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East Anglia Branch News - Snippets Issue 59 - 14/05/2001

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

Railfuture News Snippets 59 - 14/05/2001



RAIL FARES
Railfuture launches "Easy Rail Travel : Fares" publication at AGM in Liverpool

Railfuture's third publication in the 'Easy Rail' series, entitled 'EASY RAIL TRAVEL - FARES' was launched at the Liverpool AGM. Railfuture believes that the fares system can only be described as chaotic. Each TOC has made changes to the pattern inherited from British Rail that individually may have their justification, but collectively these changes have led to a situation that there are a vast number of fares in different parts of the country, each with its own conditions and restrictions.

Railfuture seeks to have the rail fares system put into good order. If the commercial teams of the various operators follow a common pattern as far as possible, not only will the public benefit, but revenue will increase. The current policy appear to be that apart from certain fares that are 'protected', each operator will set its own. Railfuture believes that the concept of  'protection' should be extended to include a comprehensive system of discounted fares available nationwide that will ensure a 'fair deal' for all.

Operators would be free to:
a) set fares cheaper than a National System;
b) offer a National System's discounted fare with less onerous restrictions than a National System provides for;
c) offer their own discounted fares.

The new 26-page report can be obtained for £3.00 (including postage), or by branches at £22.00 for 10 copies (£2.20 including postage).


RAIL ROUTES
Study of north-west Essex - including possibility of rail link - due to report in Autumn

Keywords: [StanstedBraintree]

According to the East Anglian Daily Times on 9th May, the Stansted-Braintree link is being seriously considered. Colin Cranley, transport strategy engineer at Essex County Council said "We had a study commissioned that is due to report in the autumn of this year regarding access to north-west Essex. The study is examining the viability of all sorts of provisions, one of which will be a Stansted to Braintree rail link. The study will only look at viability rather than its practicality or construction implications."

Dr Peter Foreman (transport spokesman for the Campaign for Protection of Rural Essex and London ? Ipswich multi-modal study steering group member) said "Essex County Council and Stansted have got consultants looking at a Stansted-Braintree rail link. We would like to see that rail link continued so it links Harwich, and the rail infrastructure put in place parallel to any new road."

Railtrack spokesman Peter Maynard said the huge costs of establishing a new rail route could be a stumbling block, but if other authorities came up with a strategy and an operator was interested in running the route, then Railtrack would take part in consultations. "There would have to be a business case before we get involved," said Mr Maynard. "Then we could discuss the matter with other bodies. We are in the market to open up new lines and explore transport opportunities. We would want to be part of any feasibility study."


RAIL AWARDS
Anglia Railways is best passenger operator in Europe

Keywords: [AngliaRailways]

Anglia Railways has been named European Train Operator of the Year and follows its victory in the UK Train Operator of the Year competition in February.
Jeremy Long, chief executive of Anglia's parent company GB Railways said "I am delighted that Anglia has been recognised for its consistent approach to improving customer services. This award is a perfect endorsement of our commitment to developing rail services for passengers in East Anglia".


RAIL INFRASTRUCTURE
Station remodelling at March to improve disabled access

Keywords: [MarchStation]

Railtrack carried out station changes on the bank holiday weekend (5th-6th May) at March station to provide disabled access to platform 2, which is expected to be completed by the Summer. At the moment there is no disabled access to this platform as the barrow crossing which could formerly be used between platforms 1 and 2 was removed to allow the new crossover to be installed.

A new facing crossover has been installed between the east & westbound lines on the station side of the Elm Road level crossing. This will enable bi-directional working on the track through platform 2 (eastbound) as far as March West Junction. It also allows trains to access the new junction for the Wisbech branch, which has been moved to the west end of platform 2. The old junction for the Wisbech line from the east end of platform 2 (March East Junction) has been removed.

Resignalling of the new track layout which allow the line speed through the station to be raised to 60 mph has been postponed owing to a time overrun.

Track lifted at Spillers, Wisbech

In the former goods yard at Wisbech, which is on Spillers-owned land, much of the track is being lifted to make way for expansion of the Spillers/Friskies site. This will make siting a new station here in the future difficult if not impossible.


STATIONS
Lifts installed at Witham station

Two lifts have been installed at Witham to provide full access for the disabled. Future plans include extending the footbridge to provide ramped access to the car park.

Car park expanded at Manningtree station

Keywords: [ManningtreeStation]

The station car park at Manningtree is being expanded by around 100 spaces.


