NEWS ARCHIVE
Several organisations are bidding to run more
passenger trains on Britain’s most congested main-line railways. Notably,
Virgin is bidding to run seven daily services from Bolton or Rochdale to London
Euston, all leaving Platform 13 at Manchester Piccadilly at 39 minutes past the
hour, just four minutes ahead of our Norwich trains, with the potential for
delay.
National operator LNER is bidding for
a new timetable to start ideally in 2025. Only the northbound times have been
published so far, showing trains from London Kings Cross to Peterborough at 03,
10 and 47 minutes past each hour. By connections, March would have 8 to 10
journeys from London in 80 minutes or less plus another dozen in 85 minutes.
Many journeys from Norwich and Thetford to York, Darlington, Newcastle and
Edinburgh would be up to 30 minutes faster, while Cambridge would be better
linked to Leeds. The changes depend on an extra train path between London and
Newcastle, which could compromise efficient freight movement and which the Big
City metro-mayors would rather use for more trains between Manchester and
Newcastle.
Issued 28 June 2024
Wymondham is on a supplementary list of stations to which the government
has awarded funding for initial feasibility work towards providing access for
all, one result of cancelling parts of its proposed High Speed 2 route. There is
so far no further information on the Department for Transport website.
Experience at Alfreton suggests that it could be a long time before we see
spades in the ground.
We welcome this as a positive move. The lack of step free access to
westbound trains is at present the one negative feature of Wymondham station.
The new timetable sees little change
for us, though we are promised longer trains on some Liverpool-Norwich services
on Saturdays and Sundays.
There will, however, be no trains
between Peterborough and Ely on Saturdays or Sundays between Saturday 21
September and Sunday 13 October inclusive.
Issued 3 June 2024
Following a
discussion at our 2024 Annual General Meeting we have added to the list of what
we want to see
A more direct step-free route between Station Road
and Platform 1 at Thetford.
Great strides
have been made in improving accessibility at Thetford and such a route should
resolve the remaining issues for people who cannot manage a stepped footbridge
and for whom the step-free routes are too long.
Issued 15 May 2024
COULD THIS BE YOU?
We at
PETERBOROUGH-ELY-NORWICH RAIL USERS are looking for a volunteer who shares our
vision and could give us some informed advice on the benefits and risks of
using social media as an addition or alternative to our website www.penrug.org.uk
To
exchange ideas, please contact penrugjohn@gmail.com or
come to our 2024 Annual General Meeting in Thetford Methodist Church at 1030 on
Saturday 11 May.
(non-members cannot vote at AGM but we can collect
subscriptions at the meeting.)
Issued 21 April 2024
Norfolk County Council
is spending some of its Bus Service Improvement funding on restoring up to half
hourly daytime and hourly evening buses to Silfield,
passing close to Wymondham railway station.
If you can easily
reach Cringleford bus interchange or one of the bus stops along Norwich Road in
Hethersett, if you can then negotiate the stepped
footbridge at Wymondham station and if you want to travel from or to Brandon,
Cambridge or Stansted Airport, the restored Silfield
bus service 14 could be useful with pretty good connections on Mondays to
Saturdays.
All bus stops in Hethersett also have half-hourly daytime services to
Norwich railway station on Mondays to Saturdays, offering easy connections from
and to Liverpool, London, Manchester, Nottingham, Peterborough and Sheffield.
Issued 30 October 2023
The Department for
Transport is proposing to close the booking offices at Ely, March and Thetford
stations and to reduce the hours during which March station is staffed.
1. The new staffing hours at March station will be from 0700 to
1400 on Mondays to Saturdays. Yet the text of the proposal states that toilets
and waiting rooms will be unaffected.
We need a firm
assurance that toilets and waiting rooms at March station will still be
available to passengers from 0700 to 1740 on Mondays to Saturdays.
2. Both for March and for Thetford the text of the proposal
states that “Customers would still be able to buy tickets……………from the
conductor on board our trains,” perhaps implying that tickets will be available
only on trains provided by the station facility operating company.
In the interests of
inclusion, it is essential that passengers should be able to pay for their
journey without penalty on every train which stops at March or Thetford.
3. We welcome the plan to create a mobile team to deliver booked
assistance at March or Thetford on Sundays.
We look forward to seeing the team when the stations are
unstaffed on Mondays to Saturdays too.
