WELCOME TO S.L.U.G. NEWS PAGE

We hope that you will find this page informative. It will be updated on a regular basis and will include articles supplied by the train companies and transport authorities with the appropriate links for detail. This is where you will find reports from S.L.U.G. officers and information on the Group’s activities including notice of meetings.

The scope of news coverage will be any matter relating to Stourbridge Line stations, trains and performance and also bus links to the line. We will comment on events and developments and offer constructive criticism where appropriate.

If you have any news material to share or if you want to comment on any of the news stories published here e-mail: newseditor@stourbridgelineusergroup.info

News Page Updated 29 June 2009

29 June 2009

Enlarging the Network

The Stourbridge Line User Group warmly welcomes a new report by the Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC) which was published on the 15th June 2009. In the report, “Connecting Communities”, ATOC calls for the routes involved to be safeguarded, and for further detailed planning with Network Rail and local authorities to prioritise investment. The suggested rail links, which might be built within a five to ten year timescale, would serve the following highly populated towns and cities:

• Cranleigh (Surrey)
• Bordon, Hythe and Ringwood (Hampshire)
• Churston for Brixham (Devon)
• Aldridge and Brownhills (West Midlands)
• Wisbech (Cambridgeshire).
• Leicester to Burton (Derbyshire)
• Fleetwood, Rawtenstall and Skelmersdale (Lancashire)
• Washington (Tyne and Wear)
• Ashington & Blyth (Northumberland)

ATOC can build a business case for these re-openings and takes into account the economic benefit and environmental advantage of taking passenger traffic off roads.

While SLUG appreciates the importance and advantages of all the proposed re-openings, it is most interested in the identification of a Walsall to Brownhills or Lichfield service. This corridor is being considered for inclusion in the West Midlands Rail Utilisation Strategy. The restoration of the Walsall-Brownhills-Lichfield line for freight is proposed by Centro in its strategic plan, to release capacity on other routes serving Birmingham. Longer term, the Brownhills route could form part of an interurban service from Birmingham to Walsall, Brownhills, Lichfield, Burton and Derby.

Naturally, SLUG sees an opportunity to demand a passenger service from Stourbridge to Walsall and beyond. In fact this route is listed in the appendix of the report under “Other Potential Link Lines”. ATOC has evaluated the Stourbridge-Dudley-Walsall line as physically achievable but not sought to make the business case. SLUG feels that if a business case for Midland Metro Line Two has been made, then the data and statistics also apply for a heavy rail service.

SLUG has traditionally supported Midland Metro with the proviso that a parallel heavy rail link would follow at a later date. The current situation is that Metro has a £250m shortfall of funds and government funding will not be forthcoming without the introduction of road congestion charges across the West Midlands. Tolls are deeply unpopular with local politicians, so a position of stalemate hinders progress. Centro is looking at tram/train track-sharing schemes and this may be the way forward. However, the government must take the train-operating companies seriously because the system is experiencing growth and capacity needs to be built in to cater for future demand. Surely a traditional diesel train operation from Stourbridge to Walsall would be easier and cheaper to put in place than a Metro tram system? Once it was established, the service could be evaluated for electrification.

25 May 2009

A place in history

The second week of May secured a place for Stourbridge Town in the pages of transport history. Already recorded as the shortest branch line in the United Kingdom, the railway from Stourbridge Town to Stourbridge Junction became the first to be operated by the unique Parry People Mover (PPM) railcar, entering service in the week which commenced May 11th 2009.

Although the vehicle was intended to be introduced in the last London Midland timetable, the whole project was delayed, as reported on our website and in our newsletter. In the absence of the rail shuttle, a coach service was substituted.

At our Public Meeting held on May 6th, Mike Haigh, Business Strategy Director for London Midland, explained that his company had responded to customer complaints about the replacement coach service and restored the class 153 to enable better connections. The implication was that customers would have drifted away if the coach had continued to provide the shuttle.

Mike explained the reasons for the delayed introduction of the Parry People Mover vehicle. Although the commencement date of the service had been planned in good faith, no one could have foreseen the problems involved. A multitude of factors had compounded to prevent a smooth changeover; sub-contracting of parts manufacture, additional modifications to meet rigorous specifications and stringent tests. The intricacies of introducing a new generation of railcar have now been realised and the class 139 will be phased in gradually. (During the phasing-in period, a back-up class 153 will be stabled in sidings at Stourbridge Junction in case of vehicle failure).

SLUG has not witnessed all of the various ongoing processes which preceded the decisions. To put the various aspects into context, we can now report facts which were denied to us earlier this year:-

• The innovation has been successful both in vehicle type and operating procedures.
  
• Vehicle 139 002 has been fully approved for passenger operation and has demonstrated how well the PPM 60 type fits the operation of the Stourbridge Town branch
  
• Pre Metro Operations has operated passenger services using 139 002 and over 1,500 passenger journeys have already been made on this unit during the week commencing 11th May
  
• The partner of the 139 002 (139 001) was delivered to Stourbridge on 17th May and is now being prepared for full acceptance and approval for passenger operation
  
• Preparations for full passenger service are now in the final stages.
  At the time of going to press, it is expected that one PPM 60 unit will be providing the branch service on either/or weekdays/weekends, in between the regular diesel railcar. The times of operation may be subject to revision.