CHARTER TRAINS
Last train to Wisbech attracts 550 passengers

On Saturday 12th May, a Hertfordshire Railtours train visited the Wisbech branch carrying passengers perhaps for the last time. The King's Cross train, consisting of two locomotives, four first class and seven standard class carriages plus two kitchen cars was the first passenger trains to travel over the remodelled junction at March (see above). The train also visited the 3-mile Middleton Towers branch.

Dereham to York train attracts 500 passengers

On Saturday 21st April, 500 passengers, including 100 in first class, boarded a train of 13 InterCity coaches from Anglia and two class 47s from EWS, organised by North Walsham-based NENTA Traintours. The train arrived in York under five hours later - 25 minutes early. It even arrived back at Dereham early as well! An on-board raffle raised £550 which will go to the Mid-Norfolk Railway Preservation Trust.

The last time that passengers travelled from Dereham to the rail network was in 1981 when the Railway Development Society (now campaignign as Railfuture) and the Wymondham and Dereham Rail Action Committee chartered a DMU for the day and ran a service of four trains each way. A total of 600 passengers made use of that service. In April 1978 the first passenger train since closure on 4th October 1969 had carried 330 passengers.

Organiser Ray Davies said: "It was a terrific day and we are looking at possibly having another in the autumn and maybe a third next spring. The destinations will be different, somewhere like Canterbury, Folkestone or Portsmouth."

Rare network train visit to Nene Valley Railway

Keywords: [NeneValleyRailway]

Also on Saturday 21st April, Pathfinder Tours took its Nene 'Navigator' train from Preston on to the Nene Valley Railway, making rare use of the line from Peterborough to Orton Mere.


PRESERVED RAILWAYS
North Norfolk Railway sets-up Sheringham station appeal website

Keywords: [NorthNorfolkRailway]

The North Norfolk Railway has set-up a very impressive special website dedicated to the £290,000 appeal to buy the freehold of Sheringham station. The website is http://www.stationappeal.co.uk. The total is currently at £39,000.


RAIL INVESTMENT
Railway Forum launches Building the Railway of the Future paper calling for more rail investment

The Railway Forum, consisting of railway industry representatives, has called for a public debate to start now on how best to plan and finance realistic levels of growth in rail traffic expected over the next 20 years.

They claim, in a paper Building the Railway of the Future released on 4th May, that current transport plans underestimate the potential long-term demand for rail, which could triple by 2030 and unless decisions are taken now, Britain's railways could not achieve satisfy customer service demands and economic growth.

Adrian Lyons, Director General of The Railway Forum, said: "The industry faces severe short-term challenges which have to be overcome but, with a consistent plan for the next two decades and ongoing political support, Britain can have a growing, modern, safe and efficient railway system. At present that plan is not in place.

"The past four years have seen the most remarkable turn-round in rail usage. Passenger mileage is now back to levels last seen 55 years ago when the railway network was nearly three times as large. Freight, after a very difficult period, is beginning to return to levels last seen some 20 years ago. There is therefore every prospect that growth projections contained in DETR's Transport 2010: The 10 Year Plan will be substantially exceeded.

"We need a 20-year plan, in line with the SRA's 20-year franchises, that gets the major infrastructure decisions right. We also need to consider how the huge amount of investment required can best be provided.

"The rail industry has invested over £11bn since privatisation, which will have risen to nearly £33,000m by 2007. The Treasury plans to contribute a further £10,888m. On current plans, investment falls off sharply after 2007 at just the time when major projects to meet growth could be starting. These projects will require Government investment to leverage the maximum benefit from private investors. We are not convinced that the present system for creating partnership between government and industry is suitable for delivering the kinds of projects the rail network needs over the next 20 years."


RAILCARD DISCOUNTS
Get 15 months for the price of 12 when renewing or purchasing a railcard

If you renew or purchase a rail card (Young Persons, Senior, Family, Network, Disabled Persons) from Sunday 20th May 2001 it will last for 15 months for the same price as a current 12-month card.


TRANSPORT COSTS
Car journeys could become more expensive with sophisticated new "cat's eye"

Speeding motorists could soon find it difficult to slow down before speed cameras, as the camera will be difficult to spot. The latest technology could see minute cameras mounted within redesigned cat's eyes in the middle of the road. Trials will take place this summer. Previous attempts to catch speeding cars using camera devices has involved measuring the time taken to pass two points.

British firm Astucia, based in Kent has developed the solar powered cameras - which can gauge the precise speed of a passing car before taking two photographs and beaming the evidence to the police - are already in use in America and south-east Asia.


Railfuture East Anglia Branch News Snippets 59 - 14/05/2001

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