Passenger Survey Proforma

Posted on November 14, 2011 by admin

SMART are working in collaboration with SHRUG in collating evidence to submit to the Rail Authorities.

It is crucial that hard evidence, based on personal experiences, is logged for submission to the Rail Authorities in time for the new Franchise scheduled to be renewed in 2014. Information will have to be as full as possible and compiled as early as possible to impact upon any changes contemplated.

If you are willing to take part in a survey please download a proforma from the website www.smartrail.co.uk. Northern Rail is aware the survey is taking place. Don’t worry if you can’t complete all the headings; any hard evidence however small is useful. Once complete please e- mail details to the e-mail address on the proforma. If there are two colleagues using the same line simultaneously a collective view of events might prove most useful. It is helpful if you go on a journey which is uneventful you still report this. As a positive this will be seen by Northern Rail as helpful and that we are not wanting to be critical for the sake of it.

Initially the survey will be conducted until the new winter timetable is implemented during December. At about the time of the new timetable, we have been promised additional carriages and consequently the proforma may be altered.

Fares are not always collected and this reduces the recorded number of passengers using the service and consequently lessens the case for more carriages and more trains. Fares which then have to be collected at Manchester Victoria or Huddersfield for example can result in queues (our longest reported delay is 18 minutes) at that station and some indication of the impact this has on passengers merely wanting to leave the station would be much appreciated. But, please, you are not expected to hang around counting but as near an accurate figure of those waiting to pay fares as possible would be helpful.

Let’s hope we get a better service as result of all our efforts.

If you are willing to participate in our survey and you think of other issues which should be addressed please don’t hesitate to contact us. If your regular journey is into central Manchester it would be helpful if you were to indicate whether the Piccadilly Station or Victoria would be your preference. [ See other posts on the SMART website regarding proposed service changes which may result in trains from Slaithwaite, Marsden, Greenfield and Mossley going to Piccadilly instead of Victoria in future.]

Passenger Survey Proforma November 2011

Posted in Campaigning, Marsden, New rail services, services, SHRUG, Slaithwaite | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Network Rail will do the impossible

Posted on November 9, 2011 by admin

We strongly recommend that local people who use the trains read through this press release and then have a look at the Northern Hub Website.

NETWORK RAIL CHALLENGED TO CORRECT NORTHERN HUB CONSULTATION ERRORS

 

Threat to local train services revealed

Network Rail has been challenged to correct serious errors and omissions in their high profile Northern Hub Consultation process.

In a letter to Network Rail, Councillor Richard Knowles (Opposition Leader TfGMC) said

“Your consultation brochures and web site focus on increasing the speed and frequency of inter-city journeys between Manchester and Leeds, Sheffield and Liverpool and almost completely ignore the important and growing market for local train services on these corridors. The Northern Hub investment must support and enhance both inter-city and local rail services.”

Network Rail’s Northern Hub website  www.northernhub.co.uk claims to present evidence for every station in the Northern Hub area which consultees can access to see what the effects of the Northern Hub investment would be on services from their local station. Councillor Knowles visited this website and found that in Greater Manchester on the North TransPennine route two stations – Mossley and Greenfield – are omitted. He eventually found Greenfield mis-classified under Cheshire, which undermines confidence in Network Rail’s knowledge of its rail network, whilst Mossley does not appear anywhere.

Councillor Knowles’ letter notes that on theNorth TransPennine route the only comments on the website for the local stations of Marsden and Slaithwaite are “up to 6 trains per hour to Huddersfield from Manchester to Leeds” which does not benefit either station. There is no mention of re-opening the disused single line Standedge Tunnels, even though it is shown on the Northern Hub map, nor is there any assurance that the existing all-stations trains between Huddersfield and Manchester Victoria will be either retained or increased to half-hourly frequency. Indeed other evidence circulated by TfGM suggests that Network Rail are thinking of removing the Huddersfield to Manchester Victoria all-stations trains and replacing them with skip-stop services into Manchester Piccadilly which would sever direct rail links between Mossley, Greenfield, Marsden and Slaithwaite and with Ashton under Lyne and Manchester Victoria.

Councillor Knowles told Network Rail

 “I am really concerned that whilst you are investigating electrification of the North TransPennine route between Manchester and York, you are failing to guarantee train paths either for the existing all stations local service between Huddersfield and Manchester Victoria or for an increase to half hourly frequency which the huge growth in patronage justifies especially from Greenfield and Mossley.”

