NEWS
The latest bulletin from the passenger watchdog Passenger Focus is available here.
The latest RRUG newsletter is dated January. You can find this on the Newsletter page of this website. RRUG is also a member of Railfuture, whose latest newsletter can also be found on the same page.
You can join us by completing our new simpler Membership application form and sending it with the £5 membership fee to the Membership Secretary (details on the form).
Platform 6 at Rugby station is only just long enough for a 9-car Virgin Pendolino. This means there will be a potential problem when some of the Pendolinos are lengthened to 11 cars. However, it has been reported in the railway press that Selective Door Opening (SDO) will be used to ensure any door which is not at a platform cannot be opened. SDO will keep locked the doors on the last two coaches of an 11-car train when the train arrives at Rugby platform 6. This means that passengers will not be able to open any door which is not at a platform. SDO works in conjunction with trackside ballises, so a train will "know where it is" and lock the doors on the rear two cars automatically. On-board announcements will be made advising passengers in the rear two coaches to move forward if they want to alight. All other platforms at Rugby station are long enough for 11 car trains.
The February issue of the London Midland newsletter is available by clicking here.
Passenger Focus have published a report on future passenger priorities for the West Coast Main Line, based on recent customer research they have carried out. One of the issues raised highlights that car passengers are more likely to switch to train if fares were cheaper and through services provided. This principle supports our aim for the restoration of through services between Rugby and the North West. The full report can be seen by clicking here.
See RRUG's own committee member Jerry Thorne on BBC Panorama programme about rail fares which was broadcast on BBC1 on Monday 23 January.
The Department for Transport (DfT) has issued the Invitation to Tender (ITT) for the new West Coast franchise which will replace the existing Virgin Trains franchise and run from 9 December 2012 to March 2026. There will then be an option to extend the franchise for up to a further 20 months. The franchise will therefore end by the expected completion date of the new high speed line HS2. The four shortlisted bidders have until 1st May to prepare and submit their bids. These are:
The Transport Secretary Justune Greening has announced that the new high speed line known as HS2 is to go ahead. The first phase of the line will link London Euston with Birmingham, with journey times reduced to 49 minutes, a saving of about 35 minutes on existing timings. As part of this first phase, a link will also be built to the existing high speed line (HS1) which runs from St Pancras International to the Channel Tunnel. A second phase would extend HS2 to Leeds and Manchester. However, work will not start before 2016 and the earliest date for completion of the first phase would be 2026. Whilst this new line will have no direct effect on Rugby, it is expected to free up capacity on the West Coast Main Line for additional services. RRUG will in due course be campaigning for these additional trains to restore a regular through service between Rugby and the North West, while retaining the existing level of service to both London and Birmingham. As is well known, this is a contentious project with strong arguments being made both for and against it. To address some of the environmental concerns, Justine Greening has announced there will be extra sections of tunnelling in the most environmentally sensitive areas, including Long Itchington Wood in Warwickshire. However, it is still possible the scheme could be stopped if opposition groups mount a successful legal challenge by calling for a judicial review. Further details are available from the DfT press release.
The January 2012 newsletter has been published and is available from the Newsletter section of this website.
The Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) has stated that it is "minded to approve" London Midland's application for 110 mph paths on the West Coast Main Line. If approved, this would bring faster LM trains between London, Rugby and the Trent Valley stations. The ORR has said that, having been "minded to approve" the application, this is subject to LM being able to meet certain conditions. These are mainly performance-related issues, and the confirmation that the technical requirements for the rolling stock to run at 110 mph can be met. For full details see ORR's letter of intent to London Midland . Subject to LM being able to satisfy these conditions, and no other "show stoppers" arising in the meantime, it therefore seems likely that stage 1 of LM's Project 110 scheme will be approved for implementation from the December 2012 timetable change. Implementation of stage 2, which would provide faster trains at peak times, is dependent on new rolling stock and the recast of the West Coast Main Line timetable which is planned for 2014.
Alliance Rail has resubmitted its open access track access application for rights to operate services on the West Coasdt Main Line. The revised proposals would see services from Euston to Leeds, Bradford, Blackpool North and Cumbrian Coast line stations. Although Rugby is not included as a stop in the regular calling pattern for these services, it is shown as an additional stop, implying that at least some trains would call. This would go some way to restoring through services between Rugby and the North West, with the possibility of one or two through services to West Yorkshire as well. The services would be operated by new-build rolling stock with 125 mph enhanced permissible speed capabilities (i.e. tilt operation), and would start in December 2014. The Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) will now consider this application along with others for the West Coast Main Line, and will make its decision in due course. For further information see the Alliance Rail application form and the Draft track access contract.
