ISSUE 6 2019 Take a look…
2 Keeping
moving in extreme weather
3 15 minute Delay Repay
Spot new trains on test in East Anglia Have you spotted our brand new trains which are being taken out for test runs out and about the network?
We know people are excited to see our new trains, but please remember to keep yourselves and our railway staff safe if you’re taking photos, by standing behind the yellow line at stations and not using flash photography.
We’ve now got four of the trains which are replacing our diesel trains and you may have seen a couple of them on test across the network both night and day. The trains have to go through rigorous performance and safety tests before they’re passed as fit for passenger services.
We’re also asking road users to be alert at level crossings at night as there will be trains going past in the middle of the night, at times when they’re not used to level crossing barriers being down.
So far, the new trains have been taken out between Norwich and Great Yarmouth, Norwich and Colchester and along the Norwich to Cambridge line too. Made by Swiss company, Stadler, the trains are bi-mode, which means they can switch between diesel and electric power. Technicians have been checking the operation of the pantograph, which draws power from the overhead wires, and monitoring the performance of the wheel sets – known as bogies. They also need to check how they perform at different speeds and on different routes.
All of Greater Anglia’s 169 brand new trains will be longer with more seats, USB and plug points, air conditioning, fast free wifi, accessible toilets and improved passenger information screens. Stadler is making 58 new trains to replace existing diesel, intercity and Stansted Express trains and Bombardier, based in Derby, is making 111 electric commuter trains.
Find out more and watch a video here greateranglia.co.uk/spot-new-trains
Donating delay repay money to charity
You said
We did
Customers asked us to create an option to donate their Delay Repay compensation to charity. We thought that was a great idea and now we can report that as a result of customers’ generosity we donated over £8,000 to the Samaritans in 2018. The charity donation option was part of an overhaul of our delay repay scheme. We streamlined it and added an option to have the money paid straight into a bank account via BACS. The majority of trains run on time, but we want to compensate customers for their inconvenience when there are delays.
Making a difference to performance
Keeping moving in extreme weather
I know there have been a few incidents that have caused big delays recently, but I’m happy to say that our overall performance is improving. The Greater Anglia four-weekly performance stats in the graphic below are the best they’ve been since we started this newsletter last September. Obviously, there’s still need for further improvement – I will never be complacent about performance – but I’m glad to see that the many different measures that we’ve brought in to improve punctuality are making a difference. Our new engineering director, Martin Beable, starts in March and he will continue working with the team to further improve the reliability of our current trains.
It’s a year since the Beast from the East blew in from Siberia and dumped snow all over East Anglia. Let’s hope we don’t get such a cold blast this year, but if we do, we’ve drawn on experience and customer feedback from last year and drawn up a new extreme weather incident management plan.
Of course, Network Rail plays a vital part in improving the reliability of the track, signalling and overhead wires on the network. For example, Network Rail is currently carrying out several multi-million pound improvement projects, including replacing the entire overhead lines and structures on the Southend Victoria to Shenfield line. We know weekend and mid-week engineering work on this line has made many of our customers unhappy. We have worked intensively with Network Rail to find a way of speeding up the project and we hope that a nine-day closure of the line during the May half-term week combined with 11 fewer weeks of mid-week works and six fewer weeks of weekend works is more acceptable to customers. With our brand new trains, which you may have seen out and about on the network already, and Network Rail’s infrastructure upgrade projects, we’re fully committed to building a much more modern and reliable railway in East Anglia.
The plan sets out changes we will make to train services, liaising with Network Rail, during heavy snow, and other extreme weather conditions including high winds, floods and high temperatures. Customers told us they’d rather we introduce a consistent plan and stick to it when extreme weather hits, so we’ve drawn up a low speed timetable to replace existing services when Network Rail impose weather-related speed restrictions, which we will inform customers about up to three days in advance if possible. At the same time, Network Rail has also overhauled their winter strategy for 2019, splitting their Anglia route into three separate regions.
