New Year, New Increases, Old Grumblers

Bus and rail fare squabblefest

Can’t you tell that the New Year has started already? Two days into the year, our blessed transport companies let New Year in by issuing a 5 - 15% fares increase on its passengers.

The Alternative Christmas Reading List

Christmas is coming, repeats are fast looming, as people in Argos are still queueing and awaiting their number - some twenty minutes later…

As eventual as death and taxation, the terrestrial television will face another repetition of Bonds from Moore to Dalton, and furniture adverts.

“…Remember, pavements are more important than your children.*”

600 more face court for feet on seats

Is dirtying a train seat as heinous a crime as murder, rape, assault or robbery? In the eyes of one rail franchise, this seems to be the case.

Eight out of ten Greater Manchester businesses oppose congestion charging

• 80% of businesses to vote against C-Charge if referendum was imposed
• Claims of charges driving away investment
• Over 50% of dissenters within the Tory Trafford Borough area

Greater Manchester says ‘No’ to Congestion Charging

Manchester Evening News, 20 March 2007

Over the last fortnight, 1,000 people were interviewed in a telephone poll over congestion charging via the Manchester Evening News. The 21 March edition stated that just under two thirds of those polled were against this. However 59% stated they agreed with congestion charging - if the money was channelled towards Metrolink expansion.

For the Tameside area, just over two thirds of people were against congestion charging. 63% were in favour of this, if the money was channelled towards the Metrolink. Of the people polled, 41% travelled by car or motorbike, and 35% used public transport. Of the ten districts which make up the Greater Manchester area, Tameside people were the biggest public transport users in the survey.  The most popular form of public transport was the train, with 44% of the poll.  In second place was the bus.

Tameside results

Much noise has been made against the congestion charges over the last three months, with the implication it may have for the local economy.  The greatest concern has been the number of people expecting to shop outside the proposed zone (could Glossop and Sheffield benefit?).  Another has been the cost - which is something that should be taken to account (I stress this given that Tameside based employees have the lowest wages in Greater Manchester).

As a public transport user, I support the idea of congestion charging, but… (and I mean but) further investment in buses, trains and the Metrolink must be made - as stressed by the conditions made by central government.  If no further investment is made, I will therefore renege on this opinion.

For the greater good, I suggest that:

No congestion charging should take place without the public ownership of local bus and rail services.

In other words, I advocate the return of Greater Manchester Transport or SHMD, or the imposition of a London style franchising system.  How can central government stick to its policies properly if bus operators outside London can do anything they like with their services (see my previous post on the 343 route)?

S.V., 22/03/2007

Point of No Return: All Aboard the Ghost Train

The Stockport - Stalybridge Train (1128 hours, Saturdays Only)

Is this the worst scheduled passenger rail service in Europe in terms of frequency?

Running once a week, Saturdays only, is a train with only one journey - just one journey in one direction. The train calls between Stockport and Stalybridge via three intermediate stations: Reddish South, Denton and Guide Bridge. Both Reddish South and Denton are unstaffed stations without disabled access and (wait for it) platform lighting.

Before privatisation, this line had a much better service than that of passengers travelling to Mossley by rail from Stalybridge, with an hourly frequency. In 1991-92, 12,000 people signed a petition against cutbacks to the service, which boasted a frequency of five trains a day (two one way, three the other). Now, the current service is once weekly, and passengers to Mossley are now afforded an hourly service with a two hourly Sunday service.

The latest Network Rail Draft Network Management Statement for the North West proposes the closure of Denton and Reddish South stations. The local MP Andrew Gwynne favours the launch of a direct service from the doomed stations to Manchester Victoria.  This move will increase journey opportunities for Denton and Reddish residents, as they would be able to travel to Bury, Bolton, Oldham and Blackburn without crossing Manchester city centre.  This plan will involve turning left at Denton junction onto the line leading to Ashton Moss and Miles Platting.  However, there is one problem in that links between Stalybridge and Guide Bridge would be severed.

In my opinion, I would give 2.5 cheers to this plan (the .5 being due to the real ale lovers missing their once weekly unidirectional shuttle to the Stalybridge Station Buffet Bar).  Perhaps Gwynne’s proposal could prompt the reopening of Droylsden station.  Cut off from the rail network since 1968, the Droylsden area suffers from congestion between Manchester Road (Audenshaw) and Edge Lane/Ashton New Road.  This would be alleviated by a reopened Droylsden station off Lumb Lane near Littlemoss (as well as the Metrolink).

To make up the loss of the Stalybridge - Guide Bridge - Denton section of the route, I would recommend retaining the once weekly train for the time being, in addition to Gwynne’s proposal.  This could be replaced by a direct London service, or other services to Cheshire, starting at Stalybridge or Huddersfield.  This section also offers potential for a prospective Huddersfield to London Euston route (calling at Stalybridge, Guide Bridge and Stockport stations), though subject to line access issues.

