartphones and mobile devices. EMT have recognised this and have a solution. The http://www.eastmidlandstrains.co.uk/East-Midlands-Trains-Mobile website has a simplified design that focuses on the actions someone is likely to want to do on the move, such as buying tickets, checking train times and planning journeys on the move.
It makes sense for EMT to have a mobile-compatible website since all of its services to London now have on-board Wi-Fi and they will be rolling-out free WiFi at 30 of their stations.
News article: http://www.railtechnologymagazine.com/Rail-News/new-mobile-website-for-east-midlands-trains
Railfuture East Anglia Branch News Snippets 239 - 29/03/2013
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