30 April 2009

SLUG sets targets for the next two decades.

In response to a new West Midlands Region Rail Development Plan, the Stourbridge Line User Group has drafted a reply encompassing all its suggested improvements for a local and intercity service. The W.M.R.D.P. covers the next two decades and promises major investment in trains and railway infrastructure.

The Group believes that it has a duty to bring more national destinations within easy reach of Stourbridge Line stations. The two options which SLUG will explore are more through services and more one-change connections at interchange stations. The Group recognises that Stourbridge Line passengers have adapted to their trains serving Birmingham Snow Hill and Birmingham Moor Street. Their loyalty will be rewarded with more destinations such as Leicester and others in the East of England, being available at these Birmingham stations.

Unlike previous Rail Development Plans, the W.M.R.R.D.P. includes rail services that run through to Worcestershire and some lines that have no stations within the political boundary of the West Midlands County. Commenting on this aspect, SLUG Chairman Rob Hebron said:-

“The Stourbridge Line User Group is pleased that this Rail Development Plan recognises travel-to-work patterns which are cross county. It also takes into account regeneration in towns outside the West Midlands County. Economic growth and regeneration will change the pattern of travel and our railways will need to conform.

He continued:-

“The Group has set out its response in two parts; one relating to its stations in the West Midlands County, the other to those in Worcestershire. The latter section will be used as a basis for a joint response with other Worcestershire Rail User Groups”.

The Stourbridge Line User Group believes that the W.M.R.R.D.P. will be the main topic at its Public Meeting and A.G.M. which is being held at Kidderminster (Severn Valley Railway) station on Wednesday May 6th, commencing at 7:30pm.

The Group expects a good turn-out from members and the general public who can put questions to guests from London Midland, Chiltern Railways, Centro and Worcestershire County Council.

3rd March 2009

Stourbridge – reversing the decline

In the last article, S.L.U.G. Chairman, Rob Hebron expressed his disappointment at delays to Stourbridge public transport improvements. His mood changed back to one of optimism when he was invited to a public meeting to debate the decline of Stourbridge Town Centre. The event was organised by Stourbridge resident, David Cox under the banner “One Heart, One Way”. The meeting, chaired by Stourbridge MP, Lynda Waltho brought together shoppers, traders, property developers, councillors and representatives of public transport organisations.

The agenda set out to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the town and members of the audience were invited to air their views or to submit ideas on a pre-printed form. The prevailing feeling was that arrival in Stourbridge by car, bus or train was not an enjoyable experience. The swathes of derelict land, out of date bus station and dirty subways create a bad first impression. This is unfortunate when Stourbridge High Street actually has many fine buildings with outstanding architectural features. The town also supports an array of independent specialist shops which are often overlooked because they are in Lower High Street.

Guest speaker, John Parry of Parry People Movers offered some solutions to transport problems. He brought with him a scale model of Stourbridge Town Station showing how the area could benefit from landscaping. The forthcoming light railcar vehicle will transform the branch line into a tramway and the station could easily become open-plan so as to proudly display the fine station building which has an almost “Swiss” style appearance. The model is not far removed from our Chairman’s vision of an integrated train and bus station which actually looks integrated.

Mr Parry has greater ambitions to take the tramway into Stourbridge Town Centre. There is no endorsement, at present, from Centro but the P.T.E. seems to be very interested. From comments made by the Centro spokesman and local Councillors, it would appear that the re-opening of the Stourbridge to Walsall passenger railway line may very well depend on the success of the new railcar on the Stourbridge Town branch line. However, our Chairman witnessed a sign of commitment to the Walsall Line re-opening albeit long-term.

The meeting lasted for a duration of two hours and many more issues were raised which were not transport related. Our representative missed his chance to speak on the delayed bus station. Reasons for delay were given which confirmed that the re-design was for the benefit of rail passengers as well as bus customers.

Our Chairman submitted his official SLUG ideas at the meeting and passed on his personal views by e-mail. He has promised to remain involved with the new Stourbridge action group and will report on any interesting developments.

3rd March 2009

Stourbridge – delays and disappointments.

Back in November, the Stourbridge Line User Group was optimistic and upbeat about the future of public transport in Stourbridge. We reported the strategy of Centro to evaluate tram/train track sharing and the implied intention of the Authority to include Stourbridge in the Metro extension. Our optimism was short lived as Geoff Hoon, Secretary of State for Transport, poured cold water on plans to secure government funding. When interviewed earlier this year, Mr Hoon made it quite clear that funding through the Transport Innovation Fund (TIF) was subject to congestion charges being levied in the region. The “Green Deal” as we call it, was rejected outright in Manchester despite offering billions of pounds for public transport improvements. There is no political will to introduce road charging in the West Midlands as it is a certain vote loser. This leaves the Council Tax payer and the Private Sector to find the shortfall which the government should have provided. Does anyone seriously think that Metro will be up and running before 2015? The tragedy is that in this current recession, construction projects are vital to kick start the economy and provide employment. Regeneration is the key to recovery. This Group thinks it is time to look at alternative options based on existing tracks and available rolling stock. At least Dudley could be linked to the national rail network at Stourbridge Junction without electrification. The tram/train idea could be incorporated later.

