Media Release
Campaign for Better Transport

18th January, 2010

Newmarket Signal Delays “a Temporary Glitch”

But Timetable Mismatches “Hobble New Station”

The delays at Newmarket caused by commissioning of the new signaling system are very disappointing but hopefully will soon be rectified. We will get over this temporary glitch, just as we have had to endure many other delays and false starts along the way. As they say, a few eggs get broken in the making of an omelete.

However, CBT (Campaign for Better Transport) is very concerned to see that there is no new timetable for the new station – the reprinted timetables are unchanged except for a minor tweak to the column headings. “Unacceptably long delays will hobble the new station by dissuading many potential users” said CBT spokesman Graeme Easte.

Given that about a third of Newmarket passengers will be changing trains between Western and Southern lines, it is unacceptable to continue having to endure delays of up to 29 minutes between connecting services.

based on analysis of weekday morning timetables on Western and Southern Lines

for Southern Line commuters changing to the Western Line at Newmarket:

Newmarket arrival times (and delays) are: 5.33 a.m. (12 mins), 6.04 (11), 6.39 (6), 7.02 (13),

7.24 (11), 7.44 (6), 7.56 (24), 8.07 (9), 8.34 (16), 8.46 (4), 8.56 (24), 9.19 (1), 9.49 (1), 10.19 (1),

10.49 (1), 11.19 (1), 11.49 (1)

for Western Line commuters changing to the Southern Line at Newmarket:

Newmarket arrival times (and delays) are: 6.19 a.m. (29mins), 6.34 (14), 6.49 (29), 7.04 (14),

7.19 (20), 7.34 (5), 7.49 (7), 7.59 (4), 8.09 (1), 8.24 (4), 8.39 (19), 8.54 (4), 9.09 (9), 9.24 (24),

9.39 (9), 10.09 (9), 10.39 (9), 11.09 (9), 11.39 (9)

Surprisingly, some of the longest delays occur at peak times, with more acceptable delays during the interpeak period.

“Changing trains at Newmarket has always been a bit of a chore with long waits and limited shelter - at least it will be warmer now but the delays seem to be about the same”, commented Mr. Easte, who hopes that ARTA will give priority to significantly reducing these wait times.

He pointed out that CBT foresaw these difficulties several years back when various designs for the junction were being debated and suggested that managing connections at Newmarket should become one of the key drivers of a reformed timetable. “This requires both timetabling trains to meet at Newmarket and ensuring that services adhere closely to that timetable”.

This is not critical just yet, but in a few short years we will have six trains per hour running in both directions on the Western, Southern and Eastern lines (that is 36 trains per hour) but Britomart can only handle about 23 or 24 per hour. We will be therefore be forced to chose which trains go into Britomart and which ones interchange at Newmarket. “If we expect significant numbers of patrons to change trains then we have to make the process as painless as possible” said Mr. Easte

ENDS

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