Train passenger numbers continue to climb after the pandemic. Trains bring people to and from work and they also move people for work. It’s so important for a rail network to run smoothly, with reliable services getting people to their destinations on time. The customer experience of rail travel is key to ensuring repeat travel and keeping more of us out of our cars and choosing the train.
We were disappointed to hear of recent Department for Transport (DfT) proposals to withdraw Wi-Fi on trains. Rail passengers need Wi-Fi connectivity to allow them to browse the internet for work or leisure. Wi-Fi will allow work on the move, updating reports, ready for that meeting when the train reaches its destination.
We ran a poll of Daily Focus readers and more than 70% of respondents supported our view in challenging any proposals to withdraw Wi-Fi. We have written to the Department of Transport to express our concerns about these proposals.
We have also written to East Midlands Rail to challenge suggestions to withdraw some services on the Crewe-Stoke-Derby route. Known as the ‘North Staffordshire Line’, we see this as a key rail artery linking the east and west of our region, with local stations at Kidsgrove, Longport, Stoke-on-Trent, Longton, Blythe Bridge and Uttoxeter.
When HS2 services eventually reach Crewe, this line will play a pivotal role in moving passengers between North Staffordshire and the Cheshire railway town. Removing services from the timetable will damage passenger confidence and create uncertainty.
I’ve recently attended two rail conferences, one in Birmingham and one in Crewe and thanks to exceptional rail connectivity in the county, the journey by rail to each conference, was an easy one to make.
Avanti West Coast Partnership (WCP) held its Annual Stakeholder Conference in Birmingham, with the message that the recovery plan is working. A new cohort of drivers have been recruited and are being trained. A new Hitachi fleet of trains is being rolled out and the company is more than half way through a programme of refurbishing its Pendolino fleet.
Avanti WCP runs services along the West Caast Mainline, between London, West Midlands, North Wales, the North West of England and Scotland. In Staffordshire, Avanti services stop in Stafford, Stoke-on-Trent, Tamworth and Lichfield.
The High-Speed Rail Group held its conference at Crewe Hall, with the theme of ‘delivering HS2 in full, spreading prosperity’. One of the speakers felt that being connected to a high-speed network drives growth and carbon benefits.
We are disappointed by the decision to pause the start of constructing Phase 2A of HS2 (between Fradley and Crewe) and it was refreshing to hear one of the speakers describing this stretch as “the link that drives levelling up.”.
Mark Thurston, CEO of HS2 was another guest speaker and whilst acknowledging the pause in construction of Phase 2A, said he’s “determined to hit the ground running in 2025”, when construction will hopefully resume.
HS2 is key to addressing Government objectives of levelling up the UK economy and from a Staffordshire perspective, we hope Europe’s largest construction project will bring jobs, training and apprenticeship opportunities to our county.
HS2 is more than just tracks and trains. Construction workers will need accommodation, food and personal protective equipment, to name just a few items on what will be a lengthy shopping list.
Transport is a key enabler for our local economy and if you would like to join the discussion and share your views around transport, please contact:bdeclan.riddell@staffordshirechambers.co.uk
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