As if Metro delay is not bad enough, Stourbridge commuters will have to wait another year for their new bus/rail interchange. The reason given is that the original plan is to be revised to include benefits gained through “Transforming Bus Travel” funds and initiatives. Whilst this Group applauds the improved walkways and integration with Stourbridge Town station, we cannot help thinking that construction at Stourbridge has been delayed in favour of redeveloping Wolverhampton and Dudley interchanges. (We hope that we are mistaken).

The much-hailed Dudley Bus Review last year, has not increased the range of destinations available from Stourbridge Town interchange. In fact, many evening services have been cut back. The frequency of the new railcar service to Stourbridge Town offered the chance to make good connections by bus but the opportunity has been missed.

1st February 2009

The Complete Alliance

The Stourbridge Line User Group has forged new links with the two Transport Authorities in whose counties the railway operates. In addition to the main train companies, London Midland and Chiltern Railways, the Group is now consulting with Centro and Worcestershire County Council at its bi-monthly meetings. The alliance of stakeholders around the table will produce a completely representative forum for improvements on the line.

Individual passenger journeys do not fit snugly into one man’s department. Sometimes problems originate in one area but need to be resolved by work carried out in another. Centro has previously financed work outside its boundary for the common good (The re-opening of the Chase Line). Now there is evidence of two-way co-operation with Worcestershire and the result could be less private traffic on congested roads.

S.L.U.G. has been invited to provide input for the 2010 timetable by both London Midland and Chiltern. We will put forward to London Midland suggestions based on the greater flexibility of the new Class 172 trains. At last there is an opportunity that improvements can be made to the service at Hartlebury and we will press for off-peak services and the chance to develop Hartlebury as a rail head for Stourport.

The willingness of London Midland to run trains to Cheltenham and Gloucester is an opportunity to request a through service to and from the Stourbridge Line. At the very least, Stourbridge Line passengers need better connections to the South of England to compensate for those lost when trains were diverted from Birmingham New Street to Birmingham Snow Hill.

With the improved acceleration of the Class 168 trains to be run by Chiltern we must also seek improved journey times from Kidderminster, Stourbridge Junction and Cradley Heath to London.

The 2010 timetable is a golden opportunity for us to put forward our case for improved co-operation between the two companies particularly in relation to the very poor evening service from Birmingham to Worcester with two trains to Kidderminster an hour but both within 10 minutes of one another and no service for the next 50 minutes.

The Group is developing communications both externally and internally. Following the meeting, Chairman Rob Hebron was quoted as saying -

“S.L.U.G. needs to be active and interactive. We are willing to hold “surgeries” in between meetings to keep abreast of members travel experiences and their expectations.

He continued –

“Now is the time to re-evaluate our campaigns to consider what we have achieved and what is achievable. The alliance of stakeholders will help us to do just that. I am convinced that we share one vision and that is for a superlative service on and around the Stourbridge Line”.

(Details of our first “Complete Alliance” meeting on Tuesday January 20th will be released in the next S.L.U.G. newsletter which will be published in April.)

8th December 2008

The winter timetable: Journey opportunities and missed opportunities

Having published details of more trains serving Smethwick Galton Bridge (trains bound for Crewe, Liverpool, Chester, Aberystwyth and Birmingham International) the Stourbridge Line User Group is pleased to report other improvements in the London Midland winter timetable. These changes will widen travel opportunity on our line and from it. Most noteworthy is an enhanced frequency of trains to Stratford-upon-Avon on Saturdays. The through service from Stourbridge Junction is now two per hour instead of hourly. Better still; some trains originate in Kidderminster so as to give that town a regular service to Stratford which it has been deprived of before. Even better still; Sunday trains to and from Stratford commence or terminate at Kidderminster so as to make a two-way tourist destination route with Kidderminster Town providing the scenic Severn Valley Railway connection.

From Worcester Shrub Hill London Midland are running a two-hourly service to Gloucester which fills in the gaps of the Great Western timetable to make an hourly service. Connections are not ideal but there is now more scope for avoiding a journey via Birmingham.

On the downside, there is once again no attempt to boost the number of trains stopping at Hartlebury: The Kidderminster to Stratford service realises the Sunday tourist potential but nobody at London Midland has picked up on similar potential by stopping Sunday trains at Hartlebury for the County Museum. Though it is a considerable walk from the station, the County Museum is a hidden gem in Worcestershire.

London Midlands publicity department has produced a poster which summarise the main changes on each of its lines. This Group feels that they have not fully exploited the media to convey the journey opportunities now available. Could it be that they do not want to promote the services of other operators? Could they produce more destination-specific tourism posters? We are happy to publish details of “bargain days out” on our website and we feel sure that the County Councils would welcome more visitors to their attractions arriving by train.

Thank you London Midland. More of the same please!

30th November 2008

Change for Bewdley?

