SENRUG, the group that campaigns for better rail transport in South East Northumberland, is warning passengers that use Morpeth station to get ready for the CrossCountry Cutbacks, that come into effect next week, on 14th December.
Arriva, which won the CrossCountry franchise last year, is reducing the number of CrossCountry trains that stop at Morpeth from 4 to 3.
Northbound, the 11.50 service to Edinburgh is withdrawn, and the all important late evening train that called at Morpeth at 22.00 changes to a train an hour earlier, at 21.13.
Southbound, the 13.19 Cardiff and 15.20 Bristol services are withdrawn, but there is a new morning service to Reading at 08.02 (the local train moving to 07.49)
CrossCountry services were first introduced at Morpeth by the former operator Virgin, following a request from SENRUG. Although Virgin had 4 trains a day calling at Morpeth, the government’s franchise contract with CrossCountry only requires them to have 2 trains per day. So CrossCountry are meeting their commitment to the government even though service at Morpeth is being reduced.
“We have campaigned throughout the year to reverse these cutbacks, but to no avail”, said Dennis Fancett, Chairman of SENRUG. “The use of rail at Morpeth was growing, but now people who have got used to going by train will start to get back in to their cars. We believe the arguments we made to CrossCountry demonstrate there is no technical advantage in making these cuts; their trains will not get from Newcastle to Edinburgh any faster. They are throwing away the fare revenue from Morpeth passengers for no good reason”.
“Particularly frustrating is the new CrossCountry times put their trains very close to those of the other companies. Southbound we now have services at 07.19, 07.49 and 08.02, but no inter-city trains between 11.20 and 17.24. Northbound, the last 3 trains of the day are now within half an hour of each other. Times from Newcastle are: 20.29 (National Express), 20.58 (CrossCountry) and 21.05 (Northern Rail)” continued Dennis.
But SENRUG admits CrossCountry had a massive job on their hands in planning for the new timetable, due to significant changes elsewhere on the network. “We get the impression they just didn’t have the scope to consider the points we put to them about Morpeth. More recently they have implied they will look again at the Morpeth situation once this round of changes is implemented. Welcome though this is, even if the services are re-introduced later, the loss of continuity will means we will have to re-do all our work in establishing and growing the rail market at Morpeth” Dennis added.
SENRUG are also keen to point out CrossCountry will be increasing the number of services at Morpeth at weekends, with 3 trains each way on Saturdays and 2 on Sundays. The group are also in contact with National Express, in the hope they might be persuaded to introduce some services in to the gaps left by CrossCountry. “We understand the biggest CrossCountry markets at Morpeth are York and Edinburgh” said Dennis, “which of course are both served by National Express as well.”
SENRUG’s ultimate aspiration is to see an inter-city service at Morpeth every 2 hours in each direction. The group also campaign for other issues such as level access to the northbound platform, longer opening hours for the ticket office, and a customer information system on train running information to be provided. SENRUG have made significant progress in their campaign for the Ashington Blyth and Tyne line to be re-opened to passengers. The group welcomes more members, and details can be found at www.senrug.co.uk.