Issued
7 July 2023
The local train service from Norwich
to Cambridge - with extensions to Stansted Airport - seems to be enjoying a
“purple patch” in the spring and summer of 2023, with very few cancellations
when the tracks are available. Frequent traveller Mark reports positively on
both the service and its rolling stock. You need to be careful when leaving the
seats on the higher level and moving down the step but the “extending
doorsteps” which offer level boarding are a real help to some passengers. The
heating and ventilation are “just right” and the seats “not bad.” The units
ride well and cases can be slid under the seats, though more luggage space
might be appreciated on services travelling through to Stansted Airport. A
cleaner armed with a back-pack vacuum cleaner sometimes services the train at
Norwich.
If you
have a friend or neighbour with no internet access, you can print off details
of journeys between any pair of stations on specified dates in the near future
from www.nationalrail.co.uk. Or they can call
03457 48 49 50.
Issued 2 May 2023 (updated 30 June 2023)
It has now been confirmed that we shall keep our through trains
from Liverpool, Manchester and Sheffield to Norwich till at least December 2023
and that the Franchising Director’s plan to withdraw them is “off the table for
the moment”. This is linked to a decision to allow train operator EMR to keep
all 26 of its class 158 express diesel units, primarily for use on our
Liverpool-Norwich route.
This is good news for passengers and for the general
connectivity of Peterborough, Ely, Thetford and Norwich in particular.
Issued 29 September 2022
We have recently responded to a consultation on enhancing
capacity through Ely, remodelling Ely North Junction and upgrading level
crossings between Whittlesea and Ely.
Issued 22 January 2022
We have recently responded to consultations on:
·
Ely south
capacity enhancements
·
upgrading
Croxton level crossing, east of Thetford
·
changes
to pedestrian, bus and cycle access to Norwich railway station
Please contact penrugjohn@gmail.com if you would like
to see our response to any of these consultations.
Issued 5 June 2021
We have recently responded to consultations on:
·
upgrading
Croxton level crossing, east of Thetford
·
changes
to pedestrian, bus and cycle access to Norwich railway station
Please contact penrugjohn@gmail.com if you would like
to see our response to either of these consultations.
Issued 28 March 2021
The coronavirus pandemic means many train services
have been reduced. Please visit www.nationalrail.co.uk
before travelling.
Issued 9 November 2020
The coronavirus pandemic means many train services
have been reduced. Please visit www.nationalrail.co.uk
before travelling.
Services between Stansted Airport, Cambridge and
Norwich together with services between Peterborough and Ipswich are now running
at full pre-pandemic frequency. Also, services between Liverpool, Manchester,
Nottingham and Norwich are now running at full pre-pandemic frequency.
The major engineering blockade planned for
September has been cancelled but please watch out for several weekend closures
in the months ahead.
Issued 7 September 2020
The coronavirus pandemic means many train services
have been reduced. Please visit www.nationalrail.co.uk
before travelling.
Services between Stansted Airport, Cambridge and
Norwich together with services between Peterborough and Ipswich are now running
at full pre-pandemic frequency.
The major engineering blockade planned for
September has been cancelled but please watch out for weekend closures in the
months ahead.
Issued 31 August 2020
The railway between Peterborough and Ely will be
completely closed for approximately four weeks from 6 September for emergency
repairs to the bridges between Manea and Ely. It will also be closed on 2, 22
and 23 August, on 11 and 31 October and on 1 and 8 November.
Issued 22 July 2020
The coronavirus pandemic means many train services
have been reduced. Please visit www.nationalrail.co.uk
before travelling.
Issued 22 March 2020
Over the past two decades annual passenger numbers at
March railway station have grown from 163,000 to over 400,000 today, creating
new retail possibilities.
The commitment and hard work of the Friends of
March Railway Station in maintaining their planters, restoring previously empty
rooms and celebrating the rich railway heritage of March have made the station
a more pleasant place on which to await the train and a more welcoming gateway
to the town for visitors.
We thank the Association of Community Rail
Partnerships for its help in facilitating the new tenancy and we wish the new
coffee shop every possible success.
Issued 20 January 2020
From 15 December 2019 many of the local trains
between Cambridge and Norwich were replaced by through services between
Stansted Airport and Norwich, nine in each direction on Mondays to Fridays, 15
south and 16 north on Saturdays, 12 south and 13 north when trains run on
Sundays. Some of the remaining local services were retimed to fit the new
pattern. The through trains reduce journey times between Stansted Airport and
Norwich by 10 to 15 minutes in each direction and offer additional connections
between Stansted Airport and Nottingham. Most weekday journeys between
Nottingham and Cambridge changing at Ely are 10 to 12 minutes faster in each
direction and it is usually quicker to change at Ely than at Leicester. Local
weekday journeys between Norwich and Thetford are more evenly spaced and
southbound journeys from Whittlesea to Cambridge are less than five minutes
slower. There should be fewer occasions when Liverpool-Norwich expresses get
stuck behind stopping trains from Ely, reaching Norwich 30 minutes late.
