Opinions articulated here are solely those of who have placed them. TWEM does NOT necessarily sustain or oppose the views expressed.

Click here to add a comment. 21 March 02, 2009 - 05:14 PM Alasdair Young   It was with sadness I read Stephen Abbott's Article in Modern Railways on the Norwich / Liverpool service I got to know that service about 10 years ago when visiting family near Mansfield 170 units were making their appearance and Central Trains seemed to be making a reasonably good job We used Alfreton station a lot (it seemed to have lost its parkway status by then) then bus. Comming from Scotland after the introduction of Voyager units we travelled to Edinburgh for a Virgin CC service to Chesterfield then a long wait fot the service to Alfreton Previously we had travelled by WCML to Preston to change for Manchester Once we had a disaster by changing stations a Warrington. However it was as a Leisure route we enjoyed the Central Trains services travelling from Alfreton both East and West. 158 units have never been a favourite of mine as I was in Glasgow Control when they were introduced, never a shift passed without a failure and 2 vehicles is utterly usless on interurban services.... 22 February 26, 2009 - 10:21 AM Paul Clark   East Midlands Parkway. 6 or 7 people per train and it is VERY early days. (and there are quite a few trains each day). Sounds good value to me when compared with the upgrading of the A453 which will cost many times what EMP cost and don’t forget that many cars only have one occupant! A costly scheme to get cars to the outskirts of Nottingham and then into the traffic jams quicker! Fantastic!!! Oh we can widen Clifton Bridge or another Trent Road bridge costing around £400m and so on! (Incidentally for comparison, the Trams cost £400m too for a whole system). 23 February 19, 2009 - 07:47 PM Tim Anderson   4000 in 9 days ... thats 444 per day on average. There are around 70 trains per day so about 6 or 7 people per train on average? Is that up to expectations? Tim 24 February 12, 2009 - 07:48 PM Stephen Abbott   East Midlands Trains report 4000 journeys or bookings from East Midlands Parkway in the first nine days. The station is likely to be used by passengers finding it more convenient than Derby, Long Eaton, Loughborough or Nottingham; some from further afield accessing it via the motorway; and airport passengers and staff. 25 February 03, 2009 - 08:33 PM Tim Anderson   Is anybody using the new EM Parkway station? I'm finding it hard to see who would want to; though I'd love it to be a success. Anybody know how it is going? Tim 26 January 27, 2009 - 03:20 PM Simon Tomlin   Business Secretary Lord Mandelson is outlining a package of government support for the UK car industry. Whilst it is important to keep jobs in the car industry, lets press for similar treatment for the rail industry. E.g build more carriages for East Midlands Trains, building of the East West Rail link, High Speed Rail and Electrification. And so on... 27 January 12, 2009 - 02:56 PM Peter Burton   It is appalling that some train companies are now charging for “online” bookings. I remember the days of queuing for ages at ticket offices and then missing trains as a result. It is entirely logical that advance booking should be cheaper and everything should be done to encourage “online” bookings. Whilst of course walk on fares must be retained, it is an expensive luxury and maybe the train companies need to reduce their overheads (staff/equipment) on tickets sales. Charging for online sales reverses this by putting more pressure on ticket offices. 28 January 11, 2009 - 07:35 PM Tim Anderson   "Advance" tickets (which are as confusing as ever, since they have multiple prices) are now non-refundable. Whose bright idea was that? It really is painful - either pay the exhorbitant full prices - even "super off peak" is now £54.00 for me (Beeston to London), while "Anytime" is a breathtaking £131 - or buy advance tickets and risk seeing all your money evaporate if a meeting is cancelled. Tim 29 January 11, 2009 - 07:31 PM Tim Anderson   Poor service for Nottingham and Beeston in new timetable. Journey times from Nottingham were better in 1999. Beeston has lost its best morning train (7.36, the old "Robin Hood"). Nottingham has all the old HSTs, which I dislike because I use at-seat power for a laptop. The so-called "Robin Hood" now does not arrive in London until 9.30. By contrast Long Eaton now has a splendid service. Any chance of improvement in future? Tim 30 January 10, 2009 - 05:10 PM John Moores   EMT lowered some web fares. 31 December 29, 2008 - 02:29 PM Frank Turner   I cant believe that EMT have the audacity to put up fare prices on this disastrous, terrible service they deliver to the public, they should be deeply ashamed, but I bet their not. Keep the profits coming Tim...never mind the passengers. 32 December 24, 2008 - 10:20 AM Frank Turner   Liverpool - Nottingham is congeted at peak times and most other times, i would of thought that Nottingham, Sheffield, Manchester, Liverpool are large cities. Why is the results of the survey top secrate? This is the problem, its all cloak and dager.... 