TENDRING RAIL REPORT LAUNCHED AT THE QUESTIONTIME AGM BY OUR MP
ONTRACK 2019 AGM panel with Cllr Mark Platt in audience
Our MP GILES WATLING told the ONTRACK QUESTIONTIME audience that he has been lobbying the Sec. of State for Transport, meeting frequently and on Saturday launched a report that has just been completed on the state of Tendring’s Rail Services, (entitled Colchester to Clacton & Walton – A Very Under Achieving Railway – more information to follow), which understand will be laid before Sec. of State before dashing early off to catch a train to London himself. The question is should it also be Clacton in 60 minutes from London, as well as Ipswich?
Thanks to speakers GILES Watling MP, Alan Neville ABELLIO’s GREATER ANGLIA RAILWAY HQ STAKEHOLDER MANAGER, Matt Brennan NETWORK RAIL ANGLIA REGION, County Councillor Mark Platt and TDC Chairman, and the Frinton Gospel Chapel hosting and audio visuals. There was up to date engaging, informative, and interesting briefings on new trains, timetabling, performance, the imminent resignalling of Clacton – Thorpe Le Soken, to a very attentive appreciative audience, who asked many, many questions.
Councillor Mark Platt also raised the Green Agenda aspects of improving transport, highlighting for more chargers within Tendring and railway stations. Alan Neville GAR reported on the first test run of the new intercity trains over the previous night into Liverpool Street, SMART CARDs, and improving reliability and performance. Matt Brennan spoke about signalling infrastructure upgrades affecting the Clacton Station – Thorpe Le Soken route and extra tracks to help the Gt Eastern Mainline to run more trains more freely (See PDF for more details).
From left to right: Alan Neville of Greater Anglia Railways, Giles Watling MP, Matt Brennan of Network Rail Anglia
Questions highlighted the inadequacies of Disabled Access at Thorpe Le Soken which did not rank high enough for central funding, and the dis-satisfaction accessibility legacy: compliance appears lagging behind other sectors, and also there were questions the operational issues created by delays and disruption.
Thanks to the Gospel Chapel elders and audio/ visual team for screens, video and PA and to Frinton free church for loan of special VGA cable.
