SMART Response to Consultation on New Timetable Patterns

Posted on February 24, 2021 by admin

The following is a summary of the SMART response to the Manchester Recovery Taskforce consultation published on 14 January 2021

The consultation aims to simplify train service patterns around Manchester in order to improve reliability. It is based on using the existing infrastructure, and accordingly can be implemented in advance of the Transpennine Route Upgrade or any other infrastructure projects. The proposal is to implement the outcome of the consultation with effect from May 2022.

Of the three options, B & C would deliver at Slaithwaite and Marsden a half-hourly service throughout the day.

SMART’s Answers to the Questions posed by the consultation document

Question 1: Do you support the aim of standardising and simplifying service patterns if this will significantly improve overall train performance?

Yes.

SMART supports the aim of standardising and simplifying service patterns in the basis that this should significantly improve overall train performance.  By some measures, during the period of the May 2018 timetable Slaithwaite station experienced the worst record, in terms of delays and cancellations, on the entire UK rail network, so passengers using these stations are more aware than most of the impact of poor train performance.

Question 2: Do you support the approach of measuring the service level and performance impacts across all passengers to allow fair trade-offs between options?

Yes

SMART supports the approach of measuring the service level and performance impacts across all passengers to allow fair trade-offs between options.  Given the capacity constraints on the current infrastructure between Stalybridge and Huddersfield, SMART considers that local services should take priority over aspirations to increase the frequency of longer distance services.  SMART’s view is that local services carry more passengers and provide the greatest facility for access to jobs, education, facilities and services, thus stimulating the local economy and providing the greatest benefit to both the local and regional economy.  These local rail services also provide a sustainable transport alternative that help to promote sustainable development.

Question 3: On the basis of these results, which is your preferred option?

Option C will deliver a half-hourly service at Slaithwaite and Marsden stations and is stated in the consultation document as delivering the best outcome in terms of reliability and punctuality, so this is our preferred option. The passenger figures produced by the ORR for Slaithwaite, Marsden and the neighbouring stations of Greenfield and Mossley provide ample justification for an improvement in service frequency to half-hourly.

Whilst Option B will also deliver a half-hourly service at Slaithwaite and Marsden stations, it is not expected to deliver the same level of punctuality and reliability.

Question 4: Please provide your views on the details of the proposed changes which are detailed by route in the Appendix.

SMART has only commented on services between Huddersfield and Manchester that serve the local stations of Mossley, Greenfield, Marsden and Slaithwaite.  

Option A involves limited changes and compared to the other options does little to improve train performance. It does not deliver any improvements for passengers at Slaithwaite and Marsden.

Options B & C deliver a half hourly service at Slaithwaite and Marsden throughout the day.

SMART’s preferred option for the service pattern for the Huddersfield to Manchester (via TransPennine Main Line) is as set out in Option C.

Provision of a half-hourly train service throughout the day at Slaithwaite and Marsden will bring the following benefits

  • Providing fast, reliable, frequent and attractive public transport links between where people live and where there are jobs will help increase the job opportunities available to Slaithwaite and Marsden residents looking for work.
  • For businesses based in Slaithwaite and Marsden, it will help them get the right person into the right job by giving them a wider choice of candidates for vacancies.
  • Both Slaithwaite and Marsden have over recent years become visitor destinations, with an increasing number of hospitality sector businesses becoming established. A more frequent train service will enable more visitors to come to the villages and support local businesses without being dependent on car travel to do so. This will be particularly important as the economy recovers from the Covid pandemic.
  • The Globe Mills development in Slaithwaite is a large scale redevelopment of two disused mill buildings, being carried out as a collaboration between Hartley Property Group, 3M, Huddersfield University and Kirklees Council. It will provide employment space, an innovation centre for start-up and expanding businesses particularly in the technology sector. It is anticipated to create hundreds of jobs and boost the local economy. This objective will be greatly assisted by providing a more frequent train service.
  • The Peak District National Park Authority is looking at creating gateway hubs at locations that border the Peak District National Park from which visitors are able to access recreation hubs and other visitor attractions. Gateway Hubs may be market towns or large tourist sites which provide access into the National Park by public transport, walking or cycling. The initial proposals identify Marsden as a potential gateway hub. Provision of a more frequent train service will enable Marsden to fulfil this function more effectively.
  • Significantly reduce the Generalised Journey Time (taking account of the time spent waiting for a train) between Leeds/Huddersfield/Manchester and Slaithwaite/Marsden, thereby making the train a more viable alternative to car transport
  • Making the train a viable alternative to the car so helping to improve air quality and help meet the government’s carbon reduction targets.
  • Reduce road congestion in Slaithwaite and Marsden by promoting modal shift to public transport