33 December 23, 2008 - 12:02 PM Stephen Abbott   I know all about Nottingham-Liverpool and often rely on it for part of personal journeys north. Travel is truly in 'third world' conditions at times. Moreover, along with other TravelWatch volunteers, I gave my own time this summer distributing 3500 survey cards to passengers, and have spent many hours since analysing the astonishing 45% which were returned! The results of this work cannot yet be made public, but it is an example of what is going on behind the scenes to try to convince DfT. The DfT's objective in funding 1300 extra vehicles nationally is simply to cure crowdng in and out of London and other big cities during the travel-to-work peaks - they (as yet) have no concern for crowidng at other times as happens on Nottingham-Liverpool. 34 December 22, 2008 - 01:28 PM Paul Clark   The fact is that East Midlands Trains under the Franchise terms are not allowed to lease/buy rolling stock at will. The DfT control the amount of rolling stock out there. Complain to your MP and the Transport Minister whose constituency is right in the centre of the East Midlands Trains area to get this changed – or make it and election issue at the next General Election which could well be in 2009. No one denies (except perhaps the DfT) that there is a serious problem on the Norwich - Liverpool route. We really need to keep the pressure up on this one with MPs and those who control these things – Not least of which are the ROSCOs whom might consider reducing their leasing costs to the TOCs. 35 December 21, 2008 - 10:19 PM Frank Turner   You say the overcrowding on Nottingham – Liverpool is a result of government funding no extra vehicles for the franchise despite growing passenger numbers. What about Stagecoach funding it. They are not running this service for the good of the passengers; it’s about profit for them. They are a multi-million pound company and this is just another way of generating revenue while we suffer. The service on Nottingham – Liverpool is absolutely appalling and if you think its acceptable then you have obviously never used it. Maybe some fault could be pointed at the DfT but very much fault at this new useless operator. (They are responsible for it). Instead of going to Market Harborough to London, try Nottingham to Liverpool on a Saturday morning or any morning or late afternoon, then post the results of that!!!! 36 December 18, 2008 - 08:26 PM Stephen Abbott   Most passengers on the Midland Main Line have faster trains, and frequency or time of last train has improved on many services - last Nottingham-Mansfield now 22.05 (23.05 Sats)instead of 21.05, last Nottingham-Leicester now 23.10 instead of 21.54. East Midlands Parkway and Corby will allow more people to access the railway. Crowding on Nottingham-Liverpool is a result of government funding no extra vehicles for the franchise despite growing passenger numbers. I do not work for EMT nor for any other company in the railway industry. 37 December 17, 2008 - 09:29 PM Frank Turner   "EMT (Stagecoach) have improved services for the vast majority of passengers" I would like to meet the people you are talking about, because i haven't met anyone with that opinion. The refurbishment of the trains will not change the problem of severe overcrowding on Liverpool - Norwich line. "TWEM and associated groups to make the case for more resources to DfT" I would like to see evidence of that!! You dont work for EMT by any chance? possibly a manager/director. 38 December 16, 2008 - 04:55 PM Stephen Abbott   With the new timetable introduced on Sunday EMT (Stagecoach) have improved services for the vast majority of passengers. Yesterday I went from Market Harborough to London and back, 83 miles each way, in a total elapsed time of 2 hours 0 minutes 17 seconds! Liverpol-Norwich remains a problem, but refurbished trains are starting to appear. A lot of work is going on behind the scenes by TWEM and associated groups to make the case for more resources to DfT - who are the real culprits through inadequate specification of the franchise. 39 December 15, 2008 - 08:18 PM Frank Turner   At the end of November last year just after Stagecoach took over our rail services, there were many complaints about the service on all the new connect routes taking a turn for the worst, moor overcrowding, less carriages, old dirty trains. David Horne was interviewed on East Midlands Today he said " things had got worse but improvements were on the way". Well its been a full year and we have seen NO improvement at all, Indeed the situation has got much worse. Its time they went and let some one else have ago... 40 November 28, 2008 - 03:48 PM Paul Clark   Pressure groups such as TravelWatch East Midlands and the Campaign for Better Transport lobbied to get peak evening trains restored at Bottesford, between Nottingham and Grantham. Tim Shoveller, managing director for East Midlands Trains said: "We've listened to all the concerns raised, and have subsequently carried out detailed counts of the number of passengers using our services to travel home from work in Nottingham." (Nottm Evening Post). Some services are to be restored. So groups like TWEM (focus groups?) are a waste of time, “….just hands in glove with the train operators and DfT, waste of time...”. I get the true picture I think. [Top] Page # 1  2  3  4  5  [Bottom]