Manchester: £8.00 return

Manchester to become the second city outside London to introduce congestion charging

Manchester Evening News, 24 January 2007

Don’t panic, this is not the current peak return train fare from Stalybridge or Bolton to Manchester. This is the projected rate of the Congestion Charge, which will be imposed on the 15 most busiest road corridors in the Greater Manchester area.

Affected within the area east of the M60 motorway will be: Rochdale Road (A664); Oldham Road (A62); Ashton Old Road (A635); Hyde Road (A57) and Stockport Road (A6). Previous plans involved placing the congestion charge zone inside the M60 motorway. Zones have been selected on a road basis - and quite rightly - the roads affected sport frequent bus services. Each driver will pay £3.00 within each corridor zone. It was stated that income from the charges will go toward improving public transport.

On the online poll, so far, some 78% are opposed to congestion charges in Greater Manchester.

I beg to differ. Since 2003, I have favoured the use of congestion charges, so long as there were tangible improvements to our bus and rail networks (and I speak from experience as a bus user). At present, Manchester’s deregulated buses and privatised trains have put a sizeable number of Mancunians off most forms of public transport for life. Learning to drive is seen as a rite of passage along with christenings, weddings and birthdays.

Congestion Charging should be imposed on condition that:

• The buses were restored to public ownership, regulated, or franchised;
• Bus fares are substantially cut to pre 26 October 1986 levels;
• Bus services should only be reviewed through public consultation with sufficient notice;
• Heavy rail and light rail services have sufficient rolling stock to allow for increased passenger numbers and longer trains;
• Persons travelling shorter distances should be charged more during the peak hour.

The latter point is an unashamed dig at the school run, which accounts for 20% of UK road traffic on a normal weekday.  I can speak from experience, having noticed a saving of 10 - 15 minutes on a seven mile bus journey in the peak period of school holiday times, compared with school days.  Within this point, I feel that:

• Lone drivers should be encouraged to share vehicles, through fellow family members, or a voluntary car club scheme;
• Journeys under one mile should attract a premium further to the standard congestion charge rate (goodbye to short trips for milk at a local off licence within walking distance);
• Children should be encouraged to use public transport or foot for travel to and from school.

Assuming that a fair number of schoolchildren are chauffeured to their nearest school, how would they learn to use public transport independently?  How would they know how to behave on bus or train route, or how to purchase tickets?  How would they be able to read a timetable?  In doing this, we are denying children basic life skills, required for travel to and from work, leisure activities and respect.  With the latter point, I use the term ‘respect’ in the context of personal space on buses; cooperating with railway guards; giving up seats for elderly persons, and queueing.

As a country, we need to get our priorities right regarding public and personal transport.  Firstly, the cost of motoring has been allowed to stay constant since 1970, whilst public transport fares have increased by 95% upwards since 1986.  Secondly, we need to see a change in perception of ’successful public transport’ networks.  At present, a profitable network is seen by some as a success, rather than one where connections are coordinated and fares are subsidised.  Thirdly, we need to integrate planning with transport provision more.  Compare the car friendly retail parks with the bus friendly town centres.

Can we do it?

Fares Unfair

Or ‘Why is a single from Stalybridge to Dukinfield four times the price per mile as one from Manchester to London?’

Death and taxation are often stated as a main inevitability of life in dear old Blighty.  What is never mentioned are that annual transport fare increases are another one.

Much noise has been made over the rail fare increases on the 2nd January this year.  Several sources have stated that train travel will become a middle class pursuit.

Think again.

A lot of noise has been made over a fare from Manchester Piccadilly to London Euston costing £219 (second class).  That is 34p per mile.

In my area, 34p a mile on my local bus routes would be a fares cut instead of an increase.  A single fare journey from Dukinfield (Morrisons) to Stalybridge (Armentieres Square) on one route will cost £1.40 as of the 14th January this year.  The distance? About one mile; that is four standard (non discounted) fares from London to Manchester per mile!  Over the same distance, a taxi fare on the daytime Tariff 1 of one local private hire taxi firm would cost approximately £3.50 (for four people).  The bus alternative: £5.60 for four people, with a saving of £2.10 for the same party, in a taxi.

Though rail fare increases attract the greatest criticism in the national newspapers, the bus user outside of Greater London is forgotten.  I would love a 5% increase on bus fares rather than a 10% one.  Better still, I would like a swingeing fares cut to 1986 levels and properly subsidised transport.

Bus fares in Greater Manchester have increased by 10% year on year since 1986.  Though this may have seemed realistic in 1990, when inflation was in double digit figures, this is by no means a joke, now that UK 2007 inflation figures are 3.6%.

If you live within the Greater Manchester area, and if you can afford it, I strongly recommend buying one of the System One season tickets - or the company’s own season tickets.  If, like myself, you work in the centre of Manchester, think of how much you will save on single fares to the city - and use your pass for the short distance journeys which would otherwise cost you next to millions.  If you have the legs, and your journey’s a short distance, use a form of transport which has had unparalleled reliability since Adam and Eve or the Big Bang.

