A happy new year to all Snippets readers!
This brief edition is more than a month after 106 because of business trips to Bangkok and California, and has been
rushed out to avoid missing an edition in January. News held over from this edition will be issued in early February.
A message from Jerry: Visiting Bangkok for two weeks gave me a chance to travel to work each day on its excellent
privately-run 3-year-old "SkyTrain", so named because it's a high-level rail system which runs through the city above the
central reservation of the 6-lane roads. Amazingly it even follows the route of a main roundabout to avoid removing the
famous Victory Monument, which obstructs its route. The 3rd-rail 3-carriage DOO trains built by Siemens are well
patronised by office workers, though at 25 Baht (40p) per trip are considered very expensive by those who can only afford
the bus (10p). All stations have ticket barriers. Four-coach length platforms have been built to cope with longer trains.
However, disability discrimination is not a high priority since there are no lifts - only stairs or escalators - and
doors are not coloured differently. An underground system has recently been built, but has not yet opened because the
trains have not yet arrived from Germany!
Despite good public transport, Bangkok has appalling pollution from cars and almost continuous traffic jams. It pays
the price in road deaths too. With a population a little larger than the UK's, there were 562 road deaths between 27th
December and 2nd January alone, which if repeated outside the holiday period would be close to the 40,000 killed on US
roads each year (115 crash deaths per day), despite having many fewer cars.
RAIL STATIONS
MP joins campaign to reopen Soham Station
Soham’s Liberal Democrats have launched another petition calling for the reopening of Soham railway station. The party's
national transport spokesman, Tom Brake MP, officially launched the petition at the site of Soham station, which was
closed in the 1960s.
Mr Brake said: “By reopening Soham station, we would restore a much-needed commuter link. Once reopened the station
will keep the village connected to the outside world. There will be the additional benefit of reduced traffic and
congestion in and around both Cambridge and Ely as commuters switch from their cars to the train."
In 2002 Soham Town Forum identified the reopening of the station as one of its key objectives, and members of the
Soham Train Campaign estimated the reopening of the station and the installation of a direct line to Cambridge via
Newmarket would cost around £12 million.
Waterbeach station car park flooded again
Waterbeach the station car park flooded again in early 2003 - the third time in two years for a "one in a hundred years
event". Due to opposition by the Environment Agency, permission to include a bund - a form of flood defence - around the
car park to prevent it flooding again was refused. If heavy rain is forecast that could result in flooding, the car park
will be temporarily closed.
The plan to expand the station car park in summer 2003 should go ahead in August, since the SRA has already committed
funding, despite recently suspending all future RPP awards. The car park will incorporate a bus turning facility that
will allow a minibus link to be provided to and from the Cambridge Research Park on the A10 north of Waterbeach. In time
it is hoped that Stagecoach could also be persuaded to divert bus services to the station, allowing better access to it
from the nearby villages of Landbeach and Milton that are currently without a direct bus link.
RAIL LAND SALES
Rail regulator steps in to stop sale of rail land for supermarket in East Grinstead
Although this is well outside of East Anglia, Snippets readers will be glad to know that the Office of the
Rail Regulator will step in and prevent the disposal of rail lands where a rail reopening is possible.
The Bluebell Railway's plans to extend to East Grinstead were threatened in November when Railtrack asked the Office
of the Rail Regulator for permission to sell the site at East Grinstead station allocated for their platform. The railway
was quick to mobilise support from the many influential bodies it was able to contact. Subsequently the ORR rejected the
sale of the site to Sainsbury's. The ORR ruled that "land disposal would not be in either the interest of the future
development of the railway network or in the public interest", "the land is the only viable site available to
ensure the connection of the proposed Bluebell Railway extension to the East Grinstead line" and "future growth of
passenger capacity on the rail network would be reduced by frustrating the completion of the Bluebell Railway extension,
particularly with regard to the creation of an improved multi-modal interchange system."
The Regulator, unlike the SRA, is thinking strategically about the use of heritage lines as part of the rail network
in the future. Would a similar judgement save the St.Ives line from conversion into a guided busway?
