The Jonathan Dimbleby Programme on Sunday 14th December will feature Alistair Darling, secretary of state for transport
(and for Scotland). [Ed. Subsequent to issue of Snippets, this was cancelled owing to the capture of Saddam Hussein.]
Alan Bevan, of Railfuture, is preparing a report on escalating costs and needs specific details of projects where the
estimated or actual costs have escalated beyond inflation increases. He particularly has in mind examples where regulations
imposed by the HSE etc have inflated the cost but also include over-specification by Network Rail etc. Information please
to Alan Bevan, 12 Morris Field Croft, Hall Green, Birmingham. B28 0RN.
ST.IVES LINE
Cambridge And St.Ives Railway Organisation (CAST.IRON) completes public meetings and reveals full scheme
On 2nd December CAST.IRON held the last of five public meetings at the Holiday Inn, Impington, which was attended by 120
people, including leading officers and members of Cambridgeshire County Council who are proposing the rival guided busway.
CAST.IRON has divided the reopening into four stages, with construction costs obtained using quotes from rail
infrastructure companies and operating costs for a 20 minute frequency quoted by 'charter' train operating companies:
* Stage A - Swavesey-Cambridge Regional College - £7m, with £3m for other start-up costs
* Stage B(i) - Swavesey-St.Ives - and Stage B(ii) - Regional College to Chesterton Junction - £10m
* Stage C - St.Ives to Huntingdon East, assuming use of detrunked A14 as trackbed, requires £13 for rail costs
* Stage D - connection to ECML is uncosted, since it would be a Network Rail project.
CAST.IRON has received regular local newspaper coverage, plus extended interviews on BBC and commercial local radio, and
a feature on BBC Look East. News was also reported in Rail, Tramways & Urban Transit and entrain magazines.
CAST.IRON has had a high-quality 2 metre high 2-board stand at the Science Park since mid-November, and arranged for a
4-board stand to be erected at Cambridge Guildhall for the members to read during a break in their full meeting on 10th
December.
Cambridgeshire County Council has been spooked by CAST.IRON and has started to retaliate. A glossy A14 "Guided Bus
Newsletter" (no longer called 'Rapid Transit' since CAST.IRON has been referring to rail by that term too) was delivered to
all households near to the line. Cabinet Member Shona Johnstone and busway project director Graham Hughes, have been
conducting a 'meet the councils' roadshow to promote the guided bus. They gave a presentation to Longstanton Parish Council
on 8th December, St.Ives Town council on 10th December and will be visiting Impington the following week. There will also
be a series of bus tours of the route for members of Cambridge City Council in January 2004 advance of submitting the
Transport and Works order.
The County are now claiming that "the Government had signed off the technical and financial aspects of the project",
but produce no evidence, and are "confident" of getting some money, though it may not be enough to go ahead with the
busway. They cannot guarantee that any operator will use the busway, relying on one operator saying "we want to use the
busway, and will still run some other services along the A14".
CAST.IRON's detailed proposals: http://www.castiron.org.uk/VisionDoc.php
Guided Bus Newsletter: http://www.camcnty.gov.uk/sub/eandt/planning/guided_bus_NL.pdf.
Guided busway decision delayed yet again
Having already postponed a vote to proceed with the busway to 17th December, Cambridgeshire County Council have moved the
vote back to 10th February 2004, using the excuse of "archaeological works" near St.Ives. Although confident of getting a
majority, fewer members may vote in favour now that the government has confirmed that A14 widening is no longer dependent
on the widening of the A14.
Reports about line being severed from network points are premature
RAIL magazine recently claimed that "the points to the Fen Drayton (St.Ives) branch have been secured out of use with the
intention of disconnection and replacement by plain line." This was misleading since there are two sets of points: one off
the main line into the aggregates yard, a second set a few metres further in off the aggregates line to the St Ives branch.
The connection off the main line into the aggregates yard is operational on a regular basis; it's the second set of points
that has been secured out of use. Network Rail regional director Mark Phillips was asked at the RPC meeting in Norwich on
2nd December if the line would be severed. Avoiding the answer, he said that there is no financial benefit for NR to spend
money to remove the pointwork.
RAIL INTEGRATION
Anglia and First Eastern counties collaborate to improve bus-rail integration
Anglia Railways and First Eastern Counties buses both part of First Group, have formed a new partnership to extend joint
ticketing schemes and timetable coordination to make public transport a more convenient and attractive. They have agreed to
provide more bus timetable information at staffed stations, prompt advice of bus timetable changes, provision of
comprehensive bus timetables to Anglia Railways communications centre.
Anglia press release: http://www.angliarailways.co.uk/latest-information/news-detail.asp?id=509.
RAIL ROUTES
Cambridge-Sudbury Rail Renewal Association's new company has first meeting
The CSRRA and and its new Cambridge-Colchester Railway Development Company (CCRDC) held their first combined meeting on
Thursday 4th December 2003 at the Town Hall Arts Centre, Haverhill. Stage 1 of the feasibility study, to be undertaken by
Wilson Lee consultants, covering market research was the main topic.
