Eaglescliffe Station Ticket Office saved!

[OMGitsDAVE]

Post on Facebook from the Tees Valley Mayor, Ben Houchen.

Eaglescliffe station ticket office

Good news: there’s now a plan in place to reopen the ticket office at Eaglescliffe station on 1 April. Lots has happened over the past few weeks, so here’s how we got to this point.

BACKGROUND

The current operator of the station’s ticket office went into liquidation recently. Since then, my officials at