Full text of judgement: http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk/landdis2.htm.
RAIL SERVICES
Adverse weather conditions paralyse the roads, but for once rail keeps going
Several remote railway lines and stations survived the Beeching cuts because it was claimed that trains would run when
cars could not, bit in recent times it has seemed like trains are the first service to stop.
The current severe road conditions in East Anglia have, for once, shown the opposite. With several inches of snow -
up to eight inches in March - major roads such as the M11 and A14 have been closed. Drivers have slept in their cars all
night, and one-hour journeys have taken up to 19 hours! Around Cambridge only about a dozen buses were running, and only
in Cambridge city centre. Norwich and Stansted Airports were closed, However, the trains continued to run.
On 30th January, West Anglia line services were delayed for up to 75 minutes with Great Northern line services
delayed for 80 minutes. On the 31st, West Anglia services experienced delays of 90 minutes, and Great Northern around 105
minutes. Compared to road delays, this was idyllic.
Bid for improved Cambridge-Ipswich services (and other enhancements) deferred
Anglia's Rail Passenger Partnership £1m+ bid for new air-conditioned trains and more frequent services on Cambridge-Ipswich
and Peterborough-Ipswich routes have been put on hold. It is a victim of the SRA's decision to suspend RPP (plus Rail
Performance Fund and RailFreight Grants) awards for the next 15 months. The SRA says the industry faces a "critical" 18
months to convince the government to pump more money into rail in 2004's spending review, and claims that suspending
grants would show the government that it is getting on top of the problems it inherited and has got a way forward.
Critics claim that dropping uncommitted enhancements does not prove that costs are being controlled.
Peter Meades, spokesman for Anglia Railways, said: "It is disappointing that the SRA has said it is unable to support
the bid at this time, but we remain hopeful the SRA will want to take our ideas for improvements forward as part of the
Greater Anglia franchise."
Councils along the line had pledged £500,000 towards the service in the hope of attracting matched funding from the
SRA. Some of the 33 councils belonging to the East West Rail consortium have suggested redistributing the money towards
the EWRL.
Other RPP bids in the region, such as WAGN's car park improvement schemes are also on hold.
News report: http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/news/news.asp?sec=2&id=450660.
East West Link "dead in the water"
It is now five months since the latest funding bid for the East West Rail Link was submitted, and SRA insiders have
described the project as being "dead in the water". The plan for trains between Bicester and Bletchley has been hindered
by the SRA's recent decision to cut direct Bristol-Oxford trains as part of its attempts to improve punctuality on
congested routes.
RAIL INFRASTRUCTURE
Anglia Railways completes TPWS installation
Anglia Railways has finished fitting Train Protection Warning System equipment to all 99 driving compartments across
its entire fleet, comprising mainline locomotives, Class 150, 153 and 170 diesel trains, eleven months in advance of the
31st December 2003 deadline. All were fitted at the Crown Point maintenance depot in Norwich. The cost was £500,000.
Anglia is the first TOC in the branch area to complete this legal requirement.
All of Anglia's routes (except the East Suffolk line between Ipswich and Lowestoft) have been upgraded by Network Rail
to include the appropriate TPWS equipment at signals and junctions. TPWS is now fully operational, apart from the East
Suffolk line, which will be completed before the end of 2003.
Anglia press release: http://www.angliarailways.co.uk/latest-information/news-detail.asp?id=389.
MULTI-MODAL STUDIES
London to Ipswich Multi-Modal Study (LOIS) final report suggests new rail projects
The Final Report of the LOIS study, see http://www.lois-mms.co.uk, published
towards the end of 2002 suggests the following new rail projects:
* A new rail link between Chelmsford and Epping via Ongar with links to Stratford and possibly Cross Rail 2 at Kings
Cross.
* A rail link via Harlow/Sawbridgeworth to Stansted Airport but no link from Stansted to Braintree or Colchester. A
high-quality bus is suggested instead.
* Essex north-south passenger and rail freight route (Benfleet/Wickford/Shenfield and Colchester.
