West needs better deal on transport, says MP (Exeter Express & Echo 26/08/11)

[whole diary]

[JayMac]

From the Exeter Express & Echo:

Anne Marie Morris, Conservative MP^▸ (Member of Parliament) for Newton Abbot, says the Westcountry must reap the reward of train fare rises through improved investment in its rail network

The Government's announcement that regulated rail fares will increase by eight per cent is another pressure already stretched household budgets can ill afford. We are told the above-inflation rise is to fund improvements, but in South Devon we can expect to see our familiar diesel Intercity 125s for years to come. They have given sterling service for many decades, but aren't in the first flush of youth.

The M5 only goes as far as Exeter and it seems the next generation of express trains will terminate there too.

Railways are vital to our national transport infrastructure and projects like HS2^▸ (The next High Speed line(s)), Crossrail and Thameslink are fantastic initiatives for the areas to be served. Future economic benefits far outweigh costs, which is why the Government is pressing ahead despite these tough economic times.

The drive to develop our transport links is fuelled by a desire to let businesses escape the South East, where living costs are high and the cost of commercial property higher, but for some reason we seem to be focusing almost exclusively on the North and Midlands.

Bristol will benefit from faster, more spacious trains thanks to electrification of the Great Western main line, but Devon and Cornwall, further west, once again have been overlooked for electrification.

Former public sector employees are hunting for private sector jobs, so ensuring sufficient transport links for Devon and Cornwall is essential to our future economic prosperity.

With only a short stretch of motorway running as far as Exeter, drivers then face a spider's web of roads that are often congested or not fit for purpose. I hope the Government will fund the long-awaited Kingskerswell bypass, but this is just one piece of the puzzle. A functioning road network, plus a modern rail service and better communication links could turn the region into an attractive proposition for large businesses in London and the South East.

Too often people try to portray investment in roads or railways as mutually exclusive options. We need to tackle these misconceptions and work towards a South West transport network we can all be proud of.

I was pleased to see the Government confirm its commitment to the coastal railway, which carries more than two million passengers a year and is a tourist attraction. Dawlish, Teignmouth and surrounding villages often rely on train journeys, either for business or pleasure. A train storming along the line, diving in and out of cliff tunnels as sea spray spatters the windows, is a majestic sight, reigniting the romance of the railways of old.

The line is a local asset, but many trains that use it seem to limp rather than storm and any notion of romance is ruined by the passengers being crammed inside like sardines. When people come to enjoy our beaches and moorlands they should feel as if they are travelling first class on the Orient Express.

Tourism provides employment for many people and generates indirect benefits for other industries. We need investment to cope with the extra cars on our roads and passengers on our railways at the height of the tourist season.

Short trains with only a few carriages might be sufficient for local routes used by commuters, but they cannot cope with the sheer number of visitors looking to use them in summer. Increasing the capacity of the rail network will ensure that passengers receive the premium service they are paying for.

Much-needed investment in our railway stations now seems to be forthcoming. Some stations are dated and unwelcoming, while others continue to present problems to people with disabilities.

But we must also explore reopening stations which were previously closed but might now offer a viable alternative mode of transport to the local communities.

Towns and villages expand, and routes deemed unsustainable under the Beeching reforms in the 60s, may well be an ideal solution to transport problems now.

North and West Devon bore the brunt of the Beeching axe, with many lines and stations closing, having a huge impact on the tourist industry.

The Government is now preparing to commission a new Greater Western franchise, due to start in 2013. Regardless of which operator is awarded the contract, it is important that it is given the freedom to respond to passenger requirements, whether it relates to increasing capacity or improving stations.

I've come to accept that electrification is a dream that will not be realised for some time, but it is still a long-term aim for which we should continue to strive.

Meanwhile, station refurbishments and replacing our badly overcrowded, dilapidated rolling stock are achievable and realistic goals. I will continue to put pressure on the Government to invest in the South West's transport network.

[ChrisB]

Trouble is, the fares box is judt so small in the SW, if it were nearer the rest of the country, I think her plea would carry more weight?