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Route Closure between Victoria and Stalybridge, July & August 2021

Posted on January 28, 2021 by admin

“Major step forward for rail between Greater Manchester and Yorkshire”

[Press release from Network Rail, 28th January 2021, follows]

  • Rail improvements announced for Greater Manchester as part of the Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU) boost to Northern economy
  • Improvements require 16-day railway closure in August between Manchester Victoria and Rochdale/Stalybridge stations
  • Rail leaders commit to keep passengers moving between Leeds and Manchester by train
  • Replacement buses will be in operation on the Calder Valley line between Rochdale and Manchester Victoria stations

Key rail infrastructure in the North of England will be upgraded this summer to support the delivery of the Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU) programme.

The work forms part of TRU’s wider goal to deliver sought-after improvements along the full 76-mile Transpennine route – stretching from York to Manchester, via Leeds and Huddersfield.

It will take place east of Manchester Victoria station, closing the lines towards Stalybridge and Rochdale, with a 16-day railway closure between these destinations from the 31 July to 16 August 2021.  

During the 16-day closure hundreds of railway workers will be working day and night to renew key sections of track, including around Miles Platting, and upgrading railway bridges to improve reliability.

This important work is the first step to enable wider improvements that are expected to bring much needed benefits to passengers.

The planned closure means that from 31 July there will be no trains between Manchester Victoria and Stalybridge and Manchester Victoria and Rochdale until these lines reopen on 16 August.

However, travel between these destinations will still be possible, either by train diversion or alternative transport such as buses to keep passengers moving.

For instance, passengers travelling between Bradford and Manchester on the Calder Valley line will need to transfer onto a bus for the portion of the journey between Rochdale and Manchester Victoria.

Phil James, Network Rail’s North West route director, said: 

“The Transpennine Route Upgrade is a transformative, long-term project supporting economic growth in the North at a vital time and delivering real benefits for passengers and communities.

“A project of this size and scale means there will be times when we have to close the railway – and the 16-day closure this summer in Greater Manchester signifies one of these moments. However, working alongside train operators, we are committed to keeping passengers on a train as often as we possibly can, moving on time and in comfort. We are confident that the long-term legacy of the project will be worth the shorter-term inconvenience of the disruption.”

Neil Holm, Network Rail’s Director for the Transpennine Route Upgrade programme, said: 

“The Transpennine Route Upgrade is a transformative, long-term project supporting economic growth in the North at a vital time and delivering real benefits for passengers and communities.

“A project of this size and scale means there will be times when we have to close the railway – and the 16-day closure this summer in Greater Manchester signifies one of these moments. However, working alongside train operators, we are committed to keeping passengers on a train as often as we possibly can, moving on time and in comfort. We are confident that the long-term legacy of the project will be worth the shorter-term inconvenience of the disruption.”

Despite the 16-day closure, direct train travel between Manchester and Leeds will still be possible but with trains departing/arriving via Manchester Piccadilly instead of Manchester Victoria station. Passengers wishing to travel between Yorkshire to Manchester Airport/Liverpool will be able to do so but with a change of trains at Manchester Piccadilly.

