Members of Manchester Friends of the Earth, dressed as Father Christmas greeted passengers at Manchester Victoria Station on Monday 16 December. He was asking them to choose what they want for Christmas - a new train set or a cowboy outfit. Santa was joined by national Friends of the Earth campaigners dressed as a cowboy (representing a poorly-run and inefficient train company), and a schoolboy clasping a large Christmas parcel and a working model train set.
The Manchester Friends of the Earth action coincides with key decisions by the Government's Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) being made about the new Northern rail franchise. This will decide the level and quality of rail services that passengers will be given over the next 15 years, and who will run them. Friends of the Earth will give passengers an easy opportunity to have their say by signing a letter to the SRA's Chairman, also available on Friends of the Earth's website.
Manchester Friends of the Earth believes that rail passengers have had to put up with a poor service for too long. In October 2001, Arriva Trains Northern was fined £2 million for poor service. Commenting on First North Western (FNW), the Rail Passenger Committee for North Western England, the statutory passenger watchdog, in its annual report published earlier this year, stated that "a significant number of regular users have been let down by overcrowded, late-running or cancelled trains. Overall, trust in the ability of FNW to provide consistently comfortable, punctual, reliable services remains low". Looking specifically at Manchester commuter services, it says that "passengers on these routes � have been badly served and have lost confidence in FNW's ability to get them to their destination on time"
Manchester needs:
But Manchester Friends of the Earth is concerned that adequate investment may not happen. The SRA's current plans for the Northern franchise are unambitious and likely to be hampered by a lack of money. Friends of the Earth has shown the level of rail service the SRA should be aiming at in our briefing 'Changing trains in the North'.
Manchester Friends of the Earth rail campaigner Graeme Sherriff said:
"Passengers in Manchester have had to put up with a poor quality rail service for far too long. They need a safe, efficient, reliable and affordable railway. With adequate funding and vision the Strategic Rail Authority and the Government could dramatically improve the situation. A new train set that is reliable, efficient and affordable would be a welcome Christmas present for train-users in Manchester".
"First North Western's service has been patchy at best. And the service provided by Arriva is recognised to have been so unacceptable that they have been fined by the Strategic Rail Authority and threatened with the possibility of having their franchise taken away if they didn't improve their performance."
Friends of the Earth are also highlighting the fact that passengers currently have no direct say in the level and quality of rail services provided for them.
Graeme Sherriff added:
"The SRA asks lots of questions about the level and quality of rail services, but they don't ask the passengers. Surely it's common-sense to ask customers what they want. The SRA must open up the process and give fed up passengers on the 8.14 a real voice".
Manchester Friends of the Earth (0161 834 8221, [email protected])
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