« Reply #4 on: December 18, 2008, 12:58:40 AM »
I live in Walsden and thanks to Northern Rail I have been reduced to one train an hour at peak time in the evenings. Even if I try to pull a fast one and get on the train to Todmorden to catch another train from there to go back one stop I can't because Northern Rail in their infinite wisdon have decided that the train will not stop at Walsden.
So heres how it works from Victoria. The 16.48 does first stop Rochdale next stop Todmorden I caught this train on Monday and at Rochdale it emptied. It was also 18 minutes late bacause no-one knew what the hell was going on.
The next train the 17.02 does all stops except Walsden and no point trying to beat the system and travelling to Todmorden cause you've guessed it they have cut the train stop at Walsden on the way back to Manchester.
So next its the 17.18 yipee at last a train that will stop at Walsden so at last we get a service wonderful the fact that I finish work at four in the afternoon and cannot quite make the 16.18 means I have to wait at Victoria for 55 minutes to be able to get home. The only saving grace is that my husband works in Rochdale so now he has to wait for the continually late 16.48 before he can start his journey home. But I am still expected to pay for a weekly ticket from Walsden.
Please see attached the pile of crap that I was given by Drew Haley of Northern Rail when I approached him for the reasoning behind the change in timetable and the cancellation of the Walsden service.
This clow actually had the audacity to say that "A few would have to suffer for the greater good of the rest" The figures he quotes are bvase on ticket sales and the trains with the counters on the doorways (ie brand spanking new trains can you remember jow many of these you see in a week propbably the same amount as tooth fairies) and according to the rail statistics he is actually wrong their figures show that more people use the trains.
Happy reading on you will have to start from the bottom of the page. Which is where the train service starts from.
Frankie
I have no intention of getting into an email argument over this but please let me clarify.
These proposals will see a significant increase in train mileage along the Calder Valley and have the full support of both PTEs. They will attract large increases in overall patronage and new users to rail with increased journey opportunities and destinations and reduced travelling times between the major centres. The compromise for these additional and faster services is that a number of stops at some of the smaller stations have to be omitted.
For decades the services on the Southern and other regions have comprised of split services balancing fast and slow trains, this pattern is shown to be the best in utilising the resource, driving patronage and increasing economic links between major centres.
A) Yes extra trains but for the larger stations with bigger demand and need.
B) Station usage per year
Bradford int 2.2 million
Manchester locals 1.2 million
Halifax 1.3 million
Hebden 510k
Todmorden 415k
Rochdale 842k
Walsden 117 k
Clearly we welcome all passengers but there are larger markets and demand in the main centres and 'fair share' according to need and size of settlement is key, this is a much better overall use of resources although I know it does not seem that way for residents of Walsden and Mytholmroyd who do not benefit.
C) As are 26 other stations affected by this timetable which only 3 have a disbenefit
D) Brighouse has no direct Manchester service at present despite a large population
E) Performance for services as a whole through planning
F) No I cannot predict the lottery but it is not speculation we have already persuaded Network Rail to upgrade the junction at Bradford Mill Lane by sharing our aspirations. They were only going to put in a like for like replacement not a complete upgrade. Additionally they are in discussion with us for what we want to see from the next spending period 2009-14, we are proposing a whole host of improvements for the Calder Valley that an all stops timetable would not need or get.
Additionally we are working on getting extra trains and this has included platform extensions on the Calder to accommodate them. The DfT are proposing 180+ additional vehicles for us of which the Calder Valley will get its fair share and we will have more flexibility in the timetable we can operate.
Just putting on an extra carriage is a much bigger task than it seems.
We are not required to consult with individuals on timetable change but have already done 3 public meetings and I have answered many personal emails. I note your local opposition to the plans as many at Mytholmroyd too but I cannot enter into long email trails. I am sorry that it will affect you personally but I have to look at the bigger picture, it is not possible to plan down to the detail of individual journeys when dealing with a route of 8 million passengers, we have to look at what is for the best overall however difficult this is for those that it does not benefit.
Kind regards
Drew Haley
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From: Anthony, Frankie [mailto:Frankie.Anthony@ngbailey.co.uk]
Sent: 30 July 2008 09:05
To: Drew Haley
Subject: RE: Walsden Rail Services
The proposed timetable to cancel trains servicing Walsden sort of blows a holes in your argument.
A) 28 extra trains but less for Walsden at peak times – you know the times when commuters need more trains not less
B) There are no major cities between Leeds and Manchester. Rochdale is the largest town and it is serviced by the Shaw loop as well as the Leeds to Manchester and Todmorden to Liverpool services
C) Walsden is also part of the Calder Valley
D) Brighouse station is now connected but Walsden is being cut from services to Manchester and Leeds – when you connect another station to the line who will be next to see their services cut.