If this Group is guilty of opportunism, then so be it! Opportunity has a habit of slipping away. One such opportunity we cannot waste is the renewed call for a commuter train service from Kidderminster to Bewdley. The single track railway line from Kidderminster to Bridgnorth via Bewdley is owned and operated by the Severn Valley Railway Company and is a private venture run largely by volunteers. Wyre Forest District Council and local Liberal Democrats are in negotiation with the Severn Valley management to supplement their tourist based operation with a commercial commuter service using railcars.

S.L.U.G. officers have raised the issue of Kidderminster to Bewdley trains on previous occasions at meetings with Central Trains, London Midland and Chiltern Railways. The obstacle always seems to be who provides the infrastructure and staff.

S.L.U.G. Chairman, Rob Hebron can remember earlier proposals for a Foley Park “parkway” type station on the Stourport Road but this was at a time before the Severn Valley Railway came back into Kidderminster. A Foley Park station has been suggested again to serve a new business park but how this would fit into a “heritage” railway appearance is unclear. Rob says:-

“If this aspiration can actually be turned into practice then it would enhance the service on the main line. We are currently trying to re-open the Stourbridge to Dudley line and the two re-openings together could greatly increase travel opportunity. We have called for the reinstatement of the necessary points and this would allow a through service by joining the branch to the main line. On its merits alone, a regular Bewdley train service could take much traffic off the road and fits in well with the Group’s promotion of integrated public transport. What better way to develop the Kidderminster station site than to reintroduce a train service it so rightly deserves. The Stourbridge Line User Group will support this scheme all the way”

We have three players in the picture (including the Stourbridge Line User Group). We must now bring in Worcestershire County Council and Kidderminster Member of Parliament, Dr Richard Taylor. If we all pull together, we can make this happen.

19th November 2008

Re-launched, re-activated and revitalised

The Stourbridge Line User Group was officially re-launched on Tuesday 11th November at the General Meeting held at Kidderminster (S.V.R.) station. An impressive turnout gave its campaigners the encouragement they needed to reactivate the Group which had unintentionally lain dormant throughout the summer. Those present from the old Committee were willing to resume their former roles and were re-elected en bloc. Sadly, ex Chairman Nigel Tolley and Integration Officer, Phil Tonks have both had to stand down owing to personal difficulties and pressing commitments elsewhere. In place of Nigel, Rob Hebron has come forth as Acting Chairman. Phil’s role will be absorbed but we expect new Secretary Peter Price will be able to advise the Group on matters relating to bus and tram interchange. As an added bonus we now have two more Committee officers – John Rutherford and Mike Hanson who will play a supporting role. The healthy mix of old and new officers is sure to revitalise the Group and we are all eager to get back to business straight away.

It became clear from the audience at the General Meeting that two issues continue to be of concern, namely poor connections at interchange stations and the lack of a passenger service on the railway line from Stourbridge to Dudley.

S.L.U.G. officers Caspar Lucas and Keith Flinders addressed the audience in turn to elaborate on the matters raised:-

• Caspar informed the audience of developments which offer more connections at Smethwick Galton Bridge. The winter timetable enables one-change connections at Smethwick.G.B. for Crewe, Liverpool, Chester, Aberystwyth and Birmingham International for the airport. Caspar raised the issue of security at the interchange station and it was agreed that the Group should pursue a campaign to make Smethwick G.B. a more passenger-friendly station. We will raise this matter with London Midland in the near future. Concerns were also raised about connections at Worcester stations (details supplied by Keith Flinders). Those concerns were noted by Mr David Balme who is a transport planning officer for Worcestershire and who had come to the meeting as an interested member of the general public.

• The S.L.U.G. campaign to re-open the Stourbridge to Dudley railway line for passengers has recently gained momentum. Keith Flinders explained Tram/Train track sharing which is under evaluation in Sheffield. He also referred to rail freight company ambitions and commented on the state of track and infrastructure at the Dudley to Walsall end of the line. This is an ongoing campaign and now is the best time ever that S.L.U.G. can push for reinstatement of a service.

In the coming months the Group will be revisiting its campaigns and will prioritise them, taking in to account developments on the line which have fulfilled our ambitions. We will continue regular liaison with London Midland and Chiltern Railways so that day to day train running issues are dealt with effectively.

4th November 2008

Tram/train track sharing offers hope for Stourbridge to Dudley service

West Midlands Passenger Transport authority (Centro) is currently considering a revolutionary scheme which could drastically cut the cost of the Wednesbury to Brierley Hill Metro extension. The practice of tram/train track sharing is already commonplace in Germany and the Netherlands and delegates from Centro have been to see the systems operating while studying the technology which allows the dual usage. The delegation was sufficiently impressed with the possible economies of using solely standard gauge rail tracks that they have indicated the possibility of an extension of Metro Line Two from Brierley Hill to Stourbridge Junction.

For the Stourbridge Line User Group, this is an important development, particularly as the Group’s support for Metro Line Two had recently been waning due to the delay in commencing the project. Our attention had turned to reinstating a heavy rail passenger service but this puts matters in a different light. If Centro is serious about a modified Metro then this is the most exciting news for years and it opens up the possibility that Dudley and Brierley Hill can be connected to the national rail network at Stourbridge Junction.

