Clean Power for Transport package disappoints rail sector
The Community of European Railway and Infrastructure Companies (CER) has expressed disappointment at the European Commission’s new Clean Power for Transport package for largely ignoring the role that rail can play in breaking the dependence of transport on oil. The CER says the Communication on a European alternative fuels strategy, and the proposed directive on alternative fuels infrastructure and standards, both overlook improvements that can be made to rail infrastructure, rolling stock and operations. In particular, they omit the completion of electrification of the rail network which would allow trains to run on potentially zero-carbon electricity. The proposed directive, believes
the CER, is clearly aimed largely at the road sector, although the different modes of transport are not properly distinguished in it. CER’s executive director, Libor Lochman, said: ‘The major environmental problems caused by transport, in particular CO2 emissions, are in modes other than rail. CER welcomes and supports building up infrastructure for alternative fuels in all modes as part of the wider plan to achieve the 60 per cent greenhouse gas emissions reduction target in transport by 2050.
‘However, the package barely
mentions the role that rail can play in helping solve those problems, and in particular the need for further support to ensure that the European rail network can be fully electrified.’
Passengers give station improvements the thumbs up
Passenger satisfaction at seven stations increased by an average of 30
percentage points following improvement works funded by the National Stations Improvement Programme (NSIP). Passengers said visual real-time information, staff, and toilets were the most important things to have at a station, with waiting rooms, information on arrival times and toilets in most need of improvement. The findings - the result of research
LOROL Overground concession extended to
November 2016 Transport for London (TfL) has granted a two-year extension to its contract with London Overground Rail Operations (LOROL) to operate the London Overground network on its behalf. This follows the success of LOROL’s operations during the Olympic and Paralympic Games and its sustained levels of punctuality since then. Under the contract, LOROL will continue to be responsible for the operation of the London Overground train services, maintenance and operation of the stations which it manages and the maintenance of the 172 trains which run on the Gospel Oak to Barking line. A £320 million programme to introduce five-car trains on all LO routes and increase capacity by 25 per cent was also announced recently, involving the delivery of an extra 57 carriages and construction of longer platforms. Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said the programme will allow Londoners to take advantage of ‘what has become the most popular suburban railway in the country.’ (See interview, page 16)
Chancellor visits Wilmslow station
by the independent watchdog, Passenger Focus, and Network Rail - measured passenger satisfaction before and after improvements at Balham, Finsbury Park, Gipsy Hill, Halifax, Smitham, Streatham Hill and Uckfield. Anthony Smith, Passenger Focus chief executive, said: ‘Our research clearly shows that passenger satisfaction with stations increases when the money invested in improvements is targeted at things that matter most to them.’
• Shelters and waiting rooms were among the most important facilities to have at stations. Following NSIP improvement works passengers gave much higher satisfaction scores for facilities such as ticket offices, shelters, waiting rooms and station entrances and exits.
Other findings include:
• 68 per cent of passengers noticed improvements to station buildings; 47 per cent noticed waiting rooms; 34 per cent shelters; 30 per cent platform seating and 29 per cent lighting
The Rt Hon George Osborne MP recently saw the results of the £500,000 worth of improvements that have taken place at the popular Cheshire station.
One million passengers per year will enjoy new CCTV in the station and car parks, refurbished waiting rooms and toilets, additional customer information screens, signage, flooring and handrails as well as a re-panelled subway and lobby. George Osborne commented: ‘Ten years ago we fought hard to get direct train services to Wilmslow, now this campaign has paid off too.’
• More than 20 per cent of passengers noticed that the toilets had improved, showing that overall satisfaction with stations would increase significantly if more work was done to improve toilets at stations
Page 8 March 2013
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