Community Rail Status for Barton and Wherry Lines

[Humberside]

Have to say Im happy about this, especially the first one

http://www.therailwaycentre.com/UK News Pages Feb 07/010207_DFT.html

The rail line between Barton-on-Humber and Ulceby North Junction and the service onto Cleethorpes have been designated as a community rail line, Rail Minister Tom Harris announced on 1 February 2007.

The designated line and service allows for a more flexible approach to be adopted by the train operating company (Northern) working alongside the local community rail partnership. This enables them to manage the service with greater emphasis on meeting local needs. Together they will continue to look for ways to increase patronage and improve the service.

Transport Minister Tom Harris said: "Designation of the Barton on Humber branch as a community rail line is good news for passengers. It will ensure that management look to meet local needs at an affordable price, encouraging involvement from local stakeholders."

Heidi Mottram, Managing Director, Northern Rail said: "Northern welcomes the designation of the Barton-upon-Humber Line as a community rail route. This line plays an important role in the area and helps ensure the vitality of Barton itself as a market town. Designation will assist in identifying innovative ways of developing this line to the benefit of local people and visitors to the area. The community rail partnership for the line is already doing a great job and this will enable it to go from strength to strength."

Dave Walford, Rail Development Officer, Community Rail Humber said: "This is excellent news for this railway route and the communities in Northern Lincolnshire.Since we set up the Community Rail Partnership, just over a year ago; we have been working with the DfT-Rail and the train operators, (Northern Rail), to promote the services along this line. Formal designation may enable us to customise many aspects of the services to suit the needs of local people and businesses. It could have a major positive effect on the economy of the region, along with environmental benefits, while helping to run a more cost effective railway."

The rail services on the Wherry Lines between Norwich and Lowestoft and between Norwich and Great Yarmouth via Acle and Berney Arms have been designated as community rail services, Rail Minister Tom Harris announced on 1 February 2007.

The designated services allow for a more flexible approach to be adopted by the train operating company (One) working alongside the local community rail partnership. This enables them to manage the services with greater emphasis on meeting local needs.

The designated services link at Norwich to the rest of East Anglia and with Central Trains services providing travel opportunities to the entire UK network.

Transport Minister Tom Harris said: "Designation of the Wherry Line services as community rail services is good news for passengers. It will ensure that management look to meet local needs at an affordable price, encouraging involvement from local stakeholders."

Andrew Chivers, Managing Director for 'one' said : "We welcome the designation of the Wherry Lines to Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft with Community Rail status. The routes have benefited from a successful Community Rail Partnership over a number of years, which has helped to effectively promote the route, encourage extra rail travel and involve the community more closely. Designation is the logical next step to help us continue to increase rail journeys on these important routes and 'one' will play its part in fostering further success over the years ahead."

Peter Lawrence, Chairman,The Wherry Lines Community Rail Partnership said: "The Wherry Lines Community Rail Partnership are pleased about the designation of Community Rail Status by the DfT. We will continue to
seek improvements in publicity and enhancements to the current level of rail services and fares for all the local communities and visitors. It is our aim to be proactive in helping local villages, towns, business and attractions to get more from their local rail services and to work with 'one', the County Council and other transport operators in improving access to destinations from all Wherry Lines rail stations".

 

[Z12XE]

Have to say Im happy about this, especially the first one

Really?

IMO Its downhill from here.

I'm associated with my local line which is under such scheme, and to be honest I think its the last thing we need.

Whilst the Goverment dresses up this idea as being great and "New Life for Local Lines" etc its going to create a clearly defined two tier system.
Local Lines are easy targets already, but when people start segregating them in such a way it will make it worse.

I wasn't too keen on the idea to begin with, and then when saw that everything would need to go via the DfT Comm Rail accounts manager it become even less appealing.


Just wait until the "Microfranchising" kickes in on some of these (I believe one of the pilot Great Western lines will experiment with it). It'll be the equivalent of the de-regulated bus industry on rails.

 

[Nick W]

I can't believe it.

The designated services allow for a more flexible approach to be adopted by the train operating company (One) working alongside the local community rail partnership. This enables them to manage the services with greater emphasis on meeting local needs.

They've admitted that they have managed the services to suit the local needs but someone else's needs (shareholder's pocket?). They also claim to have previously not been working along with the community.

If they want more usage all they need to do is lower fares, and advertise this*.

* It is little known that many tickets (not travalcard though interestingly) are the same price from ipswich as from felixstowe, so for longer journeys the felixstowe line is priced as a free feeder line. Not bad eh?

 

[Z12XE]

In our case the only thing holding the current service back is the **** poor service provided since the GE timetable changed in 2004.

I dont class a 54% peak performance as acceptiable. also its about 15% more expensive than it was when the service was better.
One need to accept that their trains for the local lines are knackered and do something about it before the poor relilability starts to affect passenger numbers.

I dont see how reducing manintenance (which is what they mean by flexibility and local needs - it has sod all to do with the users) on these lines is going to help.

Your comment about the FLX fares is interesting. Going the other way (from Colchester group anyway) the CDR fare to Felixstowe branch stations or Westerfield and Woodbridge are cheaper than the CDR to Ipswich!

 

[Humberside]

For more on the Barton line designation, watch BBC Look North if your in the region at lunchtime and 6.30

 

[Humberside]

Nothing on at 6.30 - I'll try and find out why

Did get a brief mention in the Breakfast bulletins though

EDIT - there was an interview at lunchtime. Not sure why it wasn't repated at 6.30

 

[Nick W]

Your comment about the FLX fares is interesting. Going the other way (from Colchester group anyway) the CDR fare to Felixstowe branch stations or Westerfield and Woodbridge are cheaper than the CDR to Ipswich!

But you don't get a "free" bus to Ipswich town centre.

If they really wanted to serve local needs they would electrify and run tram-trains on the line, leaving the line both ends and also street running to serve the best part of the towns on route, at the lowestoft end they would turn and serve the town centre and then branch to serve developments, eventually reaching areas about to have houses. For all new developments as a result of the line they would charge a roof tax. At the Norwich end, after street running the trams would end up at the station in order to allow for onward services. No platforms would be used here to free up capacity. The costs would be aided by local commercial interest of the scheme on route, and perhaps a roof tax for new developments. There would be seperate stations en-route for both people who walk and people who drive to the stops.

Run them every 10 minutes, with cheap fares and suddenly usage will surge.

 

[Tomnick]

And what about those people from places like Lowestoft who want to go shopping in Norwich? I don't think they'd appreciate a long slow trip around the suburbs of Norwich before getting to the city centre. Yes, it'd probably be slightly more convenient, in terms of distance, for the shops than Thorpe station, but I don't think that the benefit would outweigh the cost of the longer journey. The main market served by this rural line is, I suspect, travel into Norwich and (to a lesser extent) Lowestoft from the communities along the line - so what's gained from a diversion through the suburbs of Norwich? Isn't that best served by a separate service, where maybe a tram would be more appropriate?

 

[Z12XE]

But you don't get a "free" bus to Ipswich town centre.

But it isnt free, as there is a significant difference in the price of Colchester Group to Felixstowe as Colchester Group to Ipswich.

Plus previously when I have had Ipswich tickets, some drivers have refused to accept it. I'm quite happy to accept the 10 min walk to/from station anyway.

On the Norwich idea, you'd be better of scrapping Norwich city buses and running trams from the station etc.