Suffolk rail strategy Lowestoft to London service at Saxmundham Director of Environment & Transport Suffolk County Council Endeavour House 8 Russell Road Ipswich Suffolk IP1 2BX February 2007 Printed on environmentally friendly paper Suffolk rail strategy Would you like to know more or have your own copy? The Suffolk rail strategy is published as part of the local transport plan and refers to the Suffolk bus strategy. All three publications are available for reference at all of Suffolk’s libraries, district and borough council offices. They are also available at Endeavour House, Ipswich and at the county council’s area offices. If you have access to the internet you can find this strategy on the passenger transport section of the county council’s web site, which can be found at www.suffolkonboard.com. Limited copies are available from the environment and transport department. If you would like any further information about this strategy or would like to comment on it, please e-mail [email protected], telephone Barry Woodgett 01473 265035 or write to: Barry Woodgett Suffolk passenger transport Suffolk County Council Endeavour House 8 Russell Road Ipswich Suffolk IP1 2BX Suffolk rail strategy Contents 1 Introduction .................................................................................................. 1 2 Summary of rail policies ............................................................................. 1 3 The vision ..................................................................................................... 4 4 Marketing and information........................................................................ 10 5 Community rail partnerships.................................................................... 18 6 Co-operation with other bodies................................................................ 19 7 Individual routes ........................................................................................ 19 8 Freight ......................................................................................................... 28 9 Regional rail map of East Anglia.............................................................. 31 10 Transport Corridors in Suffolk …..………………………………………... 32 Suffolk rail strategy 1 Introduction This document outlines a strategy for development of passenger rail services serving Suffolk, also including freight traffic carried by rail. Suffolk Rail Policy Group consists of Councillors and Officers from Suffolk County Council and all District and Borough Councils in Suffolk. It also includes representatives of the rail industry. In September 1993 Suffolk County Council, acting on behalf of the Suffolk Rail Policy Group and in conjunction with the then British Rail owned Regional Railways Central and Cambridgeshire County Council, appointed Babtie Traffic & Transportation to undertake the feasibility study to assist in developing a Strategic Rail Plan for Suffolk. Babtie made their report to Suffolk Rail Policy Group in June 1994, which was then adopted. Since 1994 many recommendations made in the report have become reality. However the rail industry has undergone vast changes since 1994. The rail infrastructure is now managed by Network Rail with train operators paying for access to the rail network. The replacement of the Local Transport Plan with the second Local Transport Plan for 2006 to 2011 also presents the opportunity for reviewing and updating the Suffolk Rail Strategy. The Greater Anglia franchise was let to National Express Group plc, which started operating train services on 1 April 2004. The franchise will last for seven years and, providing quality targets are met, will be extended by a further three years. National Express Group subsidiary company, London Eastern Railway Ltd, trading as ‘one’ has kept the previous Anglia and Great Eastern names as sub- brands (i.e. ‘one’ Anglia, ‘one Great Eastern, ‘one’ West Anglia and ‘one’ Stanstead Express). The franchise encompasses all passenger services on routes from London Liverpool Street and branches. 1.1 Local Transport Plan 2006 – 2011 The Local Transport Plan for 2006 to 2011 has four themes which need to by complied with in the contact of the plan. These are Accessibility, Congestion, Safety and Environment. The content of the above section 6 of the Suffolk Rail Strategy meets the criteria of these themes. Accessibility of stations and train services to all and the easing of congestion in the urban centres of Ipswich, Lowestoft and Bury St Edmunds would be eased with increased use of rail passenger services. Easing of congestion would contribute to safer conditions in the urban centres, which in turn would improve the environment in these locations. 2 Summary of rail policies 2.1 Priorities More detail on the following polices are contained further in this document. These are shown as short-term (within 1 to 1.5 years), medium-term (within 1.5 to 4 years) and long term priority for delivery (5 years and over). 2.1.1 Short term • We will monitor the performance of passenger train services against the target obligations of the ‘one’ franchise and lobby the train operator and the Department for Transport in the event of these obligations not being delivered. • We will work towards improved integration of passenger transport modes at key rail stations in Suffolk. Suffolk rail strategy Page 1 of 32 • We will work with the franchise holder to improve the quality and journey times of the Ipswich – Cambridge service and then to market it as an inter-city link. • We will continue to support and promote the Explore card providing discounted travel for young people. • We will continue to develop our local area reviews to improve our market intelligence for the planning of services. A rolling programme will review services throughout the county. • We will lobby the rail network to allow for increased formal interchange opportunities with other services, including bus services where appropriate. We will ensure that facilities at these locations allow passengers to wait for connecting services in safety and comfort and that appropriate communication exists to advise passengers of any delays to their onward journey. • We will form partnerships with bus, ferry and taxi operators to increase the number of interchange opportunities in the county. We will implement this policy in tandem with the implementation of our ticketing strategy to maximise added value for travellers. • We will continue to increase the number of green travel plans with businesses in the county. We will seek to co-ordinate the promotion of rail travel options with our marketing campaigns (see section 6 for further information on these), to maximise added value. We will also help district and borough councils provide information on rail travel through their green travel initiatives. • We will continue to encourage greater travel to school by rail through school travel plans. We will also explore other options to encourage students to travel to school by rail as well as other sustainable modes. • We will consult stakeholders about the delivery of the local transport plan, rail and bus strategy through the public transport reference group and associated management groups and local monitoring groups. Rail strategy will be discussed by the Suffolk Rail Policy Group. • We will undertake a comprehensive review of printed timetable information in order to ensure that they are easily understood by passengers, and prospective passengers including those for whom English is not their first language or who have difficulty reading standard timetable information, and are available from a variety of sources on demand. • We will continue to support and develop the work of Community Rail Partnerships in Suffolk. • We will continue to work with neighbouring counties and other partners to provide and lobby for regional improvements to rail services. • We will continue to lobby to ensure that the powers sought by the Crossrail Bill do not have an adverse effect on rail services in Suffolk. • We will work with the partners in the East Suffolk Line Community Rail Partnership to facilitate improvements to station facilities and station car parks on the East Suffolk Line. • We will work towards to commissioning of a study to report on the feasibility of reopening the line between Saxmundham and Leiston to passenger trains and the construction of a new station at Leiston. • We will work towards improving the appearance of Brandon station and for the provision of an hourly interval service calling there in both directions. Attempts to close Lakenheath station would be opposed unless an hourly interval service is put in place at Brandon station. • We will pursue and facilitate integration between rail and bus services at stations at Bury St Edmunds, Kennet and Newmarket for bus services to Mildenhall and Lakenheath. Suffolk rail strategy Page 2 of 32 • We will pursue and facilitate through ticketing for rail and bus to Southwold (via Halesworth station) and Aldeburgh (via Saxmundham station). We will also continue to facilitate connecting timetables at these railheads. • We will pursue and lobby for enhancement of the F2N cross-country route and support the proposal to increase freight capacity on the Felixstowe branch line. • We will pursue and lobby for diversion of freight traffic to the cross-country route via Bury St Edmunds, where practicable, to free more paths on the Great Eastern Main Line for passenger trains. • We will continue to encourage use and