Greens Call on Passengers to Press for a First Rate Rail Service

Photo opportunity
(Kiosk, Large Mobile Phone and Punch Bag - Cardiff Central Station, Thursday 7.30am - 9.30 am)

Frustrated rail passengers in Cardiff are (Thurs 7.30-9.30am) being invited to either take out their frustration on a punch bag or preferably punch out a text message to the Chancellor, as part of a new rail campaign by Friends of the Earth.

Friends of the Earth are calling on rail passengers and the public generally to use a special text number to send a message to the Chancellor (1). The message would call for increased rail funding to deliver a modern, reliable, frequent and affordable European style railway system. The environmental group are currently running a nationwide campaign for increased rail funding which would have numerous environmental, social and economic advantages (2).

Increased funding could mean the go ahead for several key projects in Wales and across the UK which the Strategic Rail Authority currently say it cannot afford until after 2010. Other smaller but quick-win schemes could also be completed.

Schemes in Wales would include (see note 3 for full list):

• Signalling and track improvements to enable increased line speeds along the North Wales coast to 100mph plus. At present new 125mph trains being introduced on the London to Holyhead service can only travel at 75-90mph along this key inter-city route.
• A loop at Dovey Junction (upgrading at Dovey J) on the Shrewsbury to Aberystwyth line to enable at least an hourly service to this important tourist and university town (currently 2 hours).
• South Wales (Great Western) mainline upgrading (track and signalling) and increased service levels to Swansea, Carmarthen and West Wales. Also a tram (light-rail) system serving Cardiff, the Valleys and the airport.

Neil Crumpton, transport spokesperson for Friends of the Earth Cymru said:

"Instead of waiting at a station biding time we ask frustrated passengers to text a message to the Chancellor calling for increased investment to deliver a modern, reliable, frequent and affordable rail service in Wales.

Such a rail service would reduce traffic congestion, help the 33% of households which are car-less, and encourage more energy efficient and less polluting travel.

Yet road-building, which quickly encourages more traffic, with all the health, safety and fitness problems that it brings, still receives the lions share of the available transport budget.

A planned and genuine attempt over a five to ten year period to raise service levels to those commonly achieved in Europe and beyond is a reasonable expectation and a realistic prospect if sufficient investment is forthcoming.

There are a number of problems on the rail network in and around Wales that could be remedied in the short term that would bring noticeable improvements for passengers. Within 10 years the makings of a truly modern, integrated rail system could be substantially delivered."

FOE local groups in Abergavenny and Crickhowell, Chepstow, Pembrokeshire and Torfaen will also be taking action around their local railway stations. Contact details from FOE Cymru or FOE Media Unit in London.

Notes

1) Friends of the Earth is calling on rail travellers in Wales to back their campaign by sending a text message to the Treasury or by sending an email.

2) The cost of sending a message is less than 10p. These messages - of up to 150 characters - will be converted to e-mails by communications company Textback, and will then be delivered by FOE to the Treasury, addressed to Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown. If you don't have a mobile or can't text, you can take action online.

• 35% of the public would travel less by car if train services were better (Commission for Integrated Transport)
• Trains pump out less carbon dioxide per passenger mile than other forms of transport. For a trip from London - Manchester, a plane pumps out 7 times as much CO2 per passenger as an electric train and a car pumps out 4 times as much (Commission for Integrated Transport). Moving one tonne of freight by road produces 5 times as much CO2 as moving it by rail (Railway Forum).
• Only 14% of the public think enough investment is being made in the railways to meet the needs of passengers (55% think there isn't enough investment and the rest don't know) (Commission for Integrated Transport)
• Only seven out of ten (71%) of trains ran on time in the last 3 months of 2001 compared with almost eight out of ten (79%) in the previous 3 months. 'On time' means not more than 5 minutes late for local and regional trains, and not more than 10 minutes late for intercity (Strategic Rail Authority)

3)

• increased speed on the South and North Coast Main Lines across Wales
• improved reliability by removing rail bottle-necks at various locations
• north-south Wales express services via Wrexham
• tram system for Cardiff and Valleys, and airport link
• an hourly service on the Cambrian Line to Aberystwyth
• improved services in West Wales
• improved Sunday services throughout Wales
• replacement of old trains
• fast and accessible real-time passenger information
• work to stations for improved amenity, disabled access and car parking
• improved links between rail, bus and cycle at stations
• substantial freight facilities and services
• restoration of the Bangor-Caernarfon link and services to Llangefni/Amlwch