TRANSPORT FORUM - PART PRIVATISATION OF THE DISTRICT LINE

Friday 1st June 2001 ,
Notes of the Transport Forum meeting, 6.30 pm, St Mark's Church Hall
Chair: John Ellison
Andy Naylor (AN) SRA -= Strategic Rail Authority
Steve Hanson (SH) TFL = Transport for London
Richard Talbot (RT) LBM = London Borough of Merton
Pete Thomas (PT) CJ = Clapham Junction
Q = question

WIMBLEDON DOWN THE LINE – The future as SWT wins another 20 years of franchise.

Chair asked each panellist to outline briefly what they hoped to see achieved in next 20 years.
AN: Aim to reduce overcrowding; increase reliability; improve safety. Promised SWT would
increase capacity with 10 car trains on suburban lines, 15 cars on distance lines: add large number of seats at peak times: improve track to Surbiton: CCTV on trains, stations and car parks: enhance station environment; improve staff levels improve access to all stations 176 stations in area
RT: Railway will be at a stage long way from now after the worst year in the history of railways,. But there was urgent need for investment to achieve reliability and punctuality. The present complexity of relationships between rail authorities had to be sorted out under Strategic Rail Authority (SRA). Result would be more trains; cleaner; more reliable; more punctual; safer. He envisaged possibility of raft on station with development overhead.
PT: Improvement to rail system must be linked to development of more sustainable, greener forms of transport. Transport to be more inclusive e.g. disabled access on Underground. Called for better interchange between modes of transport, better storage for cycles at stations
Revitalising Wimbledon station as more viable rail centre: better links between modes of travel.

Q: Lawrence Scales: SWT enjoys one of the most profitable of the rail franchises, but one which has seen least investment. Can longer trains and double decker trains really tempt people out of cars – and what about existing platforms, track structure?
AN: Double decker trains a secondary option: introduction depends on passenger numbers.
£1.7 billion firm investment commitment, including replacement of slam-door stock by 2004;
by 2005 suburban platforms will be extended to take 10-car trains. Present power-operated doors stock to be refurbished and reformed into 5-car sets for increased capacity.
RT: In 1996 when franchises were let, investment was secondary to reducing the subsidy.
SWT is better than other train companies for investment, and Railtrack thinks SWT can deliver.
AN: One of the key lessons for government is that the length of franchise at 7 years is not long enough to be conducive to investment; 20 years means allows expenditure of share related profit.
PT: signs are encouraging, with investment to increase train size, replace stock.
Questions from floor: Call for assurance that if you bought a ticket you would get a seat. Protest about lack of information, overcrowding at Waterloo:
RT: Concedes new information system at Waterloo not the best, cannot be trashed but must be improved.
Floor: what investment was proposed in SWT tracks?
RT: Southern Zone to see improvements to Exeter including new signalling. After Hatfield there were 200 speed restrictions, but only four remained. Accepted that Railtrack had to
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change to ways of contracting; new technology had been developed but accepted that the maintenance process cannot be handled by one company.
AN: promised 15 in 16 trains would be punctual to include cancelled trains – a marked improvement on today. Otherwise SWT risk losing franchise. But work must be done in partnership with Railtrack.

Q: David Crundall: Can panel say how already overcrowded Wimbledon station can accommodate two new rail lines (Chelsea-Hackney and East London extension) as well as possible Tramlink extension?
AN: Lines are new journey opportunities, not new tracks. Infrastructure projects are about connecting odd bits of line to create new cross country links. But point is, can station cope with more people? Work to develop and improve station is essential.
Chair: asks what truth in reports Railtrack prefers to develop Clapham Junction as more favourable commercial investment than Wimbledon?
AN: Development must be paid for and always depends on marketing the location to provide the funds.
SH: £3.7 million to be invested in Wimbledon station to provide two lounges for passengers, improve lighting, install CCTV, add platform canopies with new signage and escalators from platforms.
AN: longer term plans also include lengthening of station platforms.
PT: Claims that further Tramlink extensions would need more tracks. at Wimbledon. LBM wants to develop a more effective interchange at Wimbledon, already included in the borough’s developments plan but subject inevitably to business/commercial interests in new site development.
RT: Railtrack has set up a separate division for this type of development - i.e. encouraging property, commercial interests.
Floor: : Are you planning to change indicators at Wimbledon Station?
AN: SWT planning to invest 15 million in real-time passenger information along lines of Underground system. This will be is the single largest investment in customer information.
Q: Marcus Beale (architect working on new plans for station). Four years ago Railtrack found Wimbledon unexciting. New developers now interested in Wimbledon, so feasibility of development can be looked at once again. Companies now interested in talking to Railtrack. Something must happen to station that is more fundamental than paving or works of art. Sound ideas will attract money to make it work.
Floor: Wimbledon is such a major interchange, would not another bridge be possible over platforms?
AN: This has been considered
Floor: Talking about minor changes - would not single queuing for tickets be possible?
SH: SWT looking at this problem now

Q; Ann Miles: Stairs at both Wimbledon and Clapham Junc leave elderly and disabled facing difficulties. Nor are trains adapted to disabled. When will these faults be remedied?
Chair: Nor is there enough suitable designation of seats for the elderly/disabled.
AN: Yes, on new trains legislation deals with the issue but not on present commuter services.
RT: Disability Discrimination Act is not retrospective.
PT: LBM is very sensitive on this point, bottom line is money. Investing in buses for access. More money expected from Transport for London for this, but no magic answers.
Floor: What about height of trains above platforms?
AN: We will be taking account of this when present trains are replaced.
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Floor: Wimbledon is luxury compared to Raynes Park, no toilet; no wind protection; staff slow on long distance tickets.
SH: New system for tickets and training being improved for new entrant staff who is slow. Passengers can wait in existing café though room is limited.

Q: John Walker: Kingston and Richmond loop line serves some 15 suburban stations yet trains on the circuit but trains only run at 30 minute intervals and off peak there is a 15 minute wait at Kingston/Teddington. Surely greater frequency would provide invaluable orbital link?
AN: This is envisaged as part of South London Metro scheme with proposed 15 min frequency; Talking to Railtrack on the issues and aiming at Winter 2002 for the service..
PT: Strikes one as sensible idea as part of a metro-style service for the whole network. But the move towards longer route planning may result in space being lost on lines that might otherwise be given to local services. Merton is spending money to encourage local improvements
Floor: what is latest situation regarding proposed road bridge behind Centre Court?
PT: No moves at present but redevelopment of the station site would provide for new one-way road circuit round existing station while freeing up of space in front of station.
Floor: What plans are there to reduce cost of travel to traveller?
AN: Fares would be reduced if performance deteriorates – this is part of regulatory system. Peak fares always regulated; off peak reduced to fill trains.

Chair: Question from Brian Meehan, unable to attend meeting: Will Railtrack please remove the "Welcome to Raynes Park" sign at Raynes Park and the "Thank you for Travelling SW Trains" at Waterloo, since companies are not concerned with where you get off the train as long as you get on it?
Floor: laughter and applause. Panel joins in. Meeting adjourns for glass of wine.

* Detailed sketch-plan for proposed new Wimbledon Station design were on show at the meeting, courtesy LBM.