Of course nothing is certain and the whole idea is dependent on the whole length of the freight line from Stourbridge to Walsall being put back in use. Furthermore, Centro is to base its decision on a trial tram/train system in Sheffield which will not be under appraisal until 2010 at the earliest.

Nevertheless, tram/train track sharing is the best chance we will ever get to re-open the Dudley line to passengers. The type of rail vehicle employed is of secondary importance to the actual restoration of service. Frequency and capacity can be addressed by the appropriate mode.

Stourbridge MP Lynda Waltho has kept us abreast of developments and will continue to do so. As we learn more detail about “roll out” of the current Metro project, we will inform interested parties through this website.

7th October 2008

Important notice of meeting

Nearly four months have elapsed since the S.L.U.G. contacted members about the future of the Group. The response was encouraging and a decision was taken by the outgoing committee to continue as a campaigning body. However, three officers of the old committee were incapacitated by injury or personal circumstances and though willing to accept nomination and continue in their former roles, were unable to do so. Along with Gary Adams, Nigel Tolley and Rob Hebron form the administrative arm of S.L.U.G. and their unavoidable absence effectively disabled the Group for the summer period.

The good news is that S.L.U.G. now has a new recruit willing to stand as Secretary and the Group has been able to continue its liaison role thanks to Don Barton, Keith Flinders and Phil Tonks. Their input has enabled a limited output of news to circulate through our website. Now we feel that the time is right to call all interested parties together to consider formally reconvening S.L.U.G. by means of a General Meeting. The General Meeting will be at

the Severn Valley Railway Station (booking hall), Comberton Hill Kidderminster on Tuesday 11th November.

Proceedings will commence at 7.30 pm so as to allow visitors by train to arrive at 7.20 pm from the Birmingham direction and 7.10 pm from the Worcester direction. The duration is expected to be no more than ninety minutes, so as to facilitate early departure by return trains.

We cannot stress enough how we need a good attendance on the night so we can consider the future of the Group and if appropriate, elect a new committee. It will not be purely a head hunting exercise, as some officers of the old committee are willing to accept nomination again. More importantly the membership will need to focus on how the Group operates and its priority campaigns.

18th August 2008

More trains for Smethwick Galton Bridge

Following last week's exciting news of trains to and from Shrewsbury (and beyond) calling at Smethwick Galton Bridge enabling Stourbridge Line passengers to travel onwards with just one change of train, SLUG has now learned that trains to Liverpool will also be calling hourly at Smethwick G.B. The service provided by London Midland from December will facilitate easy journeys to Stafford etc. As a result of the actions of Arriva Trains Wales and London Midland, two airports (Birmingham International and Liverpool John Lennon) will be accessible by a two-leg train journey. This will not only fulfil a S.L.U.G. campaign but could potentially take many cars and taxis off the road and thereby reduce carbon emissions. This is a truly win-win situation.

We cannot possibly hope for every city in the United Kingdom to be accessible from Smethwick Galton Bridge but it is encouraging that key destinations have been identified and “plugged in”. If only the Stourbridge to Walsall passenger line were re-opened then the potential for rail journeys North East via Lichfield and Derby could be realised. If other non passenger railways such as the Sutton Park line are worthy of a business case study then surely the Stourbridge – Walsall line is too. It really is that simple.

18th August 2008

One-change connection.

The Stourbridge Line User Group has made it clear to its members and Centro that it is pursuing a credible alternative to a Birmingham New Street terminus so as to give Stourbridge Line passengers a one-change connection to the national rail network.

Stourbridge Member of Parliament, Lynda Waltho has been lobbying on our behalf to introduce one-change connections with the network at Smethwick Galton Bridge. Correspondence forwarded to the Group from Tim Bell, Managing Director of Arriva Trains Wales contains exciting news: We are pleased to report that from December, their two-hourly Aberystwyth to Birmingham New Street service will call at Smethwick Galton Bridge and likewise, the two hourly Chester to Birmingham service. Better still; Arriva Trains Wales have extended the link so it stops at Birmingham International. Stourbridge Line Users now have a connection point for Birmingham Airport. Significantly, as a result of the two new links our own line gains a one-change service to lots of places westwards, like Telford, Shrewsbury, Wrexham and Chester.

Sadly, Lynda’s correspondence with Andrew Cooper, Managing Director of CrossCountry has indicated that their company has no plans to serve Smethwick Galton Bridge or Solihull. The reasons given are capacity restraints and the exclusion of these station stops within the Department for Transport specification for the franchise. However, Mr Cooper has indicated that the company is responsive and (quote) “We are certainly committed to developing alternative interchanges to Birmingham New Street and are currently developing this”.

Meanwhile, Worcestershire County Council and Network Rail are looking at better integration of services at Worcester stations and this could have a positive outcome for our line. Although our members have always favoured a New Street based service, it has always been for the reason that other interchanges have been inadequate. This has lead to inefficient use of time and fuel by travelling NORTH to Birmingham New Street to head SOUTH.

S.L.U.G. looks forward to the upgrade of both Smethwick and Worcester interchanges and better utilisation of both.