Jamie Burles, Managing Director, Greater Anglia
Read more about the plans here greateranglia.co.uk/extreme-weather
How are we doing? Punctuality – how many trains run on time*
Responsibility for delays
Greater Anglia performance 23 December to 5 January 2019
23 December to 5 January 2019
Greater Anglia performance 6 January to 2 February 2019 Annual average performance 12 months to 5 January 2019
Annual average performance 12 months to 2 February 2019
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89.7%
89.9% 87% 87%
61% Network Rail (including external factors)
11% 28% Other train companies
Greater Anglia
6 January to 2 February 2019
52% Network Rail (including external factors)
*Based on Public Performance Measure figures. For more details see greateranglia.co.uk/about-us/our-performance/performance-figures
15% 33% Other train companies
Greater Anglia
Speeding up Southend engineering works completion After listening to feedback from customers, we’ve worked with Network Rail to speed up completion of a long-running major project to replace the entire overhead wiring system and structures on the railway between Southend Victoria and Shenfield. Our customers on the Southend line have complained about inconvenience caused by engineering works at weekends and mid-week evenings on the line. The £46m project is vital for the future reliability of the Southend Victoria to Shenfield service. Existing overhead lines are among the oldest in the country, having been installed in the 1950s. They don’t respond well to changing weather conditions, which means that, especially in hot weather, Network Rail has to impose speed limits on our trains to prevent catastrophic damage to the overhead lines. We and Network Rail held discussions to examine the project and work out how the work could be done with fewer mid-week and weekend works, so that it could finish earlier than originally planned. A plan has now been drawn up which includes nine days, from 25 May to 2 June, when we have agreed that Network Rail can work on the line between Wickford and Southend Victoria 24 hours a day. A reduced train service will run from Wickford to London Liverpool Street, and there will only be a limited bus replacement service between Southend Victoria and Wickford, so customers are advised to make alternative arrangements if possible. Only four working weekdays are affected as the dates include Whitsun Bank Holiday and it’s half-term week, when many of our commuters choose to take time off work. The new plan includes a reduction of 11 weeks of midweek night works and six weekend works compared to previous plans. The project is now due to finish in March 2020, two months earlier than previously planned. There are still some weekends and mid-week evenings when rail replacement will be in operation while Network Rail carry out work. However, the timings of mid-week evenings has been changed to start later in the evening and finish slightly later in the morning, in order to cause less inconvenience. For further information check our web article about it: greateranglia.co.uk/southend-improvements and for details of works on particularly dates check the service alterations section our website.
Sheringham station extended to make way for new trains We’re extending Sheringham station, doubling the length of the platform and putting in a new shelter and improved lighting in preparation for the brand new longer trains which will be calling there from later this year. While we are carrying out the £1 million project, which also includes widening the platform, the station will be shut from Sunday 31 March to Sunday 5 May. A rail replacement bus service will run from Cromer to Sheringham, calling at West Runton. The brand new bi-mode trains which will replace all of our existing diesel trains, are longer, with three or four carriages, so we need to lengthen the platform at Sheringham so that more passengers can travel to the popular North Norfolk seaside resort. Read more about the project here: greateranglia.co.uk/sheringham
How to… use our onboard wifi Once you're on the train you'll see, in your wifi settings, the option to connect to greateranglia. Select and once connected, open up your internet browser. Enter any website address into your browser's address bar, for example www.bbc.co.uk. This will prompt our login screen to appear. Simply agree to the T&Cs, hit Log In, and enjoy our free wifi. Wifi is available on all of our electric trains.
15 minute Delay Repay You may have heard Colchester MP Will Quince raise the subject of Greater Anglia introducing delay repay compensation for delays between 15 to 29 minutes in parliament. During the debate, the rail minister, Andrew Jones, said he expected to have news about it within weeks. Our franchise contract only covers compensation for delays of 30 minutes or more, but we’re keen to lower the threshold and so we have been in discussions with the Department for Transport about it.
Fare dodgers ordered to pay nearly £3m Last year we prosecuted over 10,000 people after they were caught without tickets on our trains. Magistrates imposed fines of more £1,203,974 and costs of £1,676,124 on 10,214 people who were accused of fare evasion across the network. Only people who board a train without a ticket and without any intention of buying a ticket are taken to court – about 500 to 700 people a month. A further 4,000 to 6,000 people end up with penalty fares for using the wrong ticket to travel, such as an adult travelling on a child’s ticket or using a railcard discount when they don’t have a railcard. Read more about this here: greateranglia.co.uk/fare-dodgers
Passenger journeys on Norwich-Cambridge line tops 1 million Over 35,000 extra passenger journeys were made on our Norwich-Cambridge line last year, bringing the annual total to over 1 million – up 3.6% on 2017. The opening of Cambridge North station in 2017 has also boosted passenger numbers. Last year over half a million passengers used the new station.
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Meet... Blake Cracknell, our Tweeting conductor Black Cracknell is one of our conductors who works on our intercity and rural services, including Norwich to Lowestoft and Norwich to Cambridge. He’s recently taken to Twitter to offer an additional service to passengers who travel on his trains. He came up with the idea after we asked staff what we could do to improve customer service. Although he makes regular announcements on his services, he’s not always near to the PA, so he thought it would be useful if he could also keep customers informed via his Twitter account @ConductorBlake. Customers can also ask him questions via Twitter.
Visit East Anglia on Greater Anglia
Blake, who has been a conductor for four years, was recently named one of 30 “Service Diamonds”, identified as excellent role models and asked to look at other ways of raising customer service standards across Greater Anglia.
