July 2002 Newsletter

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Latest SRA Performance Figures

Figures released on the 6th June by the SRA reveal that WAGN’s recorded performance for the period Jan-Mar ‘02 was still very poor. The number of trains arriving within 5 mins of time at Liverpool Street were 69.4% peak and 75.9% all-day. Only SWT recorded worse peak figures.

To put this into context, Virgin Trains, once the butt of jokes about reliability, has now recorded better punctuality than WAGN for its West Coast franchise, with 78.1% of trains arriving within 10 mins of timetabled time at final destination.

Words of Wisdom from the SRA

Commentators in the rail press have observed that the privatised rail industry is trying to run a much more intensive service than did BR. According to RAIL magazine, Richard Bowker, chairman of the SRA retorted that “Because of revenue allocation systems like ORCATS you end up in a position where operators will bid into white space [ed: free slots in the timetable] either to make sure that no-one else can, or to do something that enables them to get more of the revenue allocation. I am not convinced that either is in the national interest.”

When a line is full to capacity, recovery from disruption takes many hours. Perhaps this has been a factor in the poor reliability of our local services, since the Stansted Express has been pushed to four trains per hour, there is now little spare capacity in the West Anglia routes even during the off-peak hours, leading to poor recovery times.

Further comments from Richard Bowker will be welcomed by rail users with cars. According to RAIL magazine, Mr Bowker stated “We can’t grow rail traffic if the car park is full by 0730. The car is a fundamental part of public transport. We must make it easier for car users to get to stations.”

Whilst extra parking space is usefully being made available by the owners of the GAN building, this building will not be empty forever. The station car park will then feel the pressure once more. Can we have more spaces before then please????

Byers Resigns

After a hounding by the national press over issues concerning leaks from the Department of Transport, Local Government and the Regions, Stephen Byers resigned on May 28th 2002.

If the national press expended as much energy on issues such as fares, reliability and overcrowding, then we might see our daily experience improve. As it stands, however, the press can be accused of wanting to see blood because of a personal vendetta against Mr Byers.

Now recognising the importance of transport issues alone, Alistair Darling will head a new Department of Transport, separated from the functions of Local Government and the Regions.

Fatal Crash at Potters Bar

May 10th 2002 saw the sad loss of seven lives at Potters Bar when a WAGN class-365 train was derailed by a faulty set of points just south of Potters Bar station.

Inevitably there was major disruption in the aftermath. The Great Northern services and GNER services were forced to use the Hertford Loop with its limited power supply, resulting in severe cutbacks in service provision to stations north of Kings Cross. Many passengers were advised to use services from Liverpool Street to Cambridge and Hertford instead of Kings Cross, leading to overcrowding on Harlow services.

The police are currently trying to identify a group of people in high visibility clothing who were captured on CCTV in the vicinity of the points which failed on the morning of the crash. Perhaps they might know why key nuts from the points were missing. Jarvis deny that any of their staff were working on the line that morning.

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