E) Better performance for who – not the customers that you have at the moment who use Walsden Station
F) Likelihood of future infrastructure – Can you predict the likelihood of me winning the lottery, of when man will set up home on the moon, the end of world famine and despotic dictatorships
Who will be making investments because you have stopped valuable services to Walsden?
This may seem a bit of a silly question but by cancelling trains stopping at Walsden to ease overcrowding (when you say yourself that Walsden makes up 1.5% of the commuters who use the line) can you tell me on an average day how many people will be taken of the 16.54 from Manchester to Leeds train. I doubt this will solve the problem of overcrowding – so how about this for a solution.
Leave the trains as they are and put on an extra carriage. All commuters happy and a cure for overcrowding in one single sweep.
If you read your timetable, the time taken between Walsen and Littleborough is 6 minutes and the time between Walsden and Todmorden is 4 minutes.
So why not cut out the Mytholmroyd stop after all it is only 3 minutes from Hebden Bridge.
I would also like to ask you who came up with the suggestion to cancel Walsden’s trains and when will there be a consultation with the people of Walsden. No notification has placed at the station.
I am not the only passenger at Walsden so it not only my personal travel arrangements that are being affected – try every other passenger who uses Walsden station.
Frankie Anthony
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From: Drew Haley [mailto:Andrew.Haley@northernrail.org]
Sent: 29 July 2008 11:08
To: Anthony, Frankie
Subject: RE: Walsden Rail Services
The main benefits for the new timetable (latest draft attached) are
A) 28 extra trains running between Hebden and Manchester.
B) Faster journey times between major cities and larger stations.
C) Fully connecting Calder Valley and Kirklees creating new destinations and journey opportunities.
D) Brighouse station now connected directly to Manchester.
E) Better performance through more robust timetable planning and scheduling.
F) Greater likelihood of future infrastructure enhancements.
We have made significant alterations since the original draft but our proposals are the best for the line overall and will push future investment, which will mean we have a good chance of then improving service for Walsden.
There are over 8 million passenger journeys a year on the line and Walsden generates about 1.5% of that. We cannot stop the trains at Walsden and maintain performance benefits, turnrounds would be non-compliant (i.e. less than industry recommendations) and pathings would be very tight along the route.
By segregating the flows though this does have the impact of reducing crowding on services as people for the larger station tend to avoid stopping trains.
We have had to stop at the stations nearer Manchester due to GMPTE subsidising this portion of the route and having a strong say in calling patterns.
I am not sure if the new pattern will help or hinder your personal travel arrangements and I apologise if the timetable does not provide you with a suitable fit.
I am very sorry if you feel I have not understood the impact on individuals but it is extremely difficult whenever we change timetables to take into account very individual circumstances. The nature of planning timetables is understandably less precise, we have though tried to mitigate the impact on individuals through changes made in consultation, whilst maintaining the overall benefits.
Kind regards
Drew Haley
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From: Anthony, Frankie [mailto:Frankie.Anthony@ngbailey.co.uk]
Sent: 29 July 2008 09:58
To: Drew Haley
Subject: Walsden Rail Services
Sir
I use Walsden Station twice per day, five days per week and I think your proposals are absolutely ludicrous.
On any morning by the time the 06.54 reaches Smithy Bridge there are very few seats left by the time it reaches Rochdale it is standing room only and then there are still stops to be made at Castleton, Mills Hill and Moston. Every morning with only two carriages.
On the way home every train after 4pm is standing room only until we get to about Littleborough where we can then get a seat. Every evening with only two carriages.
When I finish work I normally catch the 16.54 from Victoria where I find on every days of the month people have to stand and now you are suggesting that I shall have to take the 17.18 which will now stop at Moston, Mills Hill, Castleton, Rochdale Smithy Bridge, Littleborough and eventually get to Walsden at 17.51. What happens if this train is cancelled and don’t tell me it won’t be. Remember I use this train every day and it has happened.
You are then proposing to make the 18.00 NOT stop at Walsden but at every other station. So after finishing work at 16.00 in Manchester city centre I will be expected to wait in Victoria Station until 18.21 to get a train. Why pick on the commuters of Walsden what have we ever done to you. Walsden is becoming a commuter village and the links to both Leeds and Manchester are used by a lot of people.
In the morning there are at least between 5 - 9 people on the platforms for the 06.18 to Manchester. For the 06.53 to Leeds and 06.54 to Manchester there are normally between 10 – 20 passengers and for the 07.16 to Manchester there are at least 12 -18. I cannot comment on the later services but can definitely confirm these numbers for the earlier services. I can also confirm at least 10 to 12 people get off at Walsden from the 16.54 from Manchester. More people than those that get on or off at Moston or Mills Hill.
Why don’t you provide more buses for Moston, Mills Hill and Castleton where it would be easier to connect to Manchester and leave the people in the outlying areas alone.
We need our train service and I cannot understand why we are being penalised.
Yours sincerely
Frankie Anthony (Mrs)
A very irate commuter