[anthony215]

I do think perhaps a new route should be built when money is available which avoids the sea wall and is wired so that there are new high speed trains serving Plymouth etc.  Besides i think FGW^▸ (First Great Western) should get some of the class 91's and mk4 stock with a new diesel loco hauling the trains from Exeter via dawlish to Plymouth/Paignton etc

[Rhydgaled]

Does the author realise the complaints one hears about underfloor diesel engines on Intercity trains, and that the bi-mode IEPs^▸ (Intercity Express Program / Project.) are only 5-car? Isn't there going to be an IEP stabling facility in Plymouth (and therefore a mix of IEP and IC125 services) anyway? IC125s may be old but perhaps they are the best for the job at hand until such time as electrification could be extended to Plymouth, personally I don't think IEP should go beyond Reading or Bristol towards Taunton at all.

I agree that, with RPI^▸ (Revenue Protection Inspector (or Retail Price Index, depending on the context))+3% fare rises, passengers will have even more reason to complain about trains with insufficient coaches for the level of demand.

The demand in question here is largely seasonal is it not? Shame the spare coaches that were seasonally used to extend loco-hauled trains have gone the way of the trains in question. The West Somerset Railway's suituation, having a rail link to Taunton but being unable to run through services (meaning tourists can't use rail to travel to Minehead for example) has given me an idea. Preserved railways often don't run every day out of season. If heritage railways with mainline connections were allowed to run through to their nearest National Rail station modern DMUs^▸ (Diesel Multiple Unit) (ok, Sprinters aren't modern but you get my meaning) could provide a public transport service in the winter. In summer, the heritage railway would take over the services, releasing the DMUs to strengthen National Rail services. It isn't a total solution, but it might help a bit if you can get around the obvious problems with pathing heritage rolling stock limited to a few miles per hour on a 75-100mph railway.

[woody]

Given the loss of air links from Plymouth rail is now to be the only effective alternative to driving for business people to get to central London from Plymouth.Something now needs to be done to improve journey times and frequencies closer to other major cities in England.Also it strikes me as odd that rail fare rises are set to national formula ie currently inflation+3%=8% on average for all "regulated" fares.Passengers on say the recently upgraded ^7billion West Coast main line from London Euston to Birmingham/Manchster/Glasgow which has been virtually rebuilt to 125mph standards for new "Pendilino" tilting trains and the ^5billion soon to be spent electrifying the Great Western main line from London Paddington to Bristol/Cardiff/Swansea together together with a new fleet of IEP^▸ (Intercity Express Program / Project.) trains to replace the aging HST^▸ (High Speed Train) trains currently face the same fare increases as the investment starved west of England rail main line to Paddington.Basically if the the railways can only provide the south west with a 20th century rail link then we should not have to pay 21st century rail fares at the very least.

[JayMac]

Arguably there is already a price differential for those using the 'modernised' WCML^▸ (West Coast Main Line). An Anytime Return from Lancaster to Euston is ^289.00. The same ticket type from Plymouth to Paddington is ^249.00. 16% cheaper. Both journeys are around 230 miles.

Are you arguing for different price rise formulas for areas that do not have a speedy direct link to the capital? The fares system is complicated enough.

And I'd also argue that Plymouth is not a 'major city'. It only ranks 20th in the UK^▸ (United Kingdom) in terms of population.

[woody]

Arguably there is already a price differential for those using the 'modernised' WCML^▸ (West Coast Main Line). An Anytime Return from Lancaster to Euston is ^289.00. The same ticket type from Plymouth to Paddington is ^249.00. 16% cheaper. Both journeys are around 230 miles.

Are you arguing for different price rise formulas for areas that do not have a speedy direct link to the capital? The fares system is complicated enough.

And I'd also argue that Plymouth is not a 'major city'. It only ranks 20th in the UK^▸ (United Kingdom) in terms of population.

Actually it the 14th largest city and with its hinterland has a combined population of about 400,000 and though not one of Britains "major" citys unlike now it was once considered important enough by the original GW^▸ (Great Western) railway to warrant major investment in 1937 west of Exeter ie the Dawlish avoiding which would have been opened in 1941 if the war had not intervened.It is becoming increasingly clear in my neck of the Woods(devon/Cornwall)that the current Swindon based FGW^▸ (First Great Western) franchise is being run exclusively for the benefit of the Great Western Main line only and that problem needs to be addressed in the new Great Western Franchise.Yesterday a friend of mine on a South West rover ticket at Swindon noted HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train) running to and fro lighty loaded compared to to the constantly rammed HSTs we have to endure in Devon and Cornwall which says it all really.

