Shrewsbury to Aberystwyth Rail Passenger Association (SARPA)

Chairman’s Report 2002/2003.

2003 seems to be the year when the privatised chickens finally came home to roost. I can’t remember anyone thinking it was a sensible idea at the time and events just keep proving us right. Though most of us couldn’t have predicted how stupid and ridiculous things have got, many of us thought it would be prelude to a worse service and attempts at closure. Following all that’s gone on at a thick and fast rate this last 12 months has been hard and depressing, the SRA and Government have lost the plot. At the heart of the problem is New Labour’s inability to see that it’s the way the railway has been organized since 1993 that has caused spiraling costs and poorer services. Their almost evangelical mantra that the sun shines out of the private sector’s backside has blinded them to how badly organised the railways are. They ring their hands and complain about costs and poor delivery and some of them conclude that rail is outmoded because “even the private sector can’t make it work”. The real world is more complicated than private versus public sector of course but try getting New Labour to listen!

That’s why strong user groups such as ours are needed to fight for rail and passengers rights, there is a tendency especially within the SRA to view RUG’s with disdain and contempt. Well Mr. Bowker we are not going to go away and be good boys and girls, If you keep on getting things wrong well keep on telling people that and why. I promise no let up on campaigning for better services in Mid Wales and that goes for Arriva too, who better have learnt from their past mistakes or they’ll be hell to pay!

So what has SARPA done these last 12 months?

The answer is quite a lot. As well as meeting in public along the length of the line once a month and issuing quarterly newsletters. We have been busy behind the scenes corresponding with various bodies about improved services or issues of concern, we have also taken part in consultation exercises and held meetings with politicians, members of the rail industry and local authorities.

Newsletter – once again a big thankyou to Denis Bates for editing this. The feedback I get is that people we send it too do read it. We send copies to the rail industry, politicians, the Assembly Government, Local Authority Officers and anyone else who could be of influence. In some ways it our best campaigning tool. Of course this comes at a cost we could distribute more widely if we had more money which would mean increasing subs.

Carno Station Action Group - we have supported Tony Burton and is group in their campaign to reopen Carno Station.

Correspondence received- I am often contacted by individuals and occasionally bodies such as Newtown Town Council on rail issues. All too often the issues they raise have been long running and unresolved and I am forced to explain why such a thing is so and explain that we have been campaigning to get the issues resolved. Many members correspond with me also and I welcome it as it increases my knowledge of what’s going on. Theirs not room here to mention everyone nor the many issues.

Relationship with the media – I can report a positive move on this front. Over the last year we have sent out many press releases and written many letters to raise issues concerning rail in Mid Wales. Publications that have carried SARPA news releases and letters include, The Western Mail, Modern Railways magazine, BBC Online, The Shropshire Star and The County Times. Our message is getting across, all too often in response to something already published but nonetheless very often a counterbalance is needed. This year has seen our highest number of press snippets ever!

Relationship with Wales and Borders Trains- as stated before I believe we’ve had a much more productive relationship with W&B than was achieved with Central Trains. However they have suffered from the franchise impasse as much as everyone else and their ability to change things has been very limited, MD Chris Gibb moved on to Virgin XC in May and his replacement Peter Strachan has been contacted, however what does October bring? Our views on timetables, problems with Project Inform, Welshpool station lights have all been put forward.

Arriva Trains- I hear you ask what have we done with Arriva- the answer is nothing yet. The SRA has been at pains to point out since the announcement of August 1st that Arriva are the preferred bidder only and contract is not due to be signed till early September. Therefore no contact has been made, though we will be in the stampede once we can get at them.

Consultation Exercises- A time consuming process though we have managed to contribute to the SRA’s “specification of network outputs” and “rolling stock strategy” as well as The Transport Committee of the House of Commons inquiry on “The Future of the railway”.

Relationship with Politicians – I believe we are very fortunate to have MP’s along our line that do take up rail issues and we have positive contact with. Paul Marsden in Shrewsbury & Atcham, Lembit Opik in Montgomeryshire and Simon Thomas in Ceredigion all have campaigned in the house for better rail services and we maintain a good relationship with all of them. We have provided briefings especially to the Lib Dems and have kept up a constant two way communication on a range of issues.

Attempts at inviting along Assembly candidates to our meetings prior to last Mays election proved something of a damp squib, we got a solitary Green. Glyn Davies AM has taken up a number issues on our behalf. We always got an interesting reply from Sue Essex AM however the new man with responsibility transport Wales Andrew Davies AM remains an unknown quantity.

Relationship with Local Authorities- definitely in the need to do better category. We seem to have better links with Shropshire than in Mid Wales. Shropshire’s Rail Officer Dave Korning is due to speak at one of our meetings. Worryingly a lot of correspondence we send to Powys CC has gone unanswered this year.

Meeting with Peter Hain MP Secretary of State for Wales – probably the highlight of the year a delegation from Mid Wales including SARPA members Tony Burton, Gareth Marston, Paul Atkins and Ian Ball met with Hain in early July. We put forward proposals for changing rail services in Mid Wales and highlighting nonsenses of the current way of running things. What will come of it I don’t know, we’ve been promised a meeting with Richard Bowker that has not materialized yet. However getting access to a cabinet minister (he’s Leader of the House as well) whose talked off as a future PM however brief was a major coup and all thanks got to Lembit Opik and his office for organizing it. Paul & Ian also submitted a substantial briefing document which I thank them for.

Public meetings and conferences- SARPA members have gone along and contributed to meetings held by the Rogers Commission, Association of Community Rail Partnerships AGM, Cardiff University’s Debate on Sustainable Development and The National Assembly Mid Wales Regional Committee. A big thank you to Angus Eichoff for attending a number of these.

Relationship with Rail Passengers Council Wales - many of our issues and concerns get fed into RPCW network and its work and again this year they allowed SARPA promotional material to appear on their stand at the Royal Welsh Show. Its good to see Paul on his annual visit again!

Mail on rail – we lobbied our MP’s to sign EDM 1380 opposing the illogical decision of the Royal Mail.

Welshpool station lights- again the issue occupies much time, still unresolved. We discovered that the assembly government owns the ramp so are trying to get some sort of answer out of them.

Throughout the year there have also been several other minor things that have cropped up mainly concerning tracking down rumors and checking up on things and I apologize if I’ve missed anything out.

Gareth Marston Newtown, 29th August 2003.