Source of story – Lynda Waltho MP and B.B.C. News Wales. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/mid/7505769.stm

21st June 2008

Change at Kidderminster

The Wyre Forest Transport Technical Group is a committee of Wyre Forest District Council and invited guests. The W.F.T.T.G meets to ensure that the desired public transport network for Kidderminster, Stourport and Bewdley is the one provided by commercial operators and the County Council. On Wednesday June 11th the Stourbridge Line User Group was represented at a W.F.T.T.G. meeting by Phil and Rob. As a full time employee of Bus Users UK, Phil is frequently involved with this particular forum as a consultant and is able to influence the District Council on matters relating to the integration of bus and train services in the area.

Once again, the topic of a new Kidderminster rail station was on the agenda:
A working group has been engaged in the planning and design of the new facility and the partners are Network Rail, The Severn Valley Railway and Worcestershire County Council. S.L.U.G. has seen detailed drawings of the new station and surrounding area (see previous news article) but it would seem that there are still various options still open for revision of the original design. The objective is to provide a more spacious station building with more passenger facilities but at the same time to protect the number of car parking spaces. The station area has been earmarked for an interchange incorporating three bus bays and shelters which will be located behind the existing taxi rank on land excavated from the shrub filled embankment. In addition, a layover bay will be constructed on the Severn Valley Railway car park.

Funding has yet to be approved but the partners will provide a proportionate share as well as seeking government sponsored initiative grants and “Access for All” reserved cash. There is real scope here for Kidderminster station to become an interchange up to the standard of Cradley Heath and it could be the hub of Worcestershire bus services. First Bus and Whittle Bus companies are both keen to run services to and from the station (subject to an improved junction layout at Comberton Road/ Station Drive) and if this were the case, S.L.U.G. would like to see frequencies of Stourport and Bewdley buses match those of the train.

On the subject of bus/rail links, the villagers of Harvington and Bluntington have lost most of their bus services to Kidderminster railway station. Regretfully, the number of passengers using the X3 does not justify the diversion of the bus from the Kidderminster to Bromsgrove main road but at least Chaddesley Corbett still has a reasonable service, albeit from the outskirts of the village.

Again, lack of patronage has led to the withdrawal of a Wyre Forest facility – the Park and Ride coach service from Aggborough to the town centre. Rob suggested the idea of a one way circular bus serving Aggborough, the rail station and town centre but he was advised that road layouts at present would not be conducive to such a service. It was agreed to revisit this idea when the new station layout was in place and meanwhile to look at upgrading the pedestrian access from Aggborough to the station which is not a considerable distance at all. Various means of improving car park provision and expansion have been considered including “double decking”. S.L.U.G. hopes that a local solution can be found so as to avoid the practice of parking out of town at other stations along the line.

All in all, the meeting was very interesting. Some topics such as “Bewdley, Load Street bus bay improvements” may seem to have no relevance for Stourbridge Line users but the fact is that it is part of a whole package to make public transport more attractive and accessible for passengers. The start of the journey is as important as the interchange and the final leg. S.L.U.G. hope to be invited to the W.F.T.T.G. again and we are happy to take along comments and suggestions to help improve the integration of Wyre Forest bus services with our railway line.

10th June 2008

Behind the scenes

Viewers of this website may be forgiven for thinking that the Stourbridge Line User Group is inactive at the moment. This time of year yields very little news apart from the details of a new timetable and there is little or no change for Stourbridge Line commuters either on London Midland or Chiltern Railways services.

Of course, the postponement of the A.G.M has delayed the election of S.L.U.G. officers but the outgoing Committee have carried on regardless “out of the limelight” and “behind the scenes”. The liaison team, Don and Keith have continued to engage with the train operators to maintain our mutually beneficial relationship. The meeting at St Saviours Hall, Hagley on May 14th yielded much interesting information and cause for optimism:-

Ian Baxter represented the newly formed Northern Division of Chiltern Railways.
Ian’s role as Divisional manager is to focus on the highly lucrative market at the northern end of their railway operation and he reinforced their commitment to Stourbridge/ Kidderminster to London services. The company is undertaking a program of redecoration at their stations and has recently restored Leamington Spa to pristine condition. The main area of improvement to Chiltern services will be in decreased journey time on Birmingham to London trains. Their aspiration is an optimistic (but desirable), one and a half hours, effective from 2010 when 172 units come into play.

Mark Lawton, Customer Service Manager for the Snow Hill Lines reported for London Midland. Amongst forthcoming improvements are ongoing staff training, investments in station car parks, a wider allocation of ticket vending machines (backed up by revenue protection on the ground) and automatic gates at Birmingham stations by the end of the year. London Midland stations including Smethwick Galton Bridge will be re-branded in the new company colours. In addition, the help points at Stourbridge Line stations will go “live” connecting to real people and not recordings. This will provide both security and comfort for waiting passengers.