Rob Warnes, strategic development director at Northern, said: 

“This is important work that absolutely needs to be done. Improving the track and infrastructure will mean more reliable journeys and in time more capacity and faster travel.

“We do recognise, however, that the closure of the line will mean customers will have a different travel experience and we want to provide as much notice of the changes as possible. During the 16-day closure journey times will be increased and buses will replace trains between Manchester Victoria and Rochdale affecting wider journeys between Bradford and Manchester.

“We are working up the full details of what these changes will mean and will provide more information to customers in the coming months.”

Transport Minister Andrew Stephenson MP, said: 

“The Transpennine Upgrade is at the heart of our commitment to improve rail journeys for passengers across the North, focused on significantly improving reliability and punctuality.  As we build back better from Covid-19, boosting capacity and journey times, we will work with local partners to keep disruption throughout these vital upgrades to a minimum.”

Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, said: 

“This rail route forms a vital link across the North, connecting cities and ports and supporting the regional and national economy. Leaders from across the North have been calling for improved connectivity for many years through High Speed Rail, Northern Powerhouse Rail and improved Transpennine connections. We welcome this work which should be seen as just the start of a transformational investment in rail across the North, supporting the Government’s levelling up agenda and ensuring we build back better from the pandemic. We will be working closely with both Network Rail and the train and freight operators to ensure, as this vital work progresses, passengers, business and communities are properly provided for and disruption is minimised wherever possible.”

Kathryn O’Brien, customer experience director for TransPennine Express, said: 

“These works will affect some of our customers travelling through Manchester and we’d like to assure them that we have plans that will keep their disruption down to an absolute minimum.”

Additional railway upgrade work between Manchester Victoria and Stalybridge is being planned for several weekends and bank holidays from late August through to early 2022.

*Full details and the impact on travel services will be released soon.

https://www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk/news/major-step-forward-for-rail-in-the-north

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Temporary Service Reduction from 1st February

Posted on January 28, 2021 by admin

During the first lockdown passenger numbers fell to about 5% of normal levels. Over the summer passenger numbers rose to about 30% of normal levels but are now (January 2021) back in the 5-10% range.

Following a request from the Government for all rail companies to reduce their timetables to better match the current passenger demand, TPE will be introducing a revised train plan based on current demand and numbers travelling. These changes are only temporary, and anyone planning on travelling by train is advised to plan ahead and check before they travel. This will be effective from 1st. February.

In summary, trains at Slaithwaite & Marsden will be roughly every two hours in the daytime and roughly hourly at peak times.  One particular concern we have is the lack of trains from Marsden and Slaithwaite for key workers to Leeds in the morning peak with a gap in arrivals from 07:31 to 09:10.

The timetable has been designed so that trains can be reinstated with just two weeks’ notice once the lockdown is eased and passengers return. We were also assured that as passengers returned to the railways so could capacity be reinstated, this included reinstating 6-car double units on the Huddersfield to Piccadilly stopping service to ensure safe social distancing.

Link to revised timetable from 1st February is

tpexpress.co.uk/travel-updates/timetables

Posted in Marsden, Slaithwaite, timetable changes, Transpennine Express, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Two Trains Per Hour for Marsden & Slaithwaite?

Posted on January 20, 2021 by admin

Manchester Recovery Task Force Public Consultation

A  consultation on improving the performance on the rail network in and around Manchester has been launched.

The press release from the DfT (below) sets out why this is being done, but basically it’s with a view to improving punctuality and reliability.

So, in the absence of (or in advance of) any infrastructure improvements, this consultation is to consider a range of options to change the service pattern around Manchester to make it more resilient. The idea is to implement it from May 2022.