Issued 5 January 2020
No through trains are at present likely to be
running between Peterborough and Ipswich. This means that the Whittlesey entry
on our MAKE FOR A MARKET TOWN FROM PETERBOROUGH page is at present not
accurate.
Please check www.nationalrail.co.uk
before leaving home if your journey includes these trains.
Issued 14 December 2019
No through trains are at present likely to be
running between Peterborough and Ipswich nor between Norwich and Cambridge.
Local stopping trains are running between Ely and Norwich but are subject to
cancellation or removal from the timetable database at short notice – their
times will change with the new timetable on 15 December.
This means that some of the information on our five
town trains pages, on our tourist DISCOVER THE TOWNS BETWEEN CAMBRIDGE AND
NORWICH page together with the Whittlesey entry on our MARKET TOWNS FROM
PETERBOROUGH page is at present not accurate.
Please check www.nationalrail.co.uk
before leaving home if your journey includes any train marked LE or Greater
Anglia.
Issued 12 December 2019
From 15 December many of the local trains between
Cambridge and Norwich will be replaced by through services between Stansted
Airport and Norwich, nine in each direction on Mondays to Fridays, 15 south and
16 north on Saturdays, 12 south and 13 north when trains run on Sundays. Some
of the remaining local services will be retimed to fit the new pattern. The
through trains will reduce journey times between Stansted Airport and Norwich
by 10 to 15 minutes in each direction and offer additional connections between
Stansted Airport and Nottingham. Most weekday journeys between Nottingham and
Cambridge changing at Ely will be 10 to 12 minutes faster in each direction and
it will usually be quicker to change at Ely than at Leicester. Local weekday
journeys between Norwich and Thetford will be more evenly spaced and southbound
journeys from Whittlesea to Cambridge will be less than five minutes slower.
There should be fewer occasions when Liverpool-Norwich expresses get stuck
behind stopping trains from Ely, reaching Norwich 30 minutes late.
Issued 6 October 2019
The Competition and Markets Authority
is seeking assurances on local train fares between Ely, Thetford and Norwich. Anytime
fares are regulated and we want to see Off Peak/Cheap Day Return fares between
Thetford and Norwich, Ely and Norwich capped at their present attractive
levels. Some passengers may wonder why Off Peak/Cheap Day Return fares between
Ely and Thetford are higher than those between Thetford and Norwich.
Issued 2 August 2019
The Franchising Director has confirmed
his intention to withdraw all express trains from Liverpool, Manchester and
Sheffield to Norwich from December 2021. A replacement local service will
operated between Derby, Nottingham and Norwich. “More luggage space” is
promised though no details have been released.
Issued 11 April 2019
Our 2019 Annual General Meeting is at
1030 on Saturday 4 May in the Riversdale Centre, Tanner Street, Thetford.
Issued 13 March 2019
Following problems last autumn, we
monitored the arrival in Thetford for a week of three key commuter trains home
from Cambridge, four from Norwich and three expresses from Liverpool which
carry a few commuters and more business travellers home to Thetford. All of the
monitored services ran, with 98% reaching Thetford within ten minutes of
schedule.
Issued 13 March 2019
The long and hugely disruptive
eastbound 20mph speed restriction between Ely and Shippea
Hill has now reduced in length and the shorter restriction in Lakenheath Fen
has been removed, allowing a big improvement in the punctuality of Norwich
trains. We think that higher priority should be given to effective track
maintenance and timely track renewals.
Issued 27 January 2019
The government has cancelled the
competition for a new Cross Country franchise including our route between
Birmingham and Stansted Airport through March. The present Direct Award
franchise runs till December 2019. Beyond then we want the operator to
·
keep a relentless focus on minimising
cancellations
·
continue to achieve high levels of East
West passenger satisfaction
·
be allowed to ensure that no passenger
normally has to stand for more than 20 minutes
·
be able to run trains on Sundays in university terms.
Issued 1 October 2018
As we feared, the Franchising Director
has decided to withdraw the hourly express trains from Liverpool, Manchester
and probably Sheffield to Norwich from December 2021. Replacement services will
link Nottingham, Peterborough, Ely, Thetford and Norwich. Most of their
passengers will probably be students, migrant workers, day-trippers and people
visiting friends and relatives. But they should be capable of attracting
business and professional travel if they are highly reliable and if journey
times stay below 160 minutes. The specification seems to rule out any nasty
service gaps at the normal conference, interview and meeting times.
