Network Rail publishes draft electrification strategy

Network Rail has commenced consultation on the company’s draft electrification strategy, which sets out a long-term approach to further electrification of the rail network – the consultation document is available on the company’s website ‘www.networkrail.co.uk’. The detailed analysis supporting the draft strategy reveals the long-term benefits of electrifying key railway lines in terms of both reducing costs, but also in delivering a significant improvement in environmental performance (it is claimed that electric trains reduce overall carbon emissions by a minimum of twenty per cent). The draft strategy also acknowledges the potential of electrification to ‘significantly improve the product offering to rail passengers’, including greater reliability, reduced journey times, better station and on-train ambience and additional seating capacity (because the power car can be replaced by a passenger carrying vehicle whilst remaining within train-length constraints). The study identifies a number of ‘gaps’ between the electrified railway that currently exists and what will be required in future - it then outlines the options for bridging these ‘gaps’ before moving on to set out the proposed strategy. The draft of the core strategy recommends three immediate major schemes, two of which relate to the Great Western Main Line:- a) Maidenhead (the western extent of the initial Crossrail electrification scheme) to Oxford and to Bristol Temple Meads via both Bath and Bristol Parkway b) Bristol Parkway to Swansea.

Network Rail proposes that the following additional electrification schemes in the South West of England should be kept under review:-

1. Cheltenham Spa - Swindon
2. Coventry – Oxford and Reading – Basingstoke
3. Barnt Green - Westerleigh Junction near Bristol Parkway (where it joins the Great Western Main Line)
4. Bristol Temple Meads to Plymouth and Paignton via Exeter St Davids
5. Severn Tunnel Junction to Gloucester
6. Reading to Taunton via Westbury
7. Basingstoke to Exeter St Davids

FirstGroup announces increased profits

FirstGroup plc has announced the company’s financial results for the year ended 31 March 2009, with pre-tax profits increasing by thirty-one per cent to three hundred and twenty-six million pounds. The company reported that the operating margin of the group’s local bus subsidiaries in Great Britain had increased to over eleven per cent, with customer revenue rising by over seven per cent and passenger numbers two per cent higher. It was also announced that the growth in passenger revenue at First Great Western had been 6.1 per cent, compared with 9.6 per cent for 2007/8.

Association of Train Operating Companies demands ‘honesty’ from the Department for Transport

The Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC) has demanded that the Department for Transport (DfT) should be ‘much more honest’ about the ‘real reason’ for large increases in rail fares. ATCO is concerned that the repeated statements by the DfT that ‘rail fares were an issue for the operators’ was disingenuous and could ‘damage’ the reputation of the industry, as it was the policy of the Government that the share of total costs of the rail industry met from farebox revenue should increase from fifty per cent currently to seventy-five per cent by 2014. ATOC stated that it was very difficult for train operators to address customer concerns about the poor value for money of rail fares, without policy changes by the DfT.

First aims to improve on-bus behaviour

FirstGroup has announced a new initiative designed to reduce anti-social behaviour on the company’s buses in South West England – the on-bus advertising will include a series of ‘quirky’ characters who each represent a major customer complaint e.g. playing of loud music, eating hot food etc.

Royal Albert Bridge to be refurbished

Network Rail has announced that the two main spans of the Royal Albert Bridge (which carries the railway line to and from Cornwall across the River Tamar), which are four hundred and fifty-five feet long, are to be refurbished over the next two years – the bridge is now over one hundred and fifty years old.

South West Trains introduces timetable charge

South West Trains has decided to introduce a charge of four pounds for a copy of the company’s composite ‘train timetable’ booklet – it can be purchased in person from Bournemouth and Salisbury ticket offices or by telephone from South West Trains customer service centre (telephone: 084-5600-0650) with an additional charge of one pound for post and packing.

People

Marc Reddy, the managing director of First Devon and Cornwall, has been shortlisted for the Passenger Transport Professional of the Year (Smaller Organisations) at the annual Passenger Transport Management Awards on 12 June – his company colleague, Alan Pratt has been shortlisted for the Local and Operational Management Award. Louise Blyth, the head of marketing at Arriva CrossCountry, has been shortlisted for the Marketing Award.

Anna Walker, a career civil servant and currently chair of the Healthcare Commission has been appointed as the new chair of the Office of Rail Regulation.

And finally,

A grounded 1897 railway coach body which has been converted into a two-bedroomed home at Cockwood, on the railway line between Dawlish Warren and Starcross, is on the market for sale for ninety-five thousand pounds.