PAPER G

 

Purpose: For Decision

REPORT TO THE EXECUTIVE

 

Date:               6 OCTOBER 2004

 

Title:                PROPOSAL TO ESTABLISH A COMMUNITY RAIL PARTNERSHIP

FOR ISLAND LINE

 

REPORT OF THE PORTFOLIO HOLDER FOR TRANSPORT

 

IMPLEMENTATION DATE : 18 October 2004

____________________________________________________________________ 

 

PURPOSE

 

  1. To support the Quality Transport Partnership in developing a Community Rail Partnership for Island Line.

 

BACKGROUND

 

  1. The Strategic Rail Authority (SRA)’s recent review of the rural branch lines was prompted by a need to understand the role of the railway in a changing society with different demands and expectations of it’s public transport. 

 

  1. Overall usage of the UK Rail Network has seen strong growth with passenger numbers hitting 1 billion passenger journeys in 2003-04 and the network carrying 25% more trains services than prior to privatisation. 

 

  1. However this growth has been focused on a number of principal routes and geographic areas of the network leaving a substantial part of the network under served by trains and under used by passengers.  At the same time a significant gap between costs and income on the under used section of the network had become an issue.  This reflected the high fixed costs of providing a rail service with its own infrastructure and stations irrespective of the number of passengers using these lines.

 

  1. The SRA, asserting that conventional cost-cutting or line closure were not options, decided to examine in more detail the role of the rural branch lines to determine if they could deliver other objectives such as alleviating local congestion, support the tourist economy or by providing environmentally friendly access to historic coastal towns and national parks.

 

  1. The SRA defines rural rail lines as ones that typically:

 

·                    A train speed limit of 75 mph or less;

·                    Are of a low frequency (normally hourly or less);

·                    Have a single operator;

·                    Are local or rural in character;

·                    Do not carry international passenger traffic.

 

7.      Using this definition the SRA have determined that 1,300 route miles of the existing national rail network would be included in this review, representing 12.5% of the network and 420 stations (17% of the total).

 

  1. The model currently being proposed by the SRA draws its inspiration from the regional branch lines in Germany, Netherlands and Denmark.  In all these countries independently locally managed railways have been part of regional transport provision for decades.  In the past few years Germany has been particularly successful in transforming the fortune of loss making rural lines through involving the local community along the line of the route in the management of the branch line.

 

  1. In the UK the concept of the Community Rail Partnership (CRP) has been around for about 10 years with over 30 lines now run in this manner.  Many of these lines had been lost in far larger franchise areas and had been starved of resources, funding and management support for years.  In each case the Partnership has developed the following characteristics:

 

·                    Local management within the Train Operating Company;

·                    Engaging with a wide circle of local stakeholders;

·                    Shared management of local stations;

·                    Improved local and regional marketing; 

·                    Ability to access new funding.

 

  1. In February 2004 the SRA launched a consultation paper on community rail development identifying a number of lines that would be considered for a pilot. Included in this list was Island Line due to its structure as the only micro-franchise within the current rail network.  As part of the consultation process the SRA had asked for responses to 27 questions on the subject of community rail by 28th May 2004. 

 

  1. The Council’s response, agreed in consultation with Cllr Fox, is attached as Appendix A.  Officers in Engineering Services drew up the Council’s response based on existing Council transport policies.  The response stresses the essentially urban nature of the communities served by Island Line and the higher passenger numbers and service frequency compared to the standard definition of community rail branch lines.  The key figures relating to Island Line are:

 

·                    8 miles of track;

·                    8 stations and stops;

·                    1.1 million passenger journeys 2002-03;

·                    Passenger growth 3-4% annually;

·                    68 train journeys each day;

·                    On track to meet all LTP targets by 2010.

  

  1. Following careful consideration of the responses received the SRA will draw together a strategy for community rail in the autumn.  This process has also been informed by the details contained in the recent Government White Papers on Transport and the Future of Rail.

 

  1. In the interim a major steer from the SRA has been to establish a Community Rail Partnership (CRP) to support Island Line through the pilot stage of the SRA’s new strategy.  On the Island, the Rail Working Party (RWP) of the Quality Transport Partnership (QTP) has championed the Island’s role in the pilot and led the wide-ranging discussions on putting together a CRP.  At this time the RWP, with the support of the QTP, has approved a proposal to establish a CRP by the end of the calendar year.

