COMMUNITY RAIL HUMBER Please reply to: Challenge House 35 Eastgate North H umber & Wolds Rural Com m unity Council DRIFFIELD, YO25 6DG We’ll work with you to make the difference locally Tel: 01377 232132 Fax: 01377 255646 Tel: 01377 232138 (for Sally Baird) Ref: DFW.CRH.RUS.11.08d E-mail: [email protected] 30 th November 2008 Yorkshire & Humber RUS Consultation Response RUS Programme Manager Network Rail Kings Place 90 York Way London, N1 9AG Dear Sirs, Re: Yorkshire & Humber RUS Consultations. Members of the CRH Board have discussed the proposals in detail, assisted by a presentation from Network Rail’s Mr Richard Thompson, and wish to make the follow observations. As each local authority will be highlighting the issues affecting their own areas, in collating this response, we have concentrated on the key regional issues/projects, though this should not detract from some important local matters that the LAs will highlight across this region. The CRH Board covers the Humber sub-region and part of North Yorkshire and is bordered to the west by the East Coast Main Line from York to Doncaster. The Board meets quarterly to discuss all aspects of rail strategy, policy and integration, along with station matters and marketing. While acknowledging the great pressures on the rail industry to deliver ever increasing numbers of passengers into the centres of Leeds and to a lesser extent Sheffield, it is felt that the report is too centred on the PTE areas. Looking at the wider picture, we feel that adjoining areas could play a more active role in transporting additional passengers into Leeds centre, by catching them at the start of their journeys, not at the edge of Leeds City boundary. With changes in employment trends and property values, there has been a marked increase in long distant commuting from this sub-region into Leeds. This is especially prevalent on the Hull, Brough, Howden, Selby corridor. Depressed employment Community Rail Humber: Rail Development – Real Growth Registered Office:14 Market Place, Howden, Goole, DN14 7BJ Tel: (01430) 432037 - Registered Charity No. 1099439 Company No. 4606085 prospects and a low property market, has encouraged many to seek work in the Leeds City Region, while continuing to live in the Hull/East and North Yorkshire area. As such, we feel that two key aspects of the RUS document should be modified to reflex this: a) Address current overcrowding on existing TransPennine services, (both First TPX and Northern Services), and improve both capacity and service levels to meet the significant increased commuter demand along this corridor. b) Bring forward the necessary upgrades required for both track and signalling between Hessle Junction and Gilberdyke/Selby. Control of the busy route between Hessle and Gilberdyke is still predominantly through manually operated semaphore signals and gate crossings, (along with many sections of jointed rails). This results in low line capacity and speeds, whilst operating costs are high. The present structure leaves the route closed for much of the night, as only a double shift system is in operation. This curtails growth along this route, prevents late running of services, and is holding back the development of freight services from/to the refurbished ‘high level route’ to Hull’s thriving and expanding docks. We would strongly request that a firm date is set within the next five years, for these infrastructure improvements to be made, including the provision of 750m long passing loops to enable more efficient ‘pathing’ of trains and segregation of freight and stopping services from express trains. This will also allow operators to include later services in their timetables, particularly from London and Leeds, without the risk of a delayed service being ‘locked out’ of the region if arriving too late. The additional track work to improve ‘merry-go-round’ loading of freight trains at Immingham will also give immediate improvements to freight operations from this extremely busy port facility on the south bank of the Humber. Over crowding issues are also prevalent on commuter services on the Hull to Scarborough route, along with extreme pressure on services to the coastal resorts at: Scarborough; Filey; Bridlington and Cleethorpes over the summer months, (though we do accept this is a capacity issue for the TOCs to make the most creative and practical use of limited rolling stock). It is generally felt that this region has not fully benefited from new rolling stock, (including the removal of the 185 three/six car fleet on the Hull- Manchester service). As has been clearly demonstrated across the country, any improvements in rolling stock and capacity have immediately been a catalyst for increased demand from passengers, generating additional revenue for the rail industry. Station improvements remain a concern at many rural locations, with poor platform access, (height and length), being an extra obstacle. We trust funds will be targeted at locations where economic development is high, along with residential expansion. This is particularly important at: Nafferton; Driffield; Hutton Cranswick and Great Coates. Community Rail Humber: Rail Development – Real Growth Registered Office:14 Market Place, Howden, Goole, DN14 7BJ Tel: (01430) 432037 - Registered Charity No. 1099439 Company No. 4606085 We would welcome the opportunity to discuss these matters in greater detail and supply the necessary back-up evidence to support our comments. We also feel that the information used by Network Rail in the Yorks & Humber RUS may be distorted by the level of fare evasion across this sub-region. This is due to the region having no ‘gated’ stations in this area, a large number of un-manned stations and the short distances between stations. Recorded passenger numbers on routes into Grimsby/Cleethorpes, York, Scarborough, Bridlington, and particularly Hull Paragon Interchange, may be significantly less than the actual amount of passengers travelling on these routes at peak times. In recognising the limited resources available, the CRH Board is currently working with the TOCs to investigate ticket sales at un-manned stations, but this ongoing exercise has yet to reduce fare evasion. Each local authority and TOC will highlight their own particular areas of concern in responding individually to the RUS proposals. In collating this response, CRH has sought to focus on those issues which impact throughout the sub region and will have a direct bearing on the region’s economy. Yours sincerely, for the Community Rail Humber Board, David F Walford. Sub-regional Rail Development Officer. Community Rail Humber: Rail Development – Real Growth Registered Office:14 Market Place, Howden, Goole, DN14 7BJ Tel: (01430) 432037 - Registered Charity No. 1099439 Company No. 4606085 .