Issued 7 June 2018
At our 2018 Annual General Meeting on
28 April we were reminded that it is 30 years since British Rail set up the
network of Midland Express services, some which became the hourly trains which
now link:
·
Birmingham, Leicester, Peterborough,
March, Ely, Cambridge and Stansted Airport
·
Liverpool, Manchester, Sheffield,
Nottingham, Peterborough, Ely, Thetford and Norwich
and which we now support.
Issued 28 April 2018
Our 2018 Annual General Meeting is at
1030 on Saturday 28 April in the Riversdale Centre, Tanner Street, Thetford.
Issued 9 April 2018
Passenger numbers continue to grow at
many stations. The 2016/17 estimates include:
|
Attleborough |
159,500 |
|
Brandon |
112,700 |
|
March |
396,000 |
|
Thetford |
303,000 |
|
Wymondham |
188,200 |
All numbers can be found at www.orr.gov.uk
Go to Statistics then Published statistics.
Issued 3 December 2017
To object to the Franchising Director’s
latest plan to withdraw the express trains from Liverpool, Manchester and
Sheffield to Norwich, please visit www.dft.gov.uk
search for East Midlands Rail Franchise Public Consultation and join the fight
to save our service.
Issued 29 July 2017
We welcome the summer 2017 timetable,
which allows passengers leaving Thetford at 1024, 1124, 1224, 1324 or 1424 on
Mondays to Fridays or at 0824 and hourly through to 1823 on Saturdays to travel
to London Kings Cross in 106 minutes or less with just one change at Ely.
Passengers can still travel to London in 110 minutes at 0719 or 0824 Mondays to
Fridays with the one change.
Through trains between Norwich and
Cambridge now serve the new Cambridge North station in both directions.
Following our request, passengers from
March to Liverpool or Manchester can now pay affordable Advance fares when
travelling on the through trains as well as when changing in Birmingham.
Issued 22 May 2017
At our successful Annual General
Meeting on 6 May 2017 members expressed some concerns about possible changes to
station toilets, waiting rooms and the way we pay for our journeys. They
approved our ideas for enhancing passenger facilities at Brandon station, which
will feature in our next newsletter.
Issued 7 May 2017
Our 2017 Annual General Meeting is at
1030 on Saturday 6 May in the Riversdale Centre, Tanner Street, Thetford.
Issued 10 April 2017
Passenger numbers continue to grow at
many stations. The 2015/16 estimates include:
|
Attleborough |
153,800 |
|
Brandon |
106,300 |
|
March |
386,600 |
|
Thetford |
300,300 |
|
Wymondham |
180,200 |
All numbers can be found at www.orr.gov.uk
Go to Statistics then Published statistics.
Issued 12 December 2016
Passenger numbers continue to grow at
many stations. The 2014/15 estimates include:
Attleborough 153,800
Brandon 103,200
March 378,600
Thetford 295,000
Wymondham 182,100
All numbers can be found at www.orr.gov.uk
Go to Statistics then Published statistics.
Issued 9 November 2016
Lowestoft’s long, sandy beach is fully
open for the summer. Lowestoft station is amazingly close to that beach and to
the stops. Lowestoft enjoys hourly connections from and to Ely, Thetford and
Wymondham, almost hourly from and to Attleborough, Brandon and Cambridge. www.nationalrail.co.uk
Issued 9 May 2016
The 2016 Annual General Meeting of
Peterborough-Ely-Norwich Rail Users takes place at 1030 on Saturday 7 May in
the Riversdale Centre, Tanner Street, Thetford.
Issued 30 April 2016
The Direct Award East Midlands
franchise, to run from October 2015 to March 2018, safeguards the important
express route from Liverpool, Manchester, Sheffield and Nottingham for another
two years. It includes an intention to offer trolley catering between more
stops on the route. We understand this to mean the provision of catering on
many trains between Liverpool and Peterborough.
Issued 17 September 2015
At our 2015 Annual General Meeting in
May, tributes were paid to the work of our inspirational Chairman of 20 years,
Thelma Paines, as she stood down from the role. As
our new Chairman we elected Cliff Pitchers, who previously served as the highly
regarded booking clerk at Thetford.
Issued 12 May 2015
The 2015 Annual General Meeting of
Peterborough-Ely-Norwich Rail Users takes place at 1030 on Saturday 9 May in
the Riversdale Centre, Tanner Street, Thetford.
Issued 15 April 2015
The Northern TPE franchise consultation
document includes a proposal to break up our Liverpool-Norwich express route at
Nottingham and possibly Manchester. The “East Anglia” document includes a
further proposal to break up the route at Ely, sending all the trains to
Cambridge instead of Norwich.
