Wednesday 15th August 208 saw the latest of Arriva Rail North’s Community Rail Executive Group (COMReg) take place in Leeds.
Pete Myers, Northern’s Stakeholder Manager (East) chaired the meeting and welcomed everyone to the meeting. The minutes of the last meeting were accepted as a true and accurate record.
Pete went on to give a business update including:
- Acknowledging a difficult period and disappointment over the continuing strikes;
- Noting that the missing may ’18 timetable introductions would be reinstated in early September ’18 and Northern planners were working towards the Dec ’18 and May ’19 timetables;
- Acknowledged that ongoing Sunday cancellations were an issue and down to engineering works and train crew conditions in the west side of the company.
Pete also spoke about timetable feedback and performance:
- Date for final franchise compliance is December 2019 and this cannot be deferred and is on schedule but will be challenging;
- May ’19 changes will be mostly the remainder of the changes introduced in May ’18 and consultation will take place with stakeholders;
- The major changes in Dec ’19 will see full consultation with stakeholders including the Northern Connect services, roiling stock etc.;
The meeting then discussed difficulties with obtaining landlord’s consent for station projects and in particular in risks to a projects at Haltwhistle. It was noted that this issue had been on the COMReg agenda for two years now.
Jools Townsend (ACoRP) noted that issues have been raised with Network Rail’s Community Rail Steering Group and that ACoRP were pushing for transparent processes with timescales with named contacts.
Gerald Townson gave an update on the Bentham Line Dementia Project noting that the project was officially launched on 25th May 2018 in Leeds and Bentham. Two dementia-friendly trips have been made to Morecambe. Other facets of the project include producing easy to read timetable posters and dementia-friendly walks.
Daisy Chapman-Chamberlain gave an education update going through a previously circulated note – click link to download COMREG education update Aug 2018.
Jools Townsend gave an ACoRP update saying that there was a focus on the Youth Engagement Strategy, noted that there had been two new staff members and noted that 2018 awards preparation was well underway. Also noted that upcoming social media webinar on 5th September 2018 was available for bookings.