Avocet Line

ALRUG responds to franchise consultation

Diana — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 13:03:19 +0000

Following the well attended and supportive open meeting on Monday 13 February 2012, ALRUG has finalised the response to the Department for Transport consultation on the new Great Western Franchise. This response will be circulated to other major stakeholders.

The Group has also issued a press notice to publicise the response.

Illustrated talk on the Weston Clevedon and Portishead Light Railway

Diana — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 19:15:19 +0000

An illustrated talk will be given on Wednesday 7 March by Rail Historian (and one of the first ‘Revitalised’ L&B Rly Passenger Guards) Mr Chris Redwood on the Weston Clevedon and Portishead Light Railway at the Rising Sun Hotel Umberleigh. (approx. 4 mins. walk from the nearby Railway Station). Meet at the Rising Sun from 1800 for the show to start at about 1845.

Entry is Free.

TRAIN TIMES:-
1623 Exmouth/1657 Exeter St D arrives Umberleigh at 1754
1813 Barnstaple arrives Umberleigh at 1821Depart Umberleigh 2159 for Barnstaple and 2032 or 2224 for stations to Exeter/Exmouth

This is a North Devon Railway social event open to all.

Group outing

Diana — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 18:27:08 +0000

For the summer outing this year we are proposing to go to the Fox and Hounds Hotel in Eggesford for Sunday lunch. This will be a joint event with the Tarka Rail Association.

The hotel is very close to the station (on the Barnstaple line). The cost of main courses is expected to be in the region of £8.75 with starters and desserts priced at £3.75.

Further details will be available nearer the time, but we do hope a number of members will be able to come along.

Committee Meeting

Diana — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 18:20:11 +0000

Members and public meeting

Diana — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 18:17:28 +0000

Provisional theme of the meeting is community rail status

Committee meeting

Diana — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 18:14:32 +0000

ALRUG welcomes franchise consultation

Diana — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 16:58:00 +0000

ALRUG has issued a press notice welcoming the Department for Transport’s consultation on the new Great Western franchise. You can read a copy here.

Great Western Franchise Consultation Launched

Diana — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 17:28:56 +0000

The Department for Transport published its consultation document on the replacement Great Western franchise on 22 December 2011. The consultation runs until March 31 2012.

Here are links to the consultation document, and the notice of the Invitation to Tender published in the Official Journal of the European Union and supporting documents.

ALRUG will hold an open meeting for all members to discuss our response to the consultation. This will take place on Monday 13 February at 7 p.m. at the Manor Hotel, Exmouth. More details will be available in due course.

Committee Meeting

Diana — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 11:54:39 +0000

Committee meeting at the Manor Hotel, Exmouth

Rail Group seeks new trains and more stations

Diana — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 17:56:03 +0000

Those of you who came to our AGM will know that the Group has prepared a paper setting out aspirations for the new Great Western Franchise, which is due to start in April 2013. A copy of the paper can been found here. This has now been sent to the Department for Transport.

Set out below is a press notice issued by the Group on 5 December 2011.

Press Notice

“Rail users on theExeterto Exmouth line have set out what they want Government to ask the next train operator in the West to provide.

The current franchise, held by First Great Western, ends in 2013 and the process of deciding which train operator will run services from then is getting under way. The Department for Transport is expected to reveal its thinking later this month about what services should be specified, in a draft Invitation to Tender.

High on the list of improvements which passengers want to see are trains with four coaches, preferably new, and stations to serve new development at Newcourt and Hill Barton in Exeter. These would be part of a Devon Metro rail scheme serving all Exeter commuters, which would eventually see a train every 15 minutes between the City and Exmouth.

The Avocet Line Rail Users Group, representing more than 200 passengers on the busy commuter line to Exmouth, also wants improvements to existing stations, especially Exmouth and Digby & Sowton, which is says “are no longer fit for purpose”. More station staff, ticket machines at all stations and further improvements to customer information are needed. A regular main line service should connect better with Exmouth trains.

Group Chairman Tony Day, said “The number of people using our trains is still increasing year on year. The next operator must be given a franchise which encourages them to invest in a growing railway – and Government must make it easier to work with Network Rail to get things done. The very first thing we want is services on Sunday that are as good as those during the week.”

“We are meeting local MPs Ben Bradshaw and Hugo Swire to let them know our views and will be telling potential rail operators what we would like to see. We have already heard back from new Secretary of State Justine Greening that she is interested in the arguments we have put forward.”

Once the Government has published the draft specification for new services there will be a consultation period. ALRUG will be arranging an open meeting, provisionally on February 13^th, to give local people a chance to hear and comment on the plans.”