The Chancellor George Osborne announced in his Autumn Statement that regulated fares would be capped at RPI + 1% this January. This is a reduction from the previously advised rate of RPI +3%, which will now apply to the January 2013 and 2014 fare rises only. For further details see the ATOC press release. Details of the new annual season ticket rates to London and Birmingham which apply from 1st January are as follows: Rugby to London terminals (i.e. Euston) valid on all trains Standard class £7,044 First class £11,540There are cheaper fares to London terminals valid on London Midland trains only: Standard class £5,080 First class £7,876Rugby to Underground zones 1 - 6 (i.e. including the tube) valid on all trains Standard class £7,468 First class £12,244Rugby to Birmingham stations (i.e. New Street) valid on Virgin Trains only Standard class £956 First class £1,468 Rugby to Birmingham stations (i.e. New Street) valid on all trains Standard class £1,324 First class £2,056 The existing fares will apply only to season tickets dated to start on or before before 1st January 2012. The new fares will apply to all tickets dated to start from 2nd January, irrespective of the date on which they are bought. Season ticket rates for other journeys can be calculated using the National Rail season ticket calculator.
The Department for Transport (DfT) has announced a grant of £9.8 million towards the cost of upgrading the Coventry - Nuneaton rail service. The remainder of the cost will be provided by local authorities. The scheme involves two new stations, one to serve the Ricoh arena in Coventry and the other at Bermuda Park. Bedworth station will have longer platforms, and a new bay platform for this service will be built adjacent to the west end of platform 1 in Coventry. When complete, trains will run every half hour on this line, with the possibility of enhanced servcies during major events at the Ricoh stadium. Although this will not directly affect rail services from Rugby, as a result of this scheme passengers will be able to travel by rail from Rugby to events at the Ricoh stadium with one change at Coventry. For further details see the DfT press release.
RRUG has sent a formal response to London Midland about their "Project 110", which would see train speeds increased to 110 mph on part of the route. Whilst welcoming the proposed changes as services to Milton Keynes and London would be improved, we have expressed concern that, because of revised connections at Stafford / Stoke-on-Trent, journey times from Rugby to Liverpool and Manchester would be increased. RRUG members can see the full response in the Correspondence section of the members' area of the website.
The National Rail timetable changed on Sunday 11 December. There are no changes to either the Rugby - Birmingham or Rugby - London services, except for some minor adjustments of a minute or two to the Birmingham service at off-peak times. A summary of peak time trains to both Birmingham and London is available on the Timetables section of the website. For further details see the National Rail Journey Planner .
London Midland has selected Siemens PLC as 'preferred bidder' for approximately 8 new class 350 trains. If ordered, they would be used to enhance capacity on some of London Midland's busiest services. The order is subject to the Department for Transport reviewing and accepting a business case for the purchase of these trains. It is possible that these trains could have 110 mph capability, rather than the current maximum speed of 100 mph. London Midland, in conjunction with Network Rail, are to carry out tests with existing class 350 trains to see what effect running at this speed would have on the overhead line equipment (OLE) and the roof-mounted pantographs which collect the power from the OLE. If these tests are satisfactory, the new trains could be permitted to run at the higher speed. These new trains would be part of an order which would also include about 10 trains for Transpennine Express, which will require electric trains for its services between Manchester and Scotland once the first stage of the Lancashire electrification project is completed. For further details see the London Midland news item.
RRUG has responded to the stakeholder consultation on the proposed High Speed line (HS2). While Rugby will not be directly affected by the new high speed line, we believe that the diversion of services to HS2 should provide sufficient capacity on the existing West Coast main line for the restoration of a regular service between Rugby and the North West. We have also stated that the existing level of service, both in frequency and journey time, to London should be maintained, and that service disruption during the rebuilding of Euston station should be kept to a minimum. Our full response is available in the Correspondence section of the members' area of the website.
Following discussions with the Olympic Delivery Authority, Network Rail have announced specimen times for later trains from London during the Olympics next year. Additional late trains will run at 01.00 from Euston to Liverpool and at 00.10 and 01.10 from Euston to Birmingham, all of which will call at Rugby. These trains will only run when there are Olympic events at the main venues in London, and not at other times.
The recent member survey revealed strong preferences for campaigning for better services to the North West and Scotland, and for later trains from London on Saturday evenings. For full details of the survey results, see the news page of the members section.