Industry professionals have identified
a case for providing some through services from Liverpool, Manchester,
Sheffield and Nottingham to Cambridge by joining and dividing some trains at
Ely.
That could deliver big benefits for
Cambridge without isolating Norfolk. It could also be developed incrementally
as diesel units become available and as more revenue flows through the till.
We continue to fight these break up
proposals in the interests of passengers, of tax payers and of the Norfolk
economy.
Issued 11 January 2015
The last connection to Attleborough,
Brandon, Thetford and Wymondham now leaves London Kings Cross at 2144 on
Mondays to Fridays and 2114 on Saturdays.
Issued 14 December 2014
Tastefully restored rooms at March
station are now available for hire by community groups. We congratulate the Friends
of March Railway Station on their hard work and achievement.
Issued 18 August 2014
The Department for Transport is
proposing to break up the Liverpool-Norwich route at Nottingham and possibly
Manchester, depriving Peterborough, Ely, Thetford and Norwich of their hourly
through trains from and to Liverpool, Manchester and Sheffield. Please visit KEEPING LIVERPOOL-NORWICH for our
comments.
If this change would affect your
journey, you can object until 18 August to NorthernTPEconsultation@dft.gsi.gov.uk
quoting question STP4.
Issued 22 June 2014
Train journeys between the “North West”
and the “East Midlands“ (i.e. Liverpool-Norwich) went
up by 10% again last year while “West Midlands” to “East of England” (i.e.
Birmingham to Stansted Airport) went up by 8%. Most other inter-regional flows
went down, especially on the traditional corridor from NorthEast
to SouthWest through Birmingham.
Issued 5 May 2014
Both platforms at Brandon station have
short raised sections (known as Harrington humps), making it easier for people
with impaired mobility to join and leave the trains. All platforms at
Peterborough station have lifts, ramps and tactile paving. Now we need improved access to westbound trains at Wymondham.
Issued 1 May 2014
Our
2014 Annual General Meeting is on Saturday 10 May at 1030 in the Riversdale
Centre, Thetford. Thetford’s station manager has been invited to attend.
Issued 9 March 2014
Liverpool-Norwich services are severely disrupted till 1 April due to a
landslide near Dronfield. Westbound services have now
been restored but only two trains are running through from Liverpool to
Norwich. Local services are running between Nottingham and Norwich at the
normal times. Please visit www.nationalrail.co.uk
before travelling.
Issued 3 March 2014
Liverpool-Norwich services are severely disrupted till 1 April due to a
landslide near Dronfield with only one through train
running from Norwich to Liverpool and two from Liverpool to Norwich. Local
services are running between Nottingham and Norwich at the normal times. Please
visit www.nationalrail.co.uk before
travelling.
Issued 20 February 2014
Our thoughts on cycles and trains can be found on our new page TRAINS AND CYCLES
Issued 14 October 2013
Please visit www.nationalrail.co.uk
on Saturday if your planned Sunday journey involves using any train on the
Liverpool-Norwich route, where there could be an emergency timetable.
Issued 29 August 2013
Please remember that Liverpool-Norwich expresses cannot serve Nottingham or
Grantham stations till 26 August.
They will instead serve East Midlands
Parkway, which has extra staff, toilets and waiting rooms, with connecting
buses from and to Nottingham.
For journeys east from Nottingham,
please use Special bus stop 5, next to the temporary ticket office in Station
Street, opposite Capital One. Temporary toilets are at the nearby tram terminus
and your fare is reduced by 15%.
There are, of course, hourly East Coast
trains between Grantham and Peterborough.
Westbound expresses cannot serve
Alfreton. Your ticket is valid via Chesterfield or, except on Sundays, you can
take the 1657 from Norwich and change at East Midlands Parkway.
Bus and train times are at www.nationalrail.co.uk
Please tweet any questions to @shirley_updates
We should love to receive your journey
experiences at penrugjohn@btinternet.com
We
at Peterborough-Ely-Norwich Rail Users thank all those colleagues from campaign
and user groups acting as volunteer stewards to help passengers during the big
blockade.
Issued 20 July 2013
Over the summer, trains from Birmingham
to Stansted Airport and from Liverpool to Norwich should get new toilets. Some
are already in place.
Issued 20 May 2013
There will be major disruption east of Ely from 7 to 12 May and on all routes
on the 12 May.
Issued 2 May 2013
Many journeys will be severely
disrupted by line closures on Saturdays and Sundays in April. Please visit www.nationalrail.co.uk
Issued 21 March 2013
Our Annual General Meeting is in Thetford on Saturday 18 May.