[ChrisB]

With respect, those trainms are full of holidaymakers & not Cornish/Devonian residents unfortunately. cf Winter trains....

[TerminalJunkie]

Actually it the 14th largest city

It's only 21st according to http://www.ukcities.co.uk/populations/, or 20th here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_largest_United_Kingdom_settlements_by_population

with its hinterland

You are Michael Bell from Middlesbugger, and ICMFP.

[devon_metro]

Arguably there is already a price differential for those using the 'modernised' WCML^▸ (West Coast Main Line). An Anytime Return from Lancaster to Euston is ^289.00. The same ticket type from Plymouth to Paddington is ^249.00. 16% cheaper. Both journeys are around 230 miles.

Are you arguing for different price rise formulas for areas that do not have a speedy direct link to the capital? The fares system is complicated enough.

And I'd also argue that Plymouth is not a 'major city'. It only ranks 20th in the UK^▸ (United Kingdom) in terms of population.

Actually it the 14th largest city and with its hinterland has a combined population of about 400,000 and though not one of Britains "major" citys unlike now it was once considered important enough by the original GW^▸ (Great Western) railway to warrant major investment in 1937 west of Exeter ie the Dawlish avoiding which would have been opened in 1941 if the war had not intervened.It is becoming increasingly clear in my neck of the Woods(devon/Cornwall)that the current Swindon based FGW^▸ (First Great Western) franchise is being run exclusively for the benefit of the Great Western Main line only and that problem needs to be addressed in the new Great Western Franchise.Yesterday a friend of mine on a South West rover ticket at Swindon noted HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train) running to and fro lighty loaded compared to to the constantly rammed HSTs we have to endure in Devon and Cornwall which says it all really.

"Constantly rammed"

Rarely have I ever had issues whilst travelling on HSTs in Devon/Cornwall.

Seen far more "rammed" HSTs leaving Bristol for London...

[trainbuff]

Ok so the population of Plymouth is only 21st. Listed with the same population as Hull. Exeter is 43rd by the same poll! It is a fact that Plymouth is the largest city west of Bristol. Mileage from Bristol to the end of the line is arond 180 miles.

Also Plymouth has a very large catchment area from the South Hams, Cornwall and Tavistock

Investment is needed here badly. Perhaps that is why the reopening proposals for Bere Alsto to Tavistock have a BCR^▸ (Benefit Cost Ratio) (Benefit Cost Ratio) of 3.5

[smokey]

One thing overlooked about Rolling Stock:

Loco Hauled as against Units is this:

Besides the frequent Daily & Weekly exams that all stock gets, Engines require far more maintenance, so if you have a service that requires ten in Number 8 car train sets in use, you need 12 sets of 8 coaches and 14 Locomotives, (best if you have Twin engines, eg Western or Deltics) or 2 light power cars as per the HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train) which would push your loco requirement up to 27.
However if you have Units you have 14 sets of 8 car units. That's 112 engines you have to keep in working order.

So Maintenance on Units COSTs a WAD more than maintaining a Loco fleet.
A HST power car is only about twice the weight of a class 222 carriage.

Loco's & coaches have others advantages, you can increase or decease the amount of coaches Easily,
Take a car out of a voyager & it's a nightmare.
On a Loco hauled set you can change quickly and easily from Diesel to Electric Power units.

Ok you can couple up Units but on Inter-City type units theres no through gangway.
A class 222 can't recover a class 175 and all that, the biggest mistake on the class 43 power cars was the lack of buffers.

[TerminalJunkie]

It is a fact that Plymouth is the largest city west of Bristol.

I think you'll find that the largest city west of Bristol is Glasgow.

[woody]

Fight begins for more fast rail links
http://www.thisisplymouth.co.uk/Fight-begins-fast-rail-links/story-13267752-detail/story.html

[devon_metro]

Not too difficult to make the 0553 leave at 0600 and arrive in London at 0900 like it used to.