Foot/Shank’s Pony/Walking.

A (much belated) Happy New Year to all readers of ‘East of the M60′,

Stuart.

The Class 185: A Review

0600 Hull Paragon - Manchester Piccadilly - Liverpool Lime Street
After nearly two years of using Stalybridge station as a commuter rather than a leisure traveller, I found myself surprised to see one of First Transpennine’s new Class 185 diesel units on the 0748 to Liverpool Lime Street.

For nearly a year, these new DMUs have been plying their trade on services to Hull Paragon and Middlesbrough from Manchester Piccadilly. In recent months, these have included the service from Manchester Airport to Cleethorpes.

Now, it is the turn of the Scarborough to Liverpool routes.

Boarding the 0748 at platform 2 of Stalybridge station, the train pulled in some three minutes earlier than its actual departure time.

The ascent from the platform to carriage was two thirds higher than that of the more regular Class 158s. Only the earlier Class 101 or Class 110 Calder Valley DMUs - and the Mark II carriages - had a drop as high as this. Thankfully, the doors are twice the width of these Heritage DMUs - and a third longer than the Class 158s. Elsewhere within Stalybridge station are posters detailing the engineering works. I hope this includes raising the height of the platforms. Till then, I shall invest in a decent walking pole or get my boots on.

Once inside the train, acceleration is akin to an electric train. The legroom is greater than the Class 158s, and the ride quality is slightly smoother. One notable function is the inclusion of electronic information displays and announcements, in tones similar to the Connie character of the AOL adverts fame. Another first is the inclusion of a digital clock - ideal for calculating how long your train will be stuck at Ardwick junction for!

Sadly, the Class 185 has some imperfections. One is the lab rat style lighting (not very good for persons with sensory impairments), compared with the more relaxed levels on the Class 158s. The other is the positioning of the doors. Positioned a third and two thirds way of each carriage, it gives the impression of the train being suited for suburban medium distance workings, rather than medium-long distance inter-city journeys (which is the sector best suited to the Transpennine lines from Liverpool to Newcastle/Scarborough/Hull/Middlesbrough). Despite that, the positioning also allows for faster entry and exit.  The only other quibble I have are the seat cushions.  Though ideal for a short journey to Manchester Piccadilly, I would say the cushions would be a bit hard if I used the same station for a journey to Scarborough or Newcastle.
Other than that, the three car units are an improvement on most of the rolling stock that has appeared on the Transpennine line. Designed by Siemens, the units are reminiscent of their Class 350 EMUs, which I have had the pleasure of travelling on earlier this year from Crewe to Birmingham New Street.  Unlike the 1988 Class 158s, there seems to be improved noise insulation.

My journey arrived at Manchester Piccadilly on time, though at Oxford Road, the train arrived two minutes late, due to the non technical issue of awaiting the guard for the Manchester Piccadilly - Liverpool Lime Street section.

• Ambience:  Lab rat style lighting a slight distraction, suburban style door positioning (78%);
• Sound insulation: Much quieter than the Class 158s (82%);
• Ride quality: Very good over continuously welded rail, though not properly tested due to the slow line speeds on this section [Stalybridge - Manchester Oxford Road] (80%);
• Comfort: Slightly hard seats but excellent legroom (84%).

Overall rating: 82%: Not the ultimate train for the Transpennine line, though not far off.  Corridor ends rather than sealed cabs would have been much better for workings with greater than three carriages.

Rail Excuse Bingo

Several months ago, being one of 13,500 regular monthly users of Stalybridge station, I was getting cheesed off with the amount of delays on the Trans Pennine Express. Being that I was bored of the free newspapers, and heard enough announcements (or excuses) in my lifetime, I hit upon this madcap idea.

In recent times, I had seen lotto games, similar to a football card which used office buzzwords like ‘Touch Base’, ‘Thinking outside the box’ and ‘Ball Park Estimate’. I then thought: ‘what about the announcements used to describe late running trains?’

So on that dull November in 2005, Rail Excuse Bingo was born.

As with normal bingo games, commuters would circle their desired squares. Instead of ‘Clickety Click, Class 56′, ‘leaves on the line’, ’signal failure’ and ’staff shortage’ would feature. A line could win you a free day saver ticket (in Greater Manchester, the GM Rail Ranger). A full house on the card could win you a season ticket between any two of your desired points (though to a maximum 30 miles round trip, so no-one can screw the railways requesting a season ticket for travel from Littlehampton to Thurso).

Money could be channelled towards passenger user groups such as the Penistone Line Partnership, and feature either as a one off game for Christmas, or to commemorate a new fares revision.

Sadly the game can only work effectively at staffed stations, unstaffed stations with the dulcet tones of Phil Sayer, or on board trains with public address announcements.

Please note, this article is meant to be taken as tongue in cheek, and that the man behind ‘East of the M60′ understands that rail companies do not really like to break bad news, nor purposely inconvenience its passengers.

Stuart Vallantine.