Agenda item

To consider the update following the Rail North Committee on 13 September; and receive an update on the Transpennine Express 100 day  plan.

Lead: Darren Oldham, Mayor Burnham, Robin Gisby.

5.1          Members received the report from the Head of Strategic Rail.  The Rail and Road Director then outlined the key points from the Rail North Committee Consultation Call on 13 September.

5.2          Mayor Burnham (Chair of the Rail North Committee) provided the Board with an update on the matters discussed at the meeting. 

On the issue of proposals to close ticket offices, he stated that this remains huge concern for the Committee, with Members believing that the proposals and consultations are flawed. He explained that the Committee is not against reform but the proposal for reform has to be based on the principle that there will be no loss of staff and no reduction in the support provided for passengers.  He also expressed concern that under the proposals too many stations would be deserted for large parts of the day, citing this as further evidence of ‘managed decline.’

He then updated Board on the work of the Committee in looking at accessibility of stations across the North: he encouraged Board Members to look at the Committee papers if they haven’t already done so.  He highlighted some of the major issues in the report including the number of stations without desirable step free access and/or induction loops.  He stated that the Committee was concerned that the railways do not see removing all accessibility issues as a priority issue.  He informed the Board that a Member taskforce has been established to look at these issues and that it will report back regularly to the Committee on progress.

Mayor Burnham requested that a discussion on disability access be brought to the TfN Board in the near future.

5.3          Cllr Gittins raised the issue of women and safety on the railways and questioned whether concerns about safety are putting women off using trains.  She requested a further discussion on this at  Board in due course.

5.4          Mayor Brabin stated that taking ticket offices away at this time makes no sense with the disruption that will be caused by the work taking place on the Transpennine Route upgrade (TRU).  She argued that this will be a time, more so than ever before, when people will need to have access to staff on stations.  She then raised the issue of congestion in the West Yorkshire area and requested that TfN look at these pinch points and that this be included in the next statutory advice.

5.5          Cllr Hughes and Cllr Smith both spoke about the importance of, and the need for ticket offices to remain open.  Cllr Smith stated that he considered there needs to be an increase in the number of ticket offices.

5.6          Mr Rawstron highlighted that when you exclude people from purchasing tickets you drive down revenue and therefore make travelling uneconomic.  He suggested the need to promote additionality on the railways in order to drive revenue.  He then went on to highlight the importance of ticket offices in supporting visitor economy, in particular noting the need for people who don’t speak English to be able to access support at the station.

Resolved:

1)   That the feedback from the Rail North Committee including discussions with TransPennine Trains Ltd on their recovery plan be noted

2)   That Board endorses the response to the Ticket Offices Closure proposal

3)   That Board Agrees the updated Statutory Advice (to the Secretary of State) on Manchester Congestion issues.