MP’s fear over rail changes

Nov 14 2007 by Adrian Pearson, The Journal

A TRAIN operator has been accused of preparing to cut Northumberland services without proper consultation on the changes.

Berwick MP Alan Beith has written to both Arriva Trains and rail minister Tom Harris over fears essential services will be cut when changes are implemented next year.

The company is required to consult on any service changes, but Mr Beith says many in Berwick remain in the dark over proposed changes.

The 8.53am train from Berwick will be withdrawn under current proposals and two evening trains, the 7.40pm and the 9.48pm from Newcastle, would both be withdrawn.

The changes would mean scrapping the late train to Berwick on most week nights, except Friday.

Despite this, Arriva have insisted there is no loss to Berwick services.

The train company should have full consultation details on its internet homepage, but last night these were not available.

A spokesman for the company said this was a technical problem and their homepage would be updated later this week, with the consultation set to end in under two weeks.

Mr Beith said: “I was shocked to discover that Arriva is conducting a little-known consultation on substantial cuts to the CrossCountry service from Berwick-upon-Tweed from December 2008. These proposals were found by a constituent on Arriva’s web-site.

“There has been no publicity at the stations affected, nor on the trains, no Press notice and, no notification to MPs whose constituencies are affected.

“It appears that Arriva is attempting to get through, by stealth, a reduction in its commitment to the franchise before it has even begun operating it.

“Arriva do not seem to appreciate that Berwick station serves a very large area of Northumberland and the Borders, with substantial growth in rail business, and that the trains are essential to the viability of the timetable.”

Arriva said they have conducted nationwide consultation, but the closest they got to Berwick was an Edinburgh session, which they say several people from Berwick attended.

The proposed cuts are listed as “withdrawals”, but Arriva refused to confirm a reduction in services. A spokesman said: “Yes, the website has those details. But the level of service will be the same. There are no service cuts.”