Planned service alterations Engineering works in March
Read more and see a video of Blake here: greateranglia.co.uk/conductorblake
Friday 1 March – Sunday 31 March 2019
Reedham – Great Yarmouth
Please refer to journey planner for full details greateranglia.co.uk
Sheringham
Buses will replace trains all day. Sunday 31 March until Sunday 5 May
Kings Lynn
North Walsham
Gunton
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Salhouse Brundall
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Brundall Gardens
March
Whittlesea
Sh
Ely Manea
Cambridge North
Buses will replace trains until 08.30. Sunday 31 March
Kennett
Great Chesterford Audley End
Stratford/Hackney Downs – Hertford East/Bishops Stortford
Newport
Services that normally run via the Lea Valley/Tottenham Hale will be diverted via the Southbury Loop/Seven Sisters. Saturday 9 March Sunday 10 March Saturday 23 March Sunday 24 March
Stansted Mountfichet
Bishops Stortford
Buses will replace trains until 09.00. Sunday 3 March Sunday 10 March
St. Margarets Rye House
Stratford/Hackney Downs – Cheshunt
Services that normally run via the Lea Valley/Tottenham Hale will be diverted Enfield Theobalds Grove via the Southbury Loop/Seven Sisters. Town Turkey Saturday 30 March Sunday 31 March Street
Bush Hill Park
Hackney Downs – Cheshunt
These services are diverted to stop at Tottenham Hale Station instead of Seven Sisters Station: 22.51 Cambridge to Liverpool Street, 23.30 Stansted Airport to Liverpool Street, 23.45 Stansted Airport to Liverpool Street, 23.39 Hertford East to Liverpool Street. Monday 11 March Tuesday 12 March Wednesday 13 March Thursday 14 March
Roydon
Broxbourne
Limited Service Southbury Edmonton Green
Cheshunt
Waltham Cross
Ponders End
White Hart Lane
Angel Road
Bruce Grove Seven Sisters Limited Service
Stratford – Tottenham Hale
Stamford Hill
All Hertford East to Stratford services will be diverted to start/terminate at Liverpool Street until 20.00. Sunday 17 March
Stoke Newington
Trains will be diverted via an alternative route until 09.50. Sunday 3 March LONDON LIVERPOOL STREET
Chappel & Wakes Colne
Hythe
Braintree Freeport
Weeley
Kelvedon
22.56 Colchester to Walton-on-the-Naze service will be diverted to Clacton. Passengers for Kirby Cross, Frinton and Walton-on-the-Naze should change at Thorpe-Le-Soken to replacement buses. Additionally, buses will replace trains for the 23.18 (00.30 9 March*) Colchester to Clacton service. Saturday 9 March* Monday 11 March Tuesday 12 March Wednesday 13 March
White Notley
Brentwood
Althorne
Wickford
Battlesbridge
Rayleigh Hockley
Gidea Park Emerson Park Romford
Upminster
Rochford Southend Airport
for c2c
Prittlewell
Chadwell Heath Goodmayes
London Fields
Seven Kings Ilford
Cambridge Heath
Manor Park
Bethnal Green
Forest Gate Maryland
Stratford
Stansted Express – Direct bus service will replace trains until 09.00. Sunday 3 March Sunday 10 March Sunday 17 March Sunday 24 March
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Kirby Cross
Thorpele-Soken
Clacton-on-Sea
Southminster Burnhamon-Crouch
North Fambridge South Woodham Ferrers
Billericay
Harold Wood
Frinton-on-Sea
Great Bentley
Colchester – Thorpe-le-Soken/ Clacton-on-Sea/Walton-on-the-Naze
Cressing
Walthamstow Central
Lea Bridge
Walton-on-the-Naze Alresford
Marks Tey
St. James Street
Harwich Town
Wivenhoe
Colchester Town
Braintree
Chingford
Hackney Downs
Harwich Dovercourt International
to Stansted
Colchester
Highams Park
Liverpool Street – Stansted Airport
For the latest information
Bures
Wood Street
Rectory Road
Wrabness
Shenfield
Tottenham Hale
Felixstowe
Trimley
Derby Road
Manningtree
Sudbury
Northumberland Park
Clapton
Liverpool Street – Hackney Downs
Woodbridge Westerfield
Witham From 21.25 some trains may depart early and journey times will be extended by 10 minutes. Monday 4 March* Tuesday 5 March* Hatfield Wednesday 6 March* Thursday 7 March* Peverel Monday 11 March Tuesday 12 March Chelmsford Wednesday 13 March Thursday 14 March Wednesday 20 March Thursday 21 March Ingatestone Monday 25 March Tuesday 26 March
Brimsdown
Silver Street
Saxmundham
Check our website to make sure you get the best fare available for your day out by train in East Anglia on greateranglia.co.uk/ price-promise. Great fares and offers include Groupsave and Advance fares. Get a railcard for further discounts of 30%.
