Snippets readers might be interested in a documentary-style drama on BBC-2 on Tuesday 13th May at 9pm.
Titled "The Day Britain Stopped", it envisages a day when Britain's transport infrastructure comes to a
total stop because of decades of poor planning and under-investment, which have stretched all transport modes to
the limit. Railfuture chairman Peter Lawrence says: "We may learn lessons from it. I would be pleased hear your
views after the showing of this programme."
The Rail Passengers Committee for Eastern England will be holding their Rail Users Conference 2003 on
Saturday 4th October at the Maltings, Ely. Speakers will include Chris Austin of the SRA and a representative
of the railway press. Representatives of user groups who have not received an invitation need to apply by 18th
July, and can get a form from http://www.railpassengers.org.uk/Eastern.
The Bedfordshire Railway and Transport Association (BRTA), whose campaigns include the East West Rail Link
and Bedford-Northampton reopening, will be holding their AGM and public meeting on Saturday 5th July at 1pm in
the upstairs room of the Old White Hart, Cotton End/London Road, Northampton. Their speaker will be from Avondale,
the railway environmental services company that cleaned up the mothballed Claydon Junction-Bletchley trackbed.
Non-members welcome.
RAIL FRANCHISES
Passenger poll backs First Great Eastern's attempts to be reinstated in Greater Anglia franchise bids
A survey conducted by MORI, the respected opinion research organisation, found that more than 85% of passengers who
use First Great Eastern services believe the Company should be allowed to bid for the new Greater Anglia franchise.
Although only 85% support implies that a considerable 15% (1 in 6) of its passengers wanted rid of First, Analysis of
responses from 584 passengers surveyed at stations on the route also showed that just 20 (3%) backed the SRA's decision to
exclude First from the bidding process. The remaining 12% were "don't knows".
Incidentally, according to "Transit" magazine, it is expected thet First Great Exstern's new Desiros, which should have
started with the summer timetable, will be late entering service as more testing time is required, because heavy maintrenance
on the Great Eastern Mainline preventing testing taking place. July is a likely revised start date.
RAIL SERVICES
Wherry and Bittern line passenger figures continue to grow
At the Norfolk Rail Policy Group in April 2003 Anglia Railways announced that the Wherry Lines had 1,059,515 passengers in
2002, a 14.14% increase compared with 2001, and the Bittern line had 371,129, which was a 6.72% increase. This
is against a 5% increase nationally.
Averaged across the year, the Wherry lines, from Norwich to Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft, had 2,900 passengers
per day, and the Bittern line, from Norwich to Sheringham, had 1,000 per day. Since these figures are based on ticket
sales rather than passenger counts, they would not include passengers using the Anglia Plus ranger and rover tickets
that were not bought on those trains.
STATIONS
Cambridgeshire County Council LTP exhibitions take place throughout the county
Cambridgeshire County Council's LTP exhibitions are now taking place in various towns and villages in Cambridgeshire
- see Snippets 114 for a list of venues. All households should have received - included within free newspapers - an
8-page leaflet, outlining the council's plans for transport, with the last two pages being a questionnaire.
In the leaflet under the section 'public transport' are the comments: "A key element [of high quality
public transport corridors] will be the Rapid Transit system between Huntingdon and Cambridge. Where appropriate,
we will also aim to improve the rail network." This appears to place rail a long way behind buses in terms of
priorities. The leaflet reveals that around 20% of Cambridgeshire's bus services are subsidised.
Chesterton interchange station is the council's second priority, after the CHRT (guided bus), but there is no
mention of a new station at Addenbrooke's Hospital or anywhere else.
Online consultation: http://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/sub/consult/ltp/index.htm.
RAIL INFRASTRUCTURE
Whitemoor Yard development has tough environmental obstacles to overcome
Following Network Rail's (NR) recent public exhibition of plans to build a large "virtual quarry", infrastructure distribution
and recycling facility - and possibly a concrete sleeper factory - at March, residents affected by the works are expressing
concern. NR will need to address some tough environmental issues if they are to get planning permission for their project.
Ivan Ivanovic says: "Unfortunately, from a developer's perspective, leaving redundant railway sidings to be recolonised by
flora and fauna for twenty or thirty years means that it quickly becomes an area rich in bio-diversity. This comparative "richness"
is helped by the lack of bio-diversity in our modern agricultural landscape. To put it bluntly - farmers spray - Railtrack didn't."