Three options are being considered, aimed at improving train performance in the Manchester area and north of England by:

  • simplifying and spacing service patterns more evenly
  • reducing the number of services running on the most congested part of the network
  • separating train movements as far as possible to minimise the amount of delay one train may cause on another

These options change the routing and frequency of some existing journeys. The options have been prepared with input from Network Rail, Transport for the North, Transport for Greater Manchester and the train operating companies

The DfT are asking for views on:

  • the principles they have been following in developing these options
  • the details of the options
  • how any proposed changes may affect your journey

There are three options. Options B & C would deliver a half hourly service at Marsden and Slaithwaite throughout the day, which is something for which SMART has been campaigning for several years. It’s a big change from a few years ago when the various transport bodies were at best sceptical and at worst dismissive of the case for improving the service at Marsden & Slaithwaite (and Greenfield & Mossley) to half-hourly.

The proposals for our route are on pages 31 & 32. SMART is still examining the detail of the report in order to formulate a formal response, but it will come as no surprise that we strongly support increasing the service to 2 per hour. The more local support there is (from residents, businesses etc), in the form of consultation responses in favour of 2 trains per hour, the more likely it is to happen.

The deadline for response is 10th March.

Department for Transport press release, dated 14th January 2021, follows:

A new consultation on improving the performance on the rail network in and around Manchester has been launched on 14 January 2021.

Passengers are being presented with 3 options that feature increasing levels of change from the pre-COVID service patterns. The 3 options affect different routes, and which routes have direct services to Manchester Oxford Road and Piccadilly stations, and Manchester Airport.

The agreed option, scheduled to be introduced in May 2022, will significantly improve overall reliability while maintaining the pre-COVID travel connections for the vast majority of passengers. Some changes may mean making different choices for travel.

This change will give passengers a more reliable service with less risk of knock-on delays, while longer-term infrastructure changes are developed that will enable more services to be added in the future in a sustainable way.

Chris Heaton-Harris, Rail Minister, said:

We are putting the power to improve Manchester’s rail network in the hands of those that use it daily.

I urge passengers to use this opportunity to comment on the future of your railway.

Improving punctuality and reliability is one of my key priorities. As we continue to build back better from the pandemic, these proposals will ensure that the rail network is more dependable for those who use it every day.

Congestion in the region before the pandemic created regular delays to services around Manchester, with knock-on impacts to reliability across the north. While the public are being asked to stay at home, the rail industry is using this opportunity to plan improvements around Manchester ready for when passengers return in much greater numbers.

This work brings together the DfT, Transport for the North, Network Rail, and the train operators Northern and TransPennine Express (TPE).

The consultation builds on government investment in electrification schemes, and brand new trains for Northern and TPE, as it works together with Transport for the North and Network Rail on the development of a new robust timetable, underpinning a transformed offer to passengers.

Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, said:

I welcome this consultation and the government’s focus on this issue. The bottleneck in central Manchester is a problem for the whole of the north – and solving these congestion issues will improve the reliability of rail services for passengers right across the north.

As we look to build back better from the pandemic, we want to work with the government to deliver a reliable and dependable timetable, alongside the much-needed upgrades to our Victorian infrastructure.

Liam Robinson, Transport for The North’s Rail North Committee Chair, said:

Passengers need a better deal when it comes to reliability. When they return to the north’s trains, they need to step onto services with confidence.

Manchester’s congested rail network has long been the source of delays and frustration for passengers, with knock-on effects for the north’s communities. We urge everyone to take a look and give their view on these proposals.

While the goal of these short-term changes is to reduce delays and increase reliability, it is clear that the work we are doing with government and the industry on longer-term investment in rail infrastructure is also critically important, alongside changes to services.

Phil James, Network Rail route director for the North West, said:

The proposed changes to the timetable in Manchester aim to give passengers across the north consistently safe and reliable train services, running to a schedule they can trust.

We look forward to hearing people’s views on it.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/consultation-launched-to-improve-manchesters-railways

Link to consultation document is

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/timetable-options-to-improve-rail-performance-in-the-north-of-england

Details are at

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/951401/manchester-recovery-task-force-public-consultation.pdf

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