Memorandum by Ludlow Rail Users (RR 08)
On your Inquiry into Rural Railways in this
area, you will no doubt visit Ludlow where there is an excellent
example of private enterprise—a rail travel agent providing
both information and tickets. We should be delighted to meet you
on your visit. The meeting at Shrewsbury is on the same date and
time as our AGM.
— Since privatisation, imaginative
management has greatly improved services on this line, giving
us almost an hourly service to north and south; we hope this will
continue with the new franchise. Our present experience, losing
the service to London Waterloo and connections to Eurostar, raises
questions. We are not sure whether this is as a result of the
SRA only wishing one operator at each London terminal—which
hardly leads to increased competition—or whether it is a
dilution of rural rail services generally. The through train to
Waterloo meant passengers from the Marches area could avoid the
problems involved in crossing London.
— We have lost our direct services
to the south coast; we hope that the direct service to the West
Country will continue.
— We have requested a stop at Ludlow
on the Monday-Friday 12.58 ex Manchester—14.41 ex Shrewsbury,
due Hereford 15.32; so far, without success.
— Under our new franchisee, we very
much hope that the through line from Cardiff to Manchester does
not come under the auspices of the Welsh Assembly. The local English
population does not appreciate timetables in Welsh on Ludlow Station,
railway announcement and notices on this line should be in English.
— In rural areas, people use cars to
get to their railway stations, well lit car parking areas, with
an element of security—CCTV—are needed.
We trust that the Transport Committee, on behalf
of rural constituents, will intercede with the relevant rail bodies
on our behalf
Neil Ker
Chairman
14 April 2004
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