Ipswich
Gidea Park – Seven Kings*/ Gidea Park – Shenfield
Enfield Lock
Buses will replace trains from 18.50 Saturday and all day Sunday. Saturday 2, Sunday 3 March Saturday 16, Sunday 17 March Saturday 23, Sunday 24 March Saturday 30, Sunday 31 March
Wickham Market
Mistley
00.18 and 00.46 Liverpool Street to Colchester services will terminate at Witham, replacement bus from Witham to Colchester. Late evening services – Monday 25 March Tuesday 26 March Wednesday 27 March
Harlow Town
Ipswich – Felixstowe
Brampton Halesworth
Buses will replace trains until 09.00. Saturday 9 March
Witham – Colchester Harlow Mill
Ware
Lowestoft Oulton Broad Beccles South
Darsham
Audley End/Stansted Airport – Liverpool Street
to Colchester
Sawbridgeworth
Somerleyton
Buses replace trains. Sunday 3 March until 16.45 Saturday 16, 23, 30 March Sunday 17, 24, 31 March Mon 25 to Fri 29 March
Buses replace trains. Sunday 3 March until 16.45 Saturday 16, 23, 30 March Sunday 17, 24, 31 March Mon 25 to Fri 29 March
Oulton Broad North
Haddiscoe
Needham Market
Norwich – Lowestoft/ Great Yarmouth
Limited Service
Reedham
Melton
Stansted Airport
Elsenham
Hertford East
Stowmarket
23.30 Liverpool Street to Norwich service will be replaced by buses between Ipswich and Norwich. Monday 4 March Tuesday 5 March Wednesday 6 March Saturday 9 March Sunday 10 March (07.00 service)
Whittlesford Parkway
Cantley
Beccles – Lowestoft Ipswich – Norwich
Great Yarmouth
Acle Berney Arms
Buckenham
Elmswell
Newmarket
Shelford
Buses will replace trains until 09.00. Sunday 17 March Sunday 24 March
Bury St. Edmunds Thurston
Dullingham
Cambridge
Broxbourne – Bishops Stortford
Lingwood
Diss
Waterbeach
Audley End – Cambridge
Buses replace trains. Saturday 16 March Sunday 17 March
Hoveton & Wroxham
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Downham Market Littleport
Ely – Peterborough
4
Norwich
Norwich – Sheringham
Worstead
Watlington
for Northern England and Scotland
Cheshunt – Bishops Stortford/ Hertford East
Roughton Road
W
Limited Service
Peterborough
Buses will replace trains. Sunday 3 March
West Runton
Sheringham – Cromer
No service, Cantley and Reedham customers for Great Yarmouth to travel via Brundall, no service for Berney Arms. For further advice please use the station help point or speak to a member of staff. until further notice
Cromer
We’re promoting some of the most picturesque places to visit by train in East Anglia, using spectacular images of some of the region’s beauty spots, including Cambridge, Cromer, Norwich and Constable Country. We’re encouraging people to take days out across the region. The photos incorporate our new brand character, a stylised picture of a hare – an animal native to East Anglia and a symbol of grace, speed and freedom. Look out for the opportunity to win free train tickets in a spot the hare competition.
Liverpool Street/Stratford – Shenfield/Southminster / Southend Victoria Buses will replace trains between Ingatestone/Southend Victoria and Newbury Park (TfL Central Line) for passengers travelling to/from London. Buses will replace trains between Wickford and Southminster. Tickets will be accepted on the Central Line from Newbury Park to/from Liverpool Street. Saturday 2 March Sunday 3 March Saturday 9 March Sunday 10 March Saturday 16 March Sunday 17 March Saturday 23 March Sunday 24 March Saturday 30 March Sunday 31 March
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Shenfield – Wickford Buses will replace trains from 23.40. Some early morning services the next day are also affected. Monday 4, Tuesday 5, Wednesday 6 March Monday 11, Tuesday 12, Wednesday 13 March Monday 18, Tuesday 19, Wednesday 20 March Monday 25, Tuesday 26, Wednesday 27 March Southend Victoria Pindar Creative 18.2.19 (GA85)
Red lines Indicate engineering works taking place all day Purple lines Indicate engineering works taking place for part of the day only Greater Anglia Sunday service only Greater Anglia limited service Operated by TfL
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Find out more about Greater Anglia If you want more news and updates about Greater Anglia, there are plenty of places you can get them. Follow Greater Anglia News on Twitter @GreaterAngliaPR. Find us on Facebook facebook.com/ greateranglia or follow Greater Anglia on LinkedIn. Check out the News Desk section of our website for the latest news articles and blogs. greateranglia.co.uk/ newsdesk