Further aspirations of London Midland include the electrification of the Barnt Green to Bromsgrove line and a new station at Kidderminster. This project is subject to funding but has progressed to key stage three. David Balme, representing Worcestershire County Council, elaborated on the projected Kidderminster station and produced detailed designs for both the station and surrounding area. The modular design will provide a more spacious building than at present and the office itself will be moved further down the line towards the new bridge and lifts. A new pathway will guide passengers from the new station to the Severn Valley terminus and traffic calming measures will be introduced if necessary.

It may seem a long way away but the 2010 timetable promises to be a considerable improvement. S.L.U.G. officers continue to push for intercity connections at Smethwick Galton Bridge and Worcester and there seems to be a consensus for these ambitions. Work should have been completed on re-signalling the line between Hartlebury and Blakedown, leaving more paths for Worcester-bound trains and (hopefully), time to stop more trains at Hartlebury. All in all there is still work for S.L.U.G. to do and we hope to be “up and running” as soon as possible and not simply working “Behind the scenes. Watch this space for information about the rescheduled A.G.M.

13th February 2008

Good and bad news concerning station bus links.

The Stourbridge Line User Group is happy to report some good news for bus passengers in Kidderminster. Forthcoming changes to First Group local services will benefit commuters who want to travel onwards by train. First Group have extended the existing Kidderminster – Spennells service 10 to Habberley on Monday to Friday, off peak. This revised route combined with service 2 gives 4 buses an hour from Habberley and provides through buses to Kidderminster Railway station. As well as this welcome new link, which comes into effect on February 24th, early morning Stourport to Kidderminster services 3 and X3 have been retimed to improve bus/train connections.

Last year when the previous revisions took effect, S.L.U.G. criticised First Group for the neglect of rail station routes. Both First Group and Worcestershire County Council appear to have taken note and it would seem that Integrated Public Transport is back on the agenda: Our Liaison Officer, Don Barton attended the Worcestershire Timetable Conference on Monday January 17th and was pleased to report some progress in the County strategy to coordinate timings of London Midland, Chiltern and First Great Western trains so as to provide better connections. Although this was a strictly rail travel conference, it was recognised that buses have an important role to play where stations such as Kidderminster and Bromsgrove are not centrally located and the lack of a regular bus shuttle offsets advantages gained by better train to train connections.

At the northern end of the Stourbridge Line, the situation has taken a turn for the worse: the Station Link bus which connected the three Birmingham stations has been withdrawn.

Patronage of the free service has not been enough to justify its continuance. It is the intention of Centro that the Birmingham Metro extension will eventually provide the station to station link but its construction and operation appears to be years away.

Meanwhile, at London Marylebone another possible solution is on trial: Chiltern have just taken delivery of a Buggy to assist passengers with walking and visual disabilities to get from the Marylebone station entrance out to the train. It will be of particular assistance for passengers who wish to get to trains on the new platforms which involve a very long walk. Every attempt is being made for all the Birmingham trains to be leaving from the nearer platforms, and particularly all the Kidderminster/Stourbridge trains, as it is thought that these will perhaps be carrying more long distance passengers and fewer London commuters.

Our Liaison Officer has received an indication that Centro are interested in the idea of a similar Buggy for use between Moor Street and New Street. Shortly the Chiltern Passenger Board members will be asked for their ideas for the 2008/9 User Group Fund. Don proposes to support Centro's idea by putting it forward as a nomination from SLUG and seeking support from the other Snow Hill lines user groups. He will suggest that the project be jointly funded by Centro, Birmingham City Council, the New Street TOCs, Network Rail and the Chiltern User Group Fund, as joint funded projects have a higher chance of being approved by Chiltern Management.

18th January 2008

Striking the right chord.

The Stourbridge Line User Group is currently preparing its response to the Centro/W.M.P.T.A. document entitled “West Midlands Rail Vision; Network Development Strategy”. The document dated November 2007 has only recently been published but the content has been well worth waiting for. Over the years the Group has responded to many consultation documents but this collection of projects has to be the most ambitious and far reaching. From what we can extract of this strategy, we are very excited about the prospects for rail travel in the West Midlands. We feel sure that our members will share our excitement.

If the aspirations of this blueprint turn into reality, then S.L.U.G. can start to wind up most of its campaigns! For instance the demand for improved evening and Sunday services has been recognised and measures are proposed to provide increased capacity on the Railways of the West Midlands.

Fundamental to all the proposed improvements is the construction of the two Bordesley Chords which will allow trains to proceed from the Camp Hill Line to Birmingham Moor Street Station. Under this scheme, the Camp Hill Line itself will re-open to passengers with three new stations. As well as giving these Birmingham suburbs a rail service and connections to the Stourbridge Line, the chords open up the possibility of Nottingham, Nuneaton, Tamworth, Leicester and Cardiff services being diverted away from Birmingham New Street, thereby creating anintercity station at Birmingham Moor Street and easy connections from the Stourbridge line.

The Network Development Strategy also applies to services operating in Warwickshire as Centro has influence on the so called “travel to work area” and is not restricted by political boundaries. Presently, one of our Stourbridge local trains runs through to Stratford-Upon-Avon. If suggested signalling and line upgrades are carried out, potentially we could have a twenty minute frequency and a late evening return from Stratford–Upon-Avon.

