24/01/13……Disgruntled passengers and councillors grill Chiltern Railways

A local rail users group that has complained to Chiltern Railways about overcrowding during peak times, this week allied with Thame Town Council when the council invited the rail operator to present their case and answer questions.

David Palmer, Secretary of the North Chiltern Rail Users? Group, speaking on behalf of Haddenham & Thame Parkway and Princes Risborough station users, spoke of the anger of commuters since recent timetable changes, particularly the loss of the popular, fast 17.19 service as well as overcrowding on the 17.49 now as a consequence. He said the changes had resulted in ?a negative impact on commuters? life-work balance.?

Mr Palmer acknowledged improvements of the last few years, saying that the service is unrecognisable from that in 1987, when there was one train to London every two hours and only two before 9am. Chiltern Railways, he said had transformed the service but the latest changes were of no benefit to H&TP or Risborough users. The ?off peak? journeys were now slower, he said, and ?what was a good service straight through to Birmingham is no more,? necessitating a change.

?ARE WE HEADING FOR A SECOND RATE SERVICE??

?What is the end game?? asked Mr Palmer. ?Are we heading for a second rate service, taking over 45 minutes to get to London, or do we believe that passengers deserve better??

Cllr Helena Fickling asked Mr Palmer what the evening service was like. He replied that there had been some changes. Trains are more evenly spread out but at either end, the train is too early and too late to be of much use to commuters, who get home later.

In reply to a question from Cllr Andy Gunn, Mr Palmer said that around 200 people from Thame use the service and that the number of commuters renewing Season Tickets had gone up 19%.

WHAT DID CHILTERN RAILWAYS HAVE TO SAY?

At the meeting on Tuesday (22/01), Chiltern Railways was represented by Richard Harper, responsible for Network Development, and the company?s Station Facility Manager. Mr Harper acknowledged the concerns expressed by local rail users and recognised the effects the timetable changes had caused to users of HT&P who catch the 7.49am. He said that Chiltern Railways had a contractual agreement to provide for a specific capacity and had to provide for 68 stations and 14,000 commuters each day.

HT&P station, he said, is ninth in their league table for revenue, taking