Issued 15 January 2013
On 29 September, 2002, the (then) Strategic Rail
Authority introduced new hourly local trains between Norwich and Cambridge. We
send tenth birthday greetings to all Norwich-Cambridge passengers and to all
who staff and maintain the trains. Our priority is to see a comprehensive deep
clean of all carpets and upholstery, then to see them kept clean.
Issued 23 September 2012
National Passenger Satisfaction Survey Results Spring 2012.
OVERALL SATISFACTION
Birmingham-Stansted Airport 89%
Liverpool-Norwich 86%
National average 83%
Anglia Rurals 82%
Issued 5 July 2012
All or part of the route between Ely and Norwich will be closed on
several Sundays in May, June and July; full details of buses and trains from www.nationrail.co.uk
Issued 19 May 2012
There will be no Liverpool-Norwich trains on Tuesdays 1, 8 or 15 May or
on Thursdays 3, 10 or 17 May.
Issued 28 April 2012
Our 2012 Annual General Meeting is at 1030 on Saturday 28 April in the Riversdale
Centre, Tanner Street, Thetford, IP24 2BQ. Our guest speaker is Steven Ashling of Network Rail.
Issued 15 April 2012
Please contact us if you have an appropriate date for our events list.
Issued 19 January 2012
From 12 December, the 1352 from Liverpool will be extended to Norwich,
providing a convenient "conference train" home from Nottingham at
1634, increasing passenger choice and relieving Friday overcrowding on the 1252
and 1452 from Liverpool.
Issued 1 November 2011
The Sunday train at 1553 from Norwich to Thetford and Manchester has
been omitted from some rural timetables.
The Sunday trains at 0952 from Nottingham to Norwich and 1049 from
Sheffield to Norwich will not run after 11 September.
Issued 14 June 2011
At a friendly and positive annual general meeting on 7 May, members
decided that the variability of the everyday passenger experience - in terms of
fares, staffing, closures and station exits - is likely to form a major part of
our activity over the next few years.
Issued 8 May 2011
The 2011 annual general meeting of Peterborough-Ely-Norwich Rail Users
is at 1030 on Saturday 7 May in the Riversdale Centre, Thetford.
Issued 17 April 2011
In the latest round of passenger satisfaction surveys 94% of passengers on
the hourly expresses from Norwich, Thetford and Ely to Peterborough,
Nottingham, Sheffield, Manchester and Liverpool said they were satisfied with
their train service, one of the highest figures in the industry.
We congratulate all front-line staff, managers and planners on their
achievement.
More seats and an extra train are
planned for this nation-building route in 2011.
Issued 29 January 2011
We thank all the railway people working
hard to keep our trains running, mostly on time, in the cold weather..
Issued 20 December 2010
The times of Sunday trains between
Norwich and Cambridge will change from 12 December 2010 with extra services at
1003 and 2203 from Norwich, 0848 and 1152 from Cambridge.
Some Norwich-Cambridge trains will have more seats through the week from the
same date.
Issued 18 October 2010
There is still time to see the summer
floral displays along platforms at Attleborough, Brandon, Ely, Manea, March, Thetford and Wymondham stations. We thank
station adopters David Turner, Fenland Street Pride, Friends of Brandon
Station, NENTA Traintours and railway staff who make
our journeys colourful.
Issued 18 August 2010
Liverpool-Norwich trains will be replaced by buses between Peterborough and
Norwich on all Saturdays from 19 June to 14 August and on all Sundays between
18 July and 15 August.
On the same dates, Norwich-Cambridge trains will be replaced by buses between
Norwich and Thetford or Attleborough.
Please check with www.nationalrail.co.uk before travel.
Issued 17 June 2010
Members of Peterborough-Ely-Norwich Rail Users enjoyed an informative and
positive Annual General Meeting on 24 April, when British Transport Police
talked about policing the railway and Nigel Carlisle about managing the
railway.
Issued 6 May 2010
The 2010 Annual General Meeting of
Peterborough-Ely-Norwich Rail Users will be at 1100 on Saturday 24 April in the
Riversdale Centre, Tanner Street, Thetford, IP24 2BQ.
We shall welcome Nigel Carlisle (from the Liverpool-Norwich operator) and
British Transport Police (subject to confirmation). All passengers are welcome,
though only paid-up members can vote on any internal issues.
Issued 3 March 2010
Please remember major disruption caused by engineering work between Ely and
Norwich 13 to 21 February and again on 27/28 February. Trains from Liverpool
and Nottingham will terminate at Peterborough or Ely, trains from Cambridge at
either Brandon or Thetford. Please check with www.nationalrail.co.uk for times of revised trains and replacement buses.
