April 2003 Newsletter

Greater Anglia Franchise Bid Update

WAGN�s franchise will expire this time next year. The West Anglia part of WAGN, will be combined with the areas currently operated by First Great Eastern and Anglia Railways, to form a new Greater Anglia franchise.

The train operating companies are now busy preparing their franchise bids for Greater Anglia. The SRA today announced 3 companies are still in the running:

� GB Railways (parent company of Anglia Railways)
� National Express (parent company of WAGN)
� Arriva

GB Railways are generally well respected by their passengers.

National Express, WAGN�s parent company, we are all familiar with.

Arriva have been reported as having a poor record with staff retention and labour relations at Arriva Trains North, although things have improved recently.

Stansted Airport Expansion (SERAS)

Proposals unveiled by the government to massively increase capacity of Stansted Airport, whilst undoubtedly creating many local jobs, have been viewed with horror by many local people.

Expansion on the scale being talked about will see local rail services under pressure like never before. WAGN are already in talks with the SRA to lengthen Stansted Express to 8-car length off-peak, and 12-car length during the peak, in order to accommodate the expanding number of passengers using Stansted Express, and that is merely for growth to two thirds of the potential capacity of the current single runway. 12-car Stansted Expresses present operational difficulties for WAGN and is also the upper limit for the trains used.

Four runways would require 12 Stansted Expresses per hour. Even the addition of one new runway will likely require 6 Stansted Expresses per hour.

How many local services will be cut to make room for the express? What conditions will be endured by local commuters as the number of airport passengers continues to grow?

Get your copy of the SERAS airport consultation document from the DfT by ringing 0845 100 5554 or visit http://www.airconsult.gov.uk/

As a result of legal action by Stop Stansted Expansion campaigners, the SERAS consultation process is now open until June this year.

Rip Up The 10 Year Transport Plan

In January 2003, the SRA released the latest version of its 10 year transport plan. Talk of increasing passenger numbers by 50% has gone. Perhaps the realisation has dawned that a lot of money needs to be spent to allow this many passengers to be carried without excessive overcrowding.

Sadly, other things to have disappeared are several of the capacity enhancement schemes for the West Anglia line which have been discussed for many years now. Some possible survivors of the SRA cut backs are:

� an extra two platforms at Liverpool Street to reduce the number of times West Anglia trains are held up near Bethnal Green waiting for a free platform at Liverpool Street
� an extra platform at Cambridge to allow services passing through Cambridge to operate more reliably, perhaps even to allow more through services
� a longer bay platform at Cheshunt, which might reduce the number of passengers using the Tottenham branch to commute to London

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