STATIONS
Anglia Railway's plans to improve stations in partnership with First Great Eastern and local authorities
Anglia Railways, sister company First Great Eastern, Network Rail, Suffolk and Essex County Councils, and Southend Borough
Council have come together in a partnership to upgrade stations more quickly and more effectively by pooling resources and
securing funding from all possible sources. Transport Regeneration, a consultancy based in Bury St. Edmunds, will coordinate
the project and maximise the funding available for station improvements such as better waiting shelters, car parking, toilets,
improved security and lighting.
It is hoped that at least £1m funding can be obtained in the first year, possibly from the European Community and
regional development agencies.
Anglia press release: http://www.angliarailways.co.uk/latest-information/news-detail.asp?id=512.
RAIL BARGAINS
GNER tempts more travellers and announces improved profits
GNER has recently been offering 20,000 seats a week at £25 for a London-Edinburgh return, £20 London-Newcastle, £19
London-Leeds/York. GNER recently announced a doubling of its operating profits. The average fare on its trains is £25.42.
RAIL FREIGHT
Alconbury road/Rail Freight facility approved by Office of the Deputy Prime Minister
On Thursday 11th December the ODM gave approval for the Alconbury Developments Limited (ADL) conversion of the redundant
airfield at Alconbury into a road/rail distribution centre. Unlike some recent decisions, this confirmed the recommendation
from the inspector.
Approval requires that "no part of the development hereby permitted shall be occupied until a raillink to the ECML is
provided" and the "operational rail sidings shall be provided to a minimum of 90% of the class B8 floorspace in the facility
prior to the occupation of any building designated as a rail connected building". This is intended to ensure that rail links
are used from day one, minimising freight freight traffic on the roads. The conditions also prevent the sidings from being
electrified.
Approval for the new distribution centre is considered by many to be incompatible with the CHUMMS recommendation to build
a busway on the St.Ives line. Upon heading the news, CAST.IRON immediately issued a press release calling for the guided bus
proposal to be abandoned.
ODPM announcement: http://www.odpm.gov.uk/stellent/groups/odpm_planning/documents/page/odpm_plan_026197.pdf.
GB Railfreight wins ASDA contract for shipments between Felixstowe and Daventry
GB Railfreight has won Britain's first ever rail contract from ASDA supermarket to move up to 2,000 containers in the next
12 months. Containers will be carried from Felixstowe port to Daventry International Freight Terminal and then taken by road
to stores in the Midlands. ASDA believes rail freight will cut supply chain costs as road haulage costs are set to increase.
Potential for return of rail freight to Wisbech
Nestle Purina has lodged a planning application with Fenland District Council to allow it to enlarge its petfood factory at
Wisbech, which is at the end of the mothballed railway line from March. The proposal has encountered considerable local
opposition.
Since the line north of the Weasenham Lane level crossing into the goods yard adjacent to the site is in the ownership
of Nestle it may be affected, and could jeopardise plans by the Wisbech and March Railway Trust to restore a passenger
service to March.
RAIL AWARDS
Anglia is runner up in National Passenger Operator 2003 award
Anglia Railways was the runner-up in the Institute of Logistics and Transport's National Passenger Operator award for 2003,
which covers all train and bus operators in the UK.
This award is one of many won in 2003 including 4th successive Charter Mark 2nd successive Industry Innovation Award both
for Customer Service, and the 5th successive CycleMark.
Anglia press release: http://www.angliarailways.co.uk/latest-information/news-detail.asp?id=516.
RAILWAY DEPOTS
Network Rail starts Whitemoor Yard rejuvenation at March
Following the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's final approval for Network Rail's "virtual quarry" on part of the former
Whitemoor Yard site at March, Network Rail has recently been unloading construction materials, with infrastructure trains
being parked on the March end of the Wisbech branch. Network Rail will be relaying an 800 metre length of the line to allow
heavier trains to use it. Residents living near the Wisbech line have been told that it will only be used to help bring
materials to the site and once new track has been built away from their homes the line will not be used.
Contractors Birse, which has civil engineering, railway and construction divisions working at the site, have been working
to install temporary site offices, diverting power supplies and building a temporary road.
Over the weekend of 6/7th December, new pointwork was due to be installed, which will form a connection into the site
from the Wisbech line (similar work is taking place at March West Junction). Associated signalling alterations were due to
be carried out at the same time.
WEB SITES
Wensleydale Railway's new web-site finally available
After several months of pointing to a BBC news feature about the railway, there is now a completely revamped
Wensleydale Railway web-site. See http://www.wensleydalerailway.com.
Parts of the web-site are still to be completed, but it is a very attractive site.
The Wensleydale Railway featured on the 30th November edition of the BBC's Countryfile programme, which looked at
rural railways.
New web-site launched to promote GNER and Chiltern's joint bid for Greater Western franchise
GNER and Chiltern have joined forces to bid for the new Greater Western franchise from 2006, which will take over the Great
Western and Thames franchises that will both be operated by First Group, plus the Wessex franchise run by National Express.
A new web-site http://www.londonandwestern.co.uk has details.
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