|
On 27 November 2009, East Sussex County Council held a conference for invited guests to add weight to its concerns about the Sussex RUS. Representatives from Network Rail attended to answer questions but no one, although invited, from the Department for Transport or train operating companies turned up. ESCC’s main concern is the eventual loss of the direct Hastings-Cannon Street service once the Thameslink Programme is completed as this will conflict with the increased services (six trains per hour including 2 peak hour Thameslink) between Tunbridge Wells and London. ESCC also wants the power supply south of Tunbridge Wells increased so that 12-car trains can operate from Hastings. However, as the Kent RUS shows, even with the maximum 8-car formations, passenger numbers do not build up until trains reach Wadhurst and this section is never crowded. Support was also voiced for electrifying the Marshlink line (Ashford-Ore) but although the route has been better used since the introduction of 2-car Turbostars, the demand isn’t there to warrant such expenditure. From December 2010 the Ashford-Brighton service will run only as far as Eastbourne, the onward train being electric and 4-car to manage the far greater demand on this section. Martin Tugwell (from disbanded SEERA and now with ‘South East England Partnership Board’) was also there to give a presentation. Amid the customary jargon were vague notions of ‘improving overall level of service on the wider rail network and reducing journey times’ with investment in ‘services that provide access for new homes and new jobs’ – but no clue how this could possibly be achieved. He thought there was a need to review the ‘Willingdon Chord’ and ‘enhance connectivity with Hastings and London’. When questioned why he had noticeably avoided any mention of Lewes-Uckfield (we remind you that he was invited by ESCC to be influential in its Lewes-Uckfield Study in 2008) he replied the scheme ‘does not stack up relative to other priorities and needs to demonstrate better value for money’. Network Rail explained the situation regarding the Thameslink Programme and the need to switch Hastings trains from Cannon Street to Charing Cross – which would call at London Bridge. Among other matters raised were: 1) Marshlink: speed improvements might increase demand and improve case for electrification. 2) Lewes-Uckfield: needs significant additional population, but support protection of alignment and need to solve London area constraints. 3) Willingdon Chord: demonstrated a very bad business case, no current freight demand, heavy passenger traffic Hastings-Eastbourne and Eastbourne-Brighton, would be detrimental to interests of Eastbourne. 4) Extending Thameslink to Eastbourne: could only be achieved by removing another (Southern) service as BML is full. A follow-up conference is planned for the summer, but it is difficult to see what this can achieve.
|