Similarly, the Strategy extends to Worcestershire where Bromsgrove station and its services may be radically improved to Cross-City Line standards. S.L.U.G. looks forward to the time when a journey from Stourbridge to Bromsgrove (with a good connection at Droitwich) is a realistic option. Also in Worcestershire, two Parkway stations are proposed which S.L.U.G. will evaluate.

The Strategy then looks at re-opening the full length of the Stourbridge-Dudley-Walsall-Lichfield freight route. We fully support the principle but no specific plans are in place for a PASSENGER RAILWAY: We are offered only a few words of comfort – “may create opportunity for tram/train or other rail-based options for passenger services on the route”. We have campaigned for too many years to let this opportunity slip away again. What has happened to the Metro scheme? Surely a heavy rail scheme should be considered in tandem with the freight line restoration? There are also economic light rail vehicles available which can use heavy rail infrastructure. These options must be explored.

All in all, there is much cause for optimism but there are oversights and omissions:
• Kidderminster is a strategic station and falls into the “travel to work” area. Worcestershire County Council badly needs partners and funding to upgrade this station to become a practical bus/rail interchange.
• There is no direct public transport of any kind from Kidderminster area to Wolverhampton, Merry Hill Centre or Birmingham Airport.

It looks as though S.L.U.G. will still have a few campaigns to keep its committee busy!

(Source of story – Peter Sargant, Head of Rail and Rapid Transit Development,Centro )

20th November 2007

Introducing London Midland

Our new train operator, London Midland has been running Stourbridge Line services for over a week and assumed its role quietly and confidently. They have not shamelessly eradicated all traces of their predecessor, Central Trains because to do so would be to discredit all improvements made by that company. At Stourbridge Town, the only noticeable change is a London Midland poster welcoming passengers to the station and listing the facilities provided. There are no changes to the station signs because they are provided by Network West Midlands (Centro) and the livery of the Town Car is still the same.

The official launch of the new franchise was on Monday November 12th at a briefing, in the Issigonis Suite, Millennium Point, Birmingham hosted by Keith Ludeman, Chairman of Govia and Group Chief Executive of the Go-Ahead Group. SLUG Liaison Officer, Don Barton, attended the event on our behalf and Caspar Lucas was there in an official capacity representing Parry People Movers. The formal presentations were all very brief and low key. The Rail Leader of the West Midland Passenger Transport Authority welcomed Govia to our region and the two Govia speakers outlined their hopes for the future. Being at Millennium Point one of the rooms being used gave a spectacular view of the main West Coast Main Line just south of New Street and word soon passed round the room that there would be a run past of one of the three re-liveried suburban electric, class 323, trains coming north from Coventry and then quarter of an hour later on its return from New Street.

During the presentation, it was noticeable that London Midland returned to the use of the term “passenger” instead of the word “customer”. London Midland promised to build on the work of Central Trains and Centro and outlined their immediate and long term plans:-

• new and refurbished trains
• better information
• new CCTV and increased security
• more parking spaces and cycle storage
• improved accessibility
• better customer service
• annual environmental targets

After the formal presentations Don used the opportunity to speak informally with Keith Ludeman about our concerns over the need to improve the poor labour relations that have dogged the Sunday services in the run-up to the last two Christmas’s and the need to negotiate with the unions over un-rostered weekend working.

Don also used the opportunity to speak informally with the several Centro staff present about our desire to improve the links from our line and Birmingham International for both the airport and the NEC. He stressed that there was no connection between any station in Worcestershire and the airport and the unsatisfactory need to change trains twice for passengers with luggage.

The Group does not expect an immediate roll out of improvements but will continue to campaign in line with passenger expectations. Amongst our priorities:-

• SLUG wants to see a reliable, frequent, high quality service on the Birmingham-Stourbridge-Kidderminster-Worcester route and on the Stourbridge Town branch. London Midland's proposals so far are welcomed, but SLUG wishes to see improved evening services and an extension of turn-and-and-go frequency into a greater part of the week. (Weekday evenings are poor at present, with significant [over 40 minutes] gaps in services back from Birmingham and final services too early for theatre-goers, etc. )

• SLUG remains concerned that the planned Class 172 fleet is smaller (albeit by just one vehicle, excluding the ex-Anglia Class 150s) than the fleet it is replacing, and intends to monitor whether overcrowding worsens as a result.

• Connections from the Stourbridge line are a big issue, with no direct services to New Street, few connections for the south west, no decent destinations from the low level platforms at Galton Bridge and no Cross Country connections any more at Solihull. These facts prevent the railway from competing with road for passenger transport from and to the area served by the Stourbridge line. Passengers are prepared to make journeys with one change of train, but dislike further changes.

London Midland has acquired the valuable assets of Central Trains, not least its experienced staff and they are acutely aware where the new company needs to go. If first impressions are anything to go by, then the new company and its team are looking in the same direction as the Stourbridge Line User Group. We welcome London Midland and look forward to working with them.

S.L.U.G. promotes integrated public transport together with BUS USERS UK

PPM 50 departs Stourbridge Town

PPM 60 arrives at Stourbridge Town

Links > Centro : London Midland : Chiltern Railways :

Worcestershire County Council < Links