The planning application will be determined by Cambridgeshire County Council using its Minerals and Waste Plan. A full Environmental
Impact Statement will be required which could take some time to produce. An early decision is unlikely. Whether this will have serious
consequences for the CTRL works at Stratford remains to be seen.
Incidentally, during April, minor resignalling work took place in the March station area that was left unfinished from 2001, when
the track layout was altered to provide wheelchair/cycle access to the eastbound Platform 2. Semaphore signals have been replaced by
3-aspect colour light signals and an existing signal was relocated closer to the station to improve visibility to drivers of approaching
trains. Barriers at level crossings around March have also been replaced recently.
RAIL ROUTES
Haverhill Town Council contributes towards funding of Cambridge-Haverhill-Sudbury reopening study
Haverhill Town Council is to donate £2,000 towards the cost of the first stage of a full feasibility study into reopening the
Cambridge-Haverhill-Sudbury railway line. However, the donation is conditional in that it must be repaid in full if the
feasibility study does not take place. St.Edmundsbury Borough Council has already ring-fenced £10,000 towards the cost of the
first stage of the study. Another £58,000 is needed to pay for a full study. A pre-feasibility study carried out in 1999
estimated the cost of providing the rail link at £49 million, though it is more like £100 million now.
The Cambridge-Sudbury Rail Renewal Association (CSRRA) has produced a double-sided A4 glossy leaflet promoting the line.
They are available by e-mailing Malcolm Hill [mk.hill@talk21.com] with your name and
postal address. A donation towards postage costs would be appreciated. A CSRRA petition in Sudbury recently attracted 180
signatures, and more were obtained in Haverhill town centre on 26th April.
Tesco has announced plans for a Tesco Metro grocery store, that would be located on the former Haverhill station site plus
the adjoining local authority vehicle depot (which is to be relocated). The design could incorporate a railway station, in a
similar manner to Costcutter grocery stores that are already provided at some stations operated by Connex. Haverhill is the
second largest town in England without a rail link, Corby being the largest.
HIGH SPEED LINES
South East England Regional Assembly (SEERA) backs high speed trains between London and the north
Writing in Regeneration and Renewal magazine in early May, Mike Gwilliam Director of Planning and Transport for SEERA backs a HighSpeed Line
between London and the North and says it should connect directly to the Channel Tunnel Rail Link and by-pass London. This can be achieved, he
claims, by linking the fast line with the Lower Thames Crossing a major new link between the north and south shores of the Thames.
One significant issue for London suburban commuters is where and how exactly will the HSL terminate in the capital. If it uses existing
platforms and train paths, who is going to miss out? Ivan Ivanovic asks: "Do Snippets readers have a view on where the new HSL should terminate?
Should it be central London, or a parkway station near the M25, or even near Heathrow Airport?"
RAIL GOOD NEWS ELSEWHERE IN THE UK
Double-tracking approved for London-to-Penzance line in Cornwall
East Anglian campaigners eager to see track redoubled (e.g Fen Line, Beccles loop) will be pleased that eight miles of single-track line between
Probus and Burngallow in Cornwall will be redoubled at a cost of £15m. At £2million per mile this is substantially less than the £5.5m a mile for
Chiltern's Project Evergreen.
Work will commence in winter 2004 for completion in 2006. Objective One funding, which gives European cash to low-income areas, is providing
£3m and the Strategic Rail Authority is putting in £12m.
BBC News article: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/cornwall/2990215.stm.
First new station of 2003 opens in May - on former freight-only route
The Chandler's Ford station in Hampshire will roepen in May. This is along a former freight-only route, which now has a new daily
passenger service between Romsey and Totton.
East London Line extension approved as high court judge rejects protestors case
The £600m East London Line extension should now go ahead, following a successful appeal by the SRA, allowing the
historic Bishopsgate goods yard to be demolished. The extension will link the line to Dalston Junction and
create four new stations.
Wensleydale Railway obtains licence from Rail Regulator
Rail Regulator Tom Winsor has granted five licences to Wensleydale Railway. These cover management of the 22 miles of track and
infrastucture between Northallerton and Redmire, operation of stations, passenger trains, freight trains, and train maintenance. This
follows on from the signing of the 99-year lease on 11th November 2002.
On 4th July the first passenger is train is due to run. Before then platforms need to be built at Leeming Bar and Leyburn, with track
and points to laid in, staff to be trained, and a long list of other things to be done.
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