Issued 9 February 2010
We have commented on plans by Norfolk County Council
to update its Norwich Area Transportation Strategy in the light of planned
population growth. We have welcomed proposals for:
We have made suggestions for developing these ideas, reminded officers
of access issues at Wymondham station and emphasised the importance to Norwich
of its Liverpool trains. Subject to value, we have supported the idea of more
trains between Norwich, Wymondham and Cambridge.
Issued 29 November 2009
At a most positive meeting in Ely on 5 September, Mrs Heather Bolt spoke about
the objectives, benefits and achievements of Norfolk
Rail Policy Group, "oiling the wheels". It shows the commitment of
local authorities to rail, tries to marry development to rail-served sites
and draws down matched funding. It has overseen growth on all passenger routes
in and from Norfolk, including the Bittern line to Sheringham. Stations should
be easy to find, accessible and easy to park at.
Alan Neville, who now manages Ely and March stations, believes that the station
is the gateway to a town or city and should be suitably welcoming. He described
his relationships with staff, train operators, District Councils and Station
Friends groups. Ely now has much improved platform lights and a safer subway.
March has seen four clearing sessions and four big flower tubs. March user Alan
Walker praised the efforts of Alan and March staff in keeping the station
bright and clean.
Issued 6 September 2009
Passengers are invited to a public
meeting of Peterborough-Ely-Norwich Rail Users at 1100 on Saturday 5th
September 2009 in Ely Methodist Church, Chapel Street, Ely.
Guest speaker will be Mrs Heather Bolt, former chairman of Norfolk Rail Policy
Group, a frequent rail passenger and someone with experience of influencing
rail developments.
Also in attendance will be Alan
Neville, who manages Ely and March stations and has a reputation for getting
things done.
Issued 2 August 2009
A
report for the Association of Train Operating Companies advocates around 14 new
or re-opened railways or stations between 2014 and 2019. Initial analysis shows
a positive benefit/cost ratio for hourly trains from Birmingham or Peterborough
to Wisbech.
Wisbech is at present served by half-hourly
air-conditioned coaches from Peterborough station.
The report also suggests further
study of a service from Oxford/Milton Keynes to Peterborough via Corby and
Stamford, as planned in the early ‘90s.
The publication of this report
does not imply that any money has been allocated to explore these schemes.
Issued 29 June 2009
Peterborough-Ely-Norwich Rail Users
much appreciates the opportunity to offer initial comments on Norfolk County
Council’s outline ideas for the 20 year transport strategy for Greater Norwich.
We warmly welcome the intention
to provide excellent pedestrian facilities in Norwich City Centre. This will
help to attract shoppers and tourists to the city by train.
We share the view that cycling is
likely to play a more important role in transport within Norwich and in
developing sustainable tourism to Whitlingham Broad.
We see a need for good cycling routes to, cycle parking at and cycle hire near
Norwich railway station.
We welcome the intention to
explore the possibility of developing up to six rapid transit routes. We hope
that as many as possible of these can pass Norwich railway station. There is a
clear demand for high-quality and high-frequency public transport between the
University and Norwich railway station; we see a similar potential between
Norwich Airport and Norwich railway station.
Development of a rapid transit
corridor to Wymondham would offer an opportunity to restore frequent links
between Hethersett and Wymondham railway station, with access improvements at
the station.
Issued 1 June 2009
All Liverpool-Norwich train catering
will be withdrawn from 17 May.
Issued 20 April 2009
Our AGM will be held at 1030 on
Saturday 18th April 2009 at the King’s House, Thetford. All,
including non-members, welcome. Membership application forms will be available
for new members.
Issued 4 March 2009
On many Sundays in 2009 Norwich-London
trains will be replaced by buses for part of the journey. Several passengers
are expected to travel from Norwich to Cambridge, changing there for London
Kings Cross. We have now secured a promise that, whenever possible, those
Norwich-Cambridge Sunday trains will be of three cars, giving more passengers a
better chance of getting a seat.
Issued 21 December 2008
Timetable changes effective from 14th
December 2008 include the 0650 from Cambridge to Birmingham starting back at
Stansted Airport. The 1612 Birmingham to Cambridge will be replaced by a 1652
and the 1624 Birmingham to Stansted will be accelerated.
Issued 28 November 2008
Timetable changes effective from 14th
December 2008 include a new train at 0722 from Cambridge to Ely to connect into
the 0652 from Norwich to Liverpool. This is in response to a request from
Cambridgeshire ACRE and Peterborough-Ely-Norwich Rail Users.
