January 2002 Newsletter

WAGN Latest Performance Figures

For Jul 22 - Aug 18 / Aug 19 - Sep 15 / Sep 16 - Oct 13
Peak : 67.4% / 70.5% / 68.5% - the worst of all London & SE operators
All-day : 77.2% / 79.6% / 76.9%

The figures show the percentage of trains arriving at their final destination within 5 minutes of due arrival time. WAGN - you can do better! The Telegraph, on 30th Nov, alleged that further performance figures may be quashed at the request of government ministers.

SRA Allows WAGN to Sub-let 322s

As a result of problems experienced with new trains being introduced in Glasgow, and ScotRail�s oldest trains reaching end-of-life, the SRA have agreed that WAGN can sub-let 5 of their 4-car class 322 vehicles to ease overcrowding on ScotRail. This means that the remaining fleet in WAGN home-land will be spread more thinly.

HRUG needs your help here. If overcrowding becomes a serious problem, we can present evidence to the SRA to press for an increase in the fleet size.

Why not register for the e-forum and let us know when serious overcrowding occurs, telling us when and where you were, where you were going, if you chose to wait for the next train and if you stood for more than 20 minutes?

Our forum�s URL is http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hrug

SRA Study Options for West Anglia

Late in November the Strategic Rail Authority and BAA launched a joint �2.5 million pound study into future possibilities for the West Anglia routes, which includes the line through Harlow Town. It is recognised that the route is very congested and needs investment to increase capacity and improve punctuality.

Possibilities include:

� Four-tracking Brimsdown to Tottenham Hale
� Extra platforms at Liverpool Street
� Additional capacity at Cambridge station
� Line speed and capacity improvements
� Development of services to Stratford

What would help your journey most? Let us know through the forum!

E&Y Administration Now Being Felt

The collapse of Railtrack and its subsequent placement into administration by Ernst&Young is starting to have an impact. Delay minutes attributable to Railtrack are reported to be running as much as 45% higher than in the two months prior to its collapse.

Informed sources report that trackside maintenance has been dropped to clearing leaf-mulch and responding to failures rather than preventative maintenance.

There are reports of low staff morale and the frightening possibility that if staff start to resign, remaining resources must be focussed on major routes, with the possibility that some rural lines may be closed in the new year.

On the positive side, newly appointed members of the board include Jim Cornell, who has 36 years prior experience with BR. Also, the current tighter financial controls may help stop Railtrack�s track record of spiralling costs.

Did You Know?

That ATOC has launched an experimental service where you can see Harlow�s departure board (and many other stations) from your PC via the internet? Have a look at http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/departures/fs_departures.htm