Memorandum by the Heart of Wales Line
Forum (RR 18)
TRANSPORT COMMITTEE VISIT TO SHREWSBURY
I write as the Line Development Officer of the
Heart of Wales Line Forum, to raise a few issues that I hope the
Committee will find of assistance in reviewing rural rail services
in the area.
1. The Heart of Wales Line has Shrewsbury
as its Northern terminal, providing a link between Shropshire,
the isolated and mainly small communities of Shropshire and Mid
Wales, and the South Wales coast at Swansea.
2. In September 2003 we submitted evidence
to the Welsh Affairs Committee, and I attach a copy of this[2]
as the content is still relevant. The WA Committee, in their recent
report, recommended (para 85) "that Arriva take steps to
integrate the Heart of Wales line in its plans for the hub at
Shrewsbury".
3. When Arriva come to consider how to achieve
this, with the timetable to be launched in December 2005, they
will have to deal with one of the fundamental issues facing our
line (and some other rural services)—that of too few trains.
The PSR for our line calls for four through services each way
each day except Sunday, and it is to be presumed that the SRA
funding of the franchise will only support this level of service.
As will be seen from our 2003 evidence, we believe that the current
timetable simply does not meet the needs of passengers, and needs
to be increased.
There is little point in spending the considerable
sums of money required to keep such a line open, if the train
service operated on it is inadequate and does not enable people
to use it!
4. The Forum has, itself, taken guidance
from a transport consultant who, as a BR manager, was responsible
for reducing the level of service on the line in 1993 as a cost
cutting measure. The result was that whilst operating costs reduced
by 25% in 1993, income fell by 50%. A worse service cost more,
and the investment in the infrastructure was thus less worthwhile.
Most rural services lose money. Clearly, on
a loss making service, a balance has to be found between reducing
costs (in which case the optimum is to run no trains), and providing
a suitable service and generating some income: a four train a
day service is sub optimal.
5. Turning to rolling stock, our views remain
as expressed in the 2003 evidence. In addition, we welcome the
suggestions being made in the SRA consultative draft on Community
Rail Development. Innovative use of currently surplus rolling
stock; and the possible derogation of standards to enable the
use of "heritage" units on rural lines are both sensible.
Attention also needs to be paid to the stranglehold of the ROSCOs
on the provision of rolling stock at what appear to be exorbitant
prices. This may be appropriate in the case of new stock on main
lines, but is yet another "killer" for rural services.
6. The Forum is an active supporter of ACoRP
(the Association of Community Rail Partnerships). We agree with
their submission to you. In particular, and as mentioned in our
2003 paper, we believe that lines such as the Heart of Wales have
the potential to contribute more to issues of sustainability and
social inclusion. "The System" militates against this
at present. The common sense ideas being promoted by ACoRP and
the SRA consultative paper, if adopted, will be of great assistance
to us and similar lines.
7. Our dealings so far with Arriva Trains
Wales have been friendly and mutually supportive. They are keen
to work with the Forum to make the most of the line and the service
it provides. They, and we, will be better able to do this with
the provision of adequate resources, and a common sense and flexible
system of railway management.
David Edwards
Line Development Officer
April 2004
2 Not printed-Welsh Affairs Committee Third Report
2003-04, The Provision of Rail Services in Wales, HC458, Ev 118. Back
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