SMART

Below: we print the text of the letter that we have sent to all the candidates on the Huddersfield to Manchester line; any comments would be most welcome:

March 24th 2010

Dear Candidate
RE: Rail transport issues affecting all constituencies between Huddersfield and Manchester

We are a local rail user group, working in association with other groups, who are campaigning to improve the quality and quantity of rail services linking Yorkshire and Greater Manchester/Lancashire, currently operated by First Trans-Pennine and Northern Rail (Train Operating Companies TOCs). We are writing to you, as somebody who, if elected, will be in a position to comment and act upon the issues that we have been addressing over the last few years. All prospective parliamentary candidates along the ‘Huddersfield’ line are in receipt of this letter, with identical requests for information and statements of intention.

The Huddersfield to Manchester line is a high use line, serving local commuter needs, longer distance intercity traffic and international aviation passengers. The timetabling and management of trains through the region, is, we realise, a complex business and speedily resolution of some issues is unrealistic. Moreover, as you will be aware, the UK is currently experiencing an increasing number of passenger journeys (20% in the North West between 1999-2005 according to a Network Rail report of 20071) and a number of options for the upgrading and modernisation of some routes are being considered by the current Government.

We note in particular, the recent Parliamentary Select Committee Report (chaired by Louise Ellman MP) that suggests the prioritising of investment in the ‘classic’ rail infrastructure above the rush for the much-publicised High Speed links.

“Capacity constraints on the classic network look set to worsen in the next decade and we must continue to invest to address these problems. After all, the majority of passenger and freight rail journeys will continue to be made on the classic network.” (‘Priorities for Investment in the Railways’, paragraph 71)

Moreover, the Select Committee noted that in the light of the Government’s proposals for ‘connecting communities’

“The Government should take a more positive and pro-active policy position to encourage local authorities to seriously consider these schemes and align them to regional economic and social objectives and strategies.” (paragraph 82)

Many of the suggestions made here, involve a commitment to improving the existing ‘classic’ infrastructures, including opening new lines and stations. This is consistent with many of the issues on which we have campaigned on for some time, the resolution of which are required in order to fully realise the vision of ‘connecting communities’ and providing an affordable, working and sustainable rail transport system.

Of particular prominence are the following passenger concerns:

the heavy toll that passengers must pay for crossing into another Passenger Transport Authority between Marsden and Greenfield (the Standedge Tunnel); (An off peak day return for this eight minute journey is £5.20, as of 15th March , 2010)
the continuing difficulty in purchasing a ticket if boarding at unstaffed stations, owing to the unwillingness and inability of train crews to collect fares. This has an impact on connecting journeys with other train operating companies who often take a harsh view of the absence of a ticket. Similarly, passenger statistics suffer with knock-on effects on future service provision as the TOC is unable to obtain an accurate picture of passenger numbers.
the quality and suitability of rolling stock to cope with passenger needs at peak times of the day (both of the aforementioned train operating companies struggle to accommodate the numbers travelling, and Northern Rail still continue to operate decades old units which are frequently in an unhygienic state). All the rolling stock used by Northern on this line was built between 1981 and 1984;
the suitability of some railway stations to cope with wheelchairs and prams (especially at unstaffed stations such as Marsden, Slaithwaite and at Greenfield for some of the day);
the lack of accurate information regarding train delays or cancellations via the tannoy system or real-time displays. Real-time displays are only available in the GMPTE area. Passengers travelling into Huddersfield from Manchester and Barnsley during the latter quarter of 2009 and first quarter of 2010 have experienced a total lack of current information because the tannoy does not work. Despite repeated correspondence, no adequate apology or explanation is forthcoming from Northern rail about this;
Despite attempts by the TOC’s to give themselves a clear corporate image, few passengers understand which TOC is responsible for each of the different matters that impact on those using the service (e.g. cleanliness of stations and trains, operation of tannoy system, cancellations, late running, overcrowding).

As a Prospective Parliamentary Candidate, we feel that it is important to ask you how you would respond both to the general issue of improving rail transport services, and to each of these specific issues as part of your future duties. As you will be aware, most of the Network Rail spending plans are for the period after 2014, and a new set of Franchise Agreements will be issued during 2012/13, the allocation of which must be informed by public experience and dialogue between agencies. The current Minister of State
has suggested that the new franchises should be 22 years in duration which may give the TOC’s greater encouragement to invest. But without consideration of current performance, passengers may be condemned to 22 years of more poor performance.
We should emphasise that all of these issues have been brought to the attention of incumbent Members of Parliament and local councillors of all political denomination, and that progress on these matters has been slow or non-existent. We welcome the opportunity to open a dialogue with you, to best assist the travelling public and to put appropriate pressure on those train operating companies charged with the responsibility of providing a public service.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Dr Jonathan Purkis
Secretary SMART

Please reply to the following address:
23 Hilltop Road, Slaithwaite,
Nr Huddersfield
HD7 5ES
E-mail. info@smart-rail.co.uk