 

  1. This is an example of Island transport issues being addressed through Island Futures (LSP) within its framework the Quality Transport Partnership (QTP)’s remit covers Theme 2 looking at ‘Better access to transport’.  The QTP brings together all transport interests and issues and allows the main operators to discuss common interests in a neutral forum. 

 

  1. This new body will seek to co-ordinate the many activities currently underway at the main stations as well as the various initiatives providing new transport links and interchanges.  Alongside this work the CRP will seek to support Island Line’s case for improved investment in infrastructure and rolling stock.

 

  1. The Council met with the key partners Island Line, South West Trains, the Strategic Rail Authority and a representative of the RWP of the QTP on Thursday 16th September 2004 and agreed to work towards establishing a CRP.  A paper is now being drafted that will be used to establish a proper process of partnership development for the CRP.

 

STRATEGIC CONTEXT

 

  1. As the Community Rail Partnership embodies a new approach to broadening involvement of stakeholders in managing and developing rural rail lines there is no implicit reference in existing Council policies or strategies.

 

  1. Justification for establishing a CRP can be seen in A1.2.2 To promote economic development- Investment- Local Agenda 21- Transport and separation by sea of the Local Transport Plan 2001-06.

 

  1. Island Futures in articles 2.1 Best use of existing transport network and 2.8 Improving transport integration can be seen as giving rail a major role in improving public transport on the Island.

 

  1. The Unitary Development Plan (UDP) 1996- 2011 does safeguard restrictions on land use around the existing and old railway lines under TR18 Retention and extension of the Island’s railway lines.

 

CONSULTATION

 

  1. Two consultation processes have taken place to inform the development of the Community Rail Partnership. 

 

  1. The Strategic Rail Authority carried out the first consultation nationally, which will inform the Department for Transport’s national framework for the future management and funding of rural branch lines.  A number of local organisations contributed to this process. 

 

  1. Locally the Rail Working Party of the QTP continue a consultation process with the wider QTP membership and other interested stakeholders to ensure local participation and involvement in the CRP.

 

FINANCIAL/ BUDGET IMPLICATIONS

 

  1. The CRP provides the framework for developing new and wider funding opportunities for the railway on the Island.

 

  1. The CRP will be seeking financial support from the key partners to fund a post to provide greater co-ordination of rail development activities on the Island.

 

  1. As part of the Council’s contribution to the CRP, Engineering Services will seek to employ a Transport Co-ordinator so as to work to improve the efficiency and use of public transport on the Island, that appointment can be accommodated within available budgets and other service priorities. Part of this role would include the work of co-ordinating rail development activities. This is anticipated to be one and two workdays per week for an officer whose other duties would be to maximise the integrated use of all existing transport provision.

 

LEGAL IMPLICATIONS

 

  1. The White Paper proposes requiring the explicit backing of Local Authorities as a precondition of awarding any future micro-franchise.  It can be anticipated that this will become a legislative requirement in due course.

 

OPTIONS

 

§         To support the QTP in establishing a Community Rail Partnership for Island Line.

§         Not to support at this time establishing a Community Rail Partnership for Island Line.

 

EVALUATION/ RISK MANAGEMENT

 

  1. If the Council feels unable to support this proposal there is the potential through the Government’s rail review that Island Line will have it’s funding removed threatening the viability of the line for any future rail operator. Support for a CRP does not preclude the Council for examining other options for mass transit on the Isle of Wight.

 

29. A legal contract exists between the SRA and Island Line covering all operational and maintenance arrangements.  The Council’s involvement will be limited to low risk areas such as partnership building and marketing.

 

RECOMMENDATIONS

 

That the Executive supports the Quality Transport Partnership in establishing a Community Rail Partnership for Island Line.

 

BACKGROUND PAPERS

 

  1. Local Transport Plan 2001-2006

 

  1. Annual Progress Report 2004

 

  1. Regional Planning Guidance- RPG9

 

  1. Everyone’s Railway: The Wider Case for Rail

 

  1. Community Rail Development Consultation Paper

 

  1. The Future of Rail White Paper

 

  1. The Future of Transport White Paper

 

 

Contact Point: Laurence Keynes, Rural Transport Partnership Officer (01983) 823711

                        Email: [email protected]

 

 

STEVE MATTHEWS

Head of Engineering Services

ERNIE FOX

Portfolio Holder for Transport