End of line for sardines?
Apr 16 2008 by Neil Mckay, The Journal
THE daily ordeal of being packed on Britain’s “sardine train” may soon be improved for North East commuters.
Following a meeting arranged by North Durham MP Kevan Jones, train company CrossCountry has provisionally offered to provide an extra train stopping at Chester-le-Street in the morning rush hour.
Mr Jones hosted the meeting in his Chester-le-Street constituency on Monday night amid what he called “ongoing frustration” for local rail passengers.
Rail travel to and from Chester-le- Street came under the spotlight last year after pressure group Transport 2000 described the morning service from Durham to Newcastle, calling at the town, as the “sardine train”, because passengers were crammed so tightly together.
Now Wearside company Arriva, which runs CrossCountry, has offered to alter its service when the new rail timetable comes into effect in December and stop its 6am train from Derby to Newcastle at Chester-le-Street at 8.21am Mondays to Fridays.
A spokesman said: “The offer is subject to another company, TransPennine Express, agreeing to stop one of their evening trains at Chester-le-Street.
“It is no use for us to ferry extra passengers into Newcastle in the morning if they suffer more overcrowding on the return journey. But we will be delighted to help if we can.”
Mr Jones said: “This is certainly a step in the right direction.”
The meeting was attended by senior representatives of three rail companies serving Chester-le-Street – CrossCountry, Northern Rail and Transpennine Express – and transport staff from Durham County Council, which has local responsibility for public transport, were also be present.
Residents have complained that services stopping at Chester-le-Street, especially during morning rush-hour, are often so full that passengers waiting at the town’s station – the last stop on the northbound East Coast Main Line before Newcastle – are unable to board. Even when they can get on to the train, finding a seat often proves impossible.
Mr Jones added: “Chester-le-Street is a growing commuter town and I can envisage a time in the not-too-distant future when soaring fuel costs and road tax allied to congestion charges will lead more people to travel by train. They need to have a decent, reliable service which they plainly do not have at present.”
The meeting also discussed the possibility of the new County Durham unitary authority and regional development agency One NorthEast funding extra rolling stock to provide additional carriages to the commuter trains, following the example of a similar scheme on Merseyside. Mr Jones said: “I will be holding talks with One NorthEast and with the local authority about funding extra rolling stock.”
Sunderland-based Arriva won a contract from Virgin Trains to operate the Cross Country rail franchise last year, with the contract scheduled to last until April 2016.
Northern Rail said they were also looking at the possibility of adding a train at 7.15am from Chester-le-Street to Newcastle, subject to the availability of crews, rolling stock and room on the East Coast Main Line.
Alex Nelson, stationmaster at Chester-le-Street, described the meeting as “very constructive,” adding: “The train companies were left in no doubt about the strength of feeling of local commuters.”
Daily misery
THE Northern Rail service has been described by commuters as "miserable" and "claustrophobic".
The 8am Northern Rail train from Morpeth to Newcastle, running at 58% above capacity, was sixth in the Transport 2000 list, which was compiled using statistics from bodies including the Department for Transport, Tyne and Wear transport group Nexus and pressure group Railfuture.