“On theSouth TransPennine route however for Dore station you state “new tracks between Sheffield and Manchester allowing fast trains to overtake slower trains” which is shown in the same shading as Standedge Tunnels on the Northern Hub map. You also state that Dore station will have “faster services into Manchester Victoria” when Sheffield to Manchester trains are supposed to run to Manchester Piccadilly.

These significant errors do not give me confidence that you are conducting a balanced consultation.”

Councillor Knowles has challenged Network Rail to:

  • publicly correct these errors in the Northern Hub Consultation information
  • give a public commitment to local as well as inter-city services on the Northern Hub network
  • give a public reassurance that they are investigating in-depth all of the rail network capacity enhancements shown on the Northern Hub map.
  • extend the consultation period to allow the public to comment on the corrected information

Councillor Richard Knowles

Opposition Leader, Transport for Greater Manchester Committee (TfGMC)

cllr.r.d.knowles@oldham.gov.uk

6th November 2011

And a reply from a Network Rail spokesman, courtesy of the Oldham Chronicle.

“The Northern Hub will drive economic growth for the North and could deliver 20,000 to 30,000 jobs and £4.2bn of wider economic benefits.

“It will provide the infrastructure to allow more frequent services on many suburban routes around the cities of the North. This better capability can be used to provide an improved service for commuters who will see improved journey times to city centres and more seats.

“Under current plans, services along the Huddersfield-Manchester line could take several forms, from all-station local services to semi-fast services calling at the local stations.

“Contrary to reports, no decisions have been made on which pattern is the optimum — this will be made through the franchising process and will involve consultation with local representatives through the Passenger Transport Executives.

“Network Rail are in regular discussions with representatives from the Department for Transport, Metro, Transport for Greater Manchester and Northern Rail, to establish which pattern best suits residents in the area, mindful of increasing capacity, infrastructure capability, commercial demand and improved connectivity.

“We continue to look at all enhancements included in the scope of the Northern Hub as the project develops including opening the Standedge tunnels.”

He added that the company is happy to receive feedback on an ongoing basis on the Northern Hub.

9th November 2011

Posted in Campaigning, Marsden, METRO/WYCA, New rail services, Northern Hub, SHRUG, Slaithwaite, TfGM | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

New Meeting of SHRUG

Posted on November 8, 2011 by admin

The next meeting of SHRUG, the new Stalybridge to Huddersfield Rail User Group will take place at the Railway Inn in Greenfield on November 9th at 20.00 hrs. The Railway Inn is less than 100 metres from Greenfield Station. 

The topics will include the recent meeting between SHRUG and the Greater Manchester Transport Authority, as well as the response to the SHRUG petition to local members of parliament over proposed changes to local rail services.

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Train Cleaning

Posted on November 1, 2011 by admin

Over recent years, one of the less satisfactory aspects of travelling on trains from Marsden and Slaithwaite has been the poor standard of cleaning. Poor, that is, bordering on non-existent. One of SMART’s committee members keeps threatening non-violent direct action in the form of taking his own mop and bucket on to the train. But all this could be about to change………..

Found, on a Northern train between Garforth and York, a glossy magazine which turns out to be Northern Rail’s customer magazine. It’s also available on-line at http://www.northernrail.org/magazine/issue5/.

In it, Ian Bevan, Managing Director of Northern Rail, answers some letters from their latest postbag, including the following. 

I travelled on a train to Manchester which was in a disgusting state. There was rubbish everywhere including takeaway cartons and spilt drinks.

Mrs C S, Sheffield

 

I was disappointed by the cleanliness and general appearance of my train, especially on the inside. Can’t you make them clean and bright inside and take a couple of minutes at the end of each journey to mop the floors and pick up litter?

Mr P E, Manchester

 

Ian says: I’ve had a lot of letters about this issue and so we’ve looked into how we can improve the cleanliness of our trains. We’ve now brought in more cleaners at our maintenance depots to help us with deep cleaning inside the trains overnight and to hand wash the exteriors during the day. We’ll also have more employees to collect litter at stations and on trains. As well as extra people, we’re also looking at the equipment and materials we use to clean trains to make sure they work as well as we’d like. I’m confident you will start to see these changes making an impact very soon.

 

Let’s hope we do see a difference soon.

 

 

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