NEWSLETTER

October 2006

Secretary

Welcome to a new secretary and a new style newsletter. Our new secretary is Clive Burgess from Horsham, who has replaced Trevor Tupper. Trevor has stepped down to be our membership secretary and concentrate on seeing Europe by train. Huge thanks must go to Trevor, who for many years has been the public face of Avrua. I am sure all of you will join me in thanking him for all his hard work over the years. For many members, Avrua is Trevor and I am delighted he has agreed to stay on as membership secretary and continues to dispense his knowledge and advice.

Website

Avrua has entered the digital age with a web site for its members. There is information on news, campaigns, advice on how to complain, useful links and answers to some of the questions that we are regularly asked. Take a look at www.wsrua.org.uk. If you have any comments about anything, you can e-mail our secretary at

RUS

DfT issued the Brighton Main Line Route Utilisation Strategy in Feb 2006, aimed at improving performance and overcrowding, by combining Gatwick Express and Arun Valley trains. The only difference to our trains would be that they would run fast from Gatwick to East Croydon (not via Redhill) cutting 10 minutes off the journey time to London. Obviously we were quite pleased.After a summer of silence, DfT has issued further consultation on four options. This is in response to BAA’s concerns over the Gatwick Express. Under the RUS, it would effectively be the same service but will stop additionally at East Croydon. Avrua have written to DfT urging them to implement the RUS as soon as possible but this further consultation will lead to more delays with no changes planned until Summer 2008. By then we fear that the re-letting of the Southern franchise will prevent any changes occurring until 2009.It seems that the airline lobby have delayed the RUS proposals and DfT now runs the risk of watering them down to such an extent that the Gatwick Express remains as it is for the foreseeable future.

Christmas Engineering

Network Rail will be closing the Brighton main line at Earlswood, between 23 and 28 December 2006. Before Christmas, the slow lines will be closed at Earlswood, so trains will not run via Redhill. After Christmas, all four tracks will be closed, so there will be no trains travelling north of Gatwick Airport. Southern will operate a half hourly service between Victoria and Gatwick via the Dorking line and Horsham.

Network Rail will be closing the West Coastway line in the Portsmouth area. From 23 December 2006 to 2 January 2007, trains to Portsmouth and Southampton will terminate at Chichester with buses operating to all stations west of Chichester. From 3 January to 5 February 2007, trains to Portsmouth will terminate at Fratton on weekdays, with buses running to Portsmouth. Southampton services will run normally. At weekends trains will terminate at different stations each weekend including Fratton, Havant and Chichester. Buses will operate from the termination point calling at all stations to Portsmouth.

Membership

Now is the time to renew your Avrua membership for 2007. Still only £2 and less than a pint of beer! We may have entered the digital age but with money it’s still the old fashioned way, so please send your cheque together with your name and address to our membership secretary, Trevor Tupper, 17 The Crescent, West Wittering, West Sussex, PO20 8EE.

Answers

Q: Why do train doors close 30 seconds before departure?

SouthernThis is to ensure all passengers board trains safely and that trains depart on time. Automatic doors must be co-ordinated to close in advance of the departure time to guarantee the wheels of the train roll at ’00 – on time.

WSRUA We support the objective of departing on time but doors should be closed on time (not 30 secs early) and the train started as soon as possible after they have shut (not 15 secs early). This may be 15 secs after ’00 departure time but this should not cause a train to run late.

Ssh…Secret Rovers

Southern have a secret DaySave ticket, which is an off peak day rover for the Southern network after 10am. Priced at £10 for the day, it is only available over the internet and must be booked 7 days in advance. Despite having to plan in advance and the ticket not working at any of the entry gates, it’s still a bargain for a day out.

Southern have now introduced a new Downlander ticket which covers all Southern trains and buses in Brighton and Eastbourne. It’s £10 south of Christ’s Hospital and Gatwick and £12.50 if you want to travel up to London. Again, it’s only available over the internet, must be booked 7 days in advance and won’t work in any of the gates!

These are good tickets for a day out but why does Southern keep them quiet, why can’t you buy them at stations and why do you have to buy them at least 7 days in advance? It seems deliberately designed to stop you looking at the weather, deciding on a day out and buying one there and then. That’s why they are not selling many of them!

And Finally …

Earlier in the year Alastair Darling Transport Secretary, referring to the Asfordby test track said "My understanding is if we were going to buy one, we would not buy this one because, in crude terms, it is a bit bendy for some of the things we might want to do." No wonder Tony Blair moved him!Managing Director of First Capital Connect Elaine Holt faced something of an embarrassment, just two days before taking control of the new Thameslink/WAGN franchise. She was stopped by WAGN ticket inspectors on her journey at Hornsey and had to pay a penalty fare of £20. Ms Holt said that she was not aware that her Oyster card was only valid from Moorgate to Finsbury Park, as TOCs have refused to accept them. With dirty trains and fare hikes she hasn’t impressed us since.

First Capital Connect has caused a storm of protests from passengers by restricting off peak tickets in the evening rush hour. London Travelwatch has advised - Day out in London, book to Redhill. Under the new restrictions a Bedford-London return has risen to £30 but a Bedford-Redhill return remains at £21 because London is in the restricted zone but Redhill is not so you can still get the cheaper fare. The fact that FCC didn’t pick up this anomaly merely highlights how chaotic and poorly thought out these restrictions were." As I said before, FCC hasn’t impressed us!