A high quality bus and coach corridor between Ipswich and Sudbury has been suggested, but the idea of extending the
Cambridge-Ipswich trains to Sudbury (both of which use class 150 or 153 stock) was not thought of, nor was electrifying
Marks Tey-Sudbury and running electric trains from Ipswich.
RAIL FRANCHISES
Greater [East] Anglia franchise delayed until March 2003
Although the SRA had promised to make available their Greater [East] Anglia franchise requirements document on 15th
January 2003, this has now been delayed until March or April 2003. Railfuture chairman Peter Lawrence had issued a media
release in anticipation of the expected date. The SRA are reinviting companies to pre-qualify for the franchise under the
"new SRA rules". It is likely that only 4 companies will be invited to submit bids.
On 28th January GB Railways held a presentation in Ipswich on what they would aspire to on their winning the franchise.
Several Railfuture members attended.
RAIL COMPANIES
GB Railways PLC diversifies into car park builder
Anglia Railways' parent company, GB Railways Group Plc, has been made preferred developer by Ipswich Borough Council to
build its Ipswich Village 1,000+ space car park scheme, close to Ipswich station. GB will be working with Commercial
Property Investments to bring the development, which includes a hotel and homes, to fruition. It can now apply for
planning permission, arrange financing and conclude acquisition of the site from the council.
Anglia press release: http://www.angliarailways.co.uk/latest-information/news-detail.asp?id=379.
Design Triangle of Burwell works on £75 million rail project for Ireland's railways
Local consultancy company Design Triangle at Burwell [http://www.designtriangle.com] has been
awarded a £75m contract, its largest ever, to help develop both the exterior and interior of 67 new carriages for Ireland's intercity
services. Design Triangle has previously worked on interior and exrterior of trains the Heathrow Express, the Metro de Madrid, new trains
in Northern Ireland as well as a wide range of trains and LRVs in Hong Kong, Brussels, Rotterdam, Melbourne, Cape Town.
News item: http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/search/dispstory.asp?id=445717.
RAIL LINES
Sudbury to Marks Tey "Gainsborough Line" hailed as major success
In the 1990's the Sudbury to Marks Tey line was nicknamed the 'Misery Line' (like the c2c line) because of frequent
delays, breakdowns and ageing rolling stock. Following the introduction of newer class 150 trains, automated information
systems and an RPP funded all year round Sunday service, the line is now one of the best performing in the country.
At a recent Suffolk Rail Policy Group meeting it was revealed that journeys have increased by 76% since privatisation
with full-fare paying customers increasing by 148%, reduced-fare customers by 75% and season ticket holders up by 62%.
In 2002 276,000 passengers used the line, which passes through the Stour Valley. The recently formed Essex and South
Suffolk Community Rail Partnership, which is designed to promote rural branch lines in Essex, includes the line thanks
to funding from Suffolk County Council.
PRESERVED RAILWAYS
Mid-Norfolk Railway awarded even more funding
The MNR is to receive nearly £40,000 from the East of England Development Agency's "Market Towns Initiative" to visually
improve the level crossings in Dereham. Missing crossing gates will be replaced, and Yaxham Road crossing keeper's
cottage will receive external renovation. Work is expected to commence early in 2003.
WEB-SITES
Web-site encourages you to cut your car use and explains the true cost of owning a car
An excellent "Cutting Your Car Use" web-site [http://www.cuttingyourcaruse.co.uk] by
transport consultant Anna Semlyen promotes a book she has written with the same name. It includes an Excel
spreadsheet which can be used to calculate the fiscal cost to yourself of owning and running your car in any year.
It includes figures for car purchase, insurance, road tax, MOT, servicing and repairs, fuel, parking etc. It does
not take account of the costs to society of using your car (e.g. pollution, congestion, scrapping).
The calculation underestimates the amount of money a car really costs to run because it does not include the cost
of the time you spend on your car: filling up with petrol, cleaning, arranging insurance/services, purchasing/selling.
Furthermore it ignores the interest that you could have earned had you invested the purchase money in a bank. It will
be enhanced to include congestion charging in London.
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