Issued 9 November 2008
Timetable changes effective from 14th
December 2008 include the early morning Cambridge to Norwich train retimed to
arrive earlier in Norwich to improve a London connection. The late evening
Norwich to Cambridge train will leave Norwich 30 minutes later at 2240 and will
be more convenient for a night out in the city. National Express East Anglia
will take over from East Midlands Trains the operation of these two trains.
Issued 20 October 2008
Liverpool-Norwich stakeholder manager
John Hillman addressed a public meeting in Norwich recently. Mark reports:
John started by mentioning the
stakeholder board and then moved on to the kind of passenger who uses the route.
The main feature is the use by students all year round although no universities
feature in the stakeholder board. Off peak leisure accounts for many other
passengers. There is not too much commuting (except in the Manchester area) and
very little business travel. Each year 3.8m journeys are made using 2-car 158s.
Overcrowding is a major problem
with capacity at 150% on most trains at some point. The train company receives
four times as many complaints about Norwich-Liverpool than any other service. The
DfT has no schemes to improve capacity although the
new Nottingham-Leeds service should help. There is no need to promote the
service. Over the next 10 years 75,000 more homes will spring up at Thetford,
Peterborough, Grantham and Nottingham.
158s are undergoing a £10m
refurbishment – 10 weeks per unit. It is hoped to increase the use of 4-car
services from seven to 15 by Dec 2011 but platform lengths is a problem.
Seating capacity goes up from 138 to 157 with fewer tables and thinner seats.
Refurbishment due to be completed by April 2010.
There is hope that some 150s
might become available from London Midland and London Overground in 2010 at the
earliest. Their use on local services would enable more 158s to be released for
our route. Aspirations include the 1352 from Liverpool running to Norwich. The
business case is cost neutral and the unit would return on the 0552 the next
morning.
Overall impression – quietly
positive without the spin, being open about the obstacles.
Issued 4 October 2008
A letter we recently had published in
the “Fenland Citizen”:
“Dear Keith,
A rumour is circulating in March that
the town is to lose the services provided by one of its franchised train
operators. The truth is that, from now till 13 December, the normal daily
through trains to and from Liverpool, Manchester and Sheffield have to start
and finish their journeys in Chesterfield and Nottingham due to restoration
work in Bradway tunnel. The direct trains will be
back in December, though the 1806 to Manchester will then be replaced by a
later train to Nottingham.
Also from December the last four
evening trains from March to Cambridge will all be extended into Stansted
Airport on Mondays to Fridays, providing extra journey opportunities.
March is generally well served by
its railway, with up to 27 daily trains into Peterborough and hourly trains to
Birmingham, Cambridge, Leicester, Stamford and Stansted Airport. In response,
passenger numbers have grown from 163,000 a year a decade ago to 296,000 a year
now, a sustained success story.
Yours sincerely,
Issued 19 September 2008
Members of Peterborough-Ely-Norwich
Rail Users, Travel Watch East Midlands and Travel Watch North West (together
with staff from Passenger Focus) did a Liverpool-Norwich line survey in the
week starting 18 August, enabling the concerns and experiences of passengers to
be fed into a formal development bid for the route.
Peterborough-Ely-Norwich Rail Users
has also written to the Office of Rail Regulation urging approval of a scheme
to change the layout of tracks at Nottingham station during planned resignalling so that Liverpool-Norwich passengers gain some
punctuality benefits.
Issued 31 August 2008
Over 50 painted elephants grace the
streets of Norwich until 31 August in a spectacular display of popular art. For
more details go to www.goelephants.co.uk. There are up to hourly trains to
Norwich from Nottingham, Peterborough, Cambridge, Brandon, Attleborough and
Wymondham, twice hourly from Ely and Thetford.
Issued 17 August 2008
Journeys between
Cambridge/Liverpool/Peterborough and Norwich will be seriously disrupted up to
16 August by engineering work. Please check before you travel.
Issued 2 August 2008
New guidelines have produced a dramatic
reduction in Liverpool-Norwich cancellations east of Ely and west of
Warrington. Peterborough-Ely-Norwich Rail Users welcomes a significant step
forward.
Issued 13 July 2008
The Liverpool-Norwich service
development stakeholder board held its first meeting on 1 July, bringing
together representatives from Greater Manchester and South Yorkshire passenger
transport executives, Liverpool, Nottingham and Peterborough City Councils,
Derbyshire, Norfolk and Nottinghamshire County Councils, East Midlands
development agency and regional assembly, Network Rail, Passenger Focus, the
train operator, Travel Watch East Midlands and Peterborough-Ely-Norwich Rail
Users.
There were presentations from the
train operator, TWEM and from Christopher Irwin, who initiated the campaign to
develop the Cardiff-Portsmouth route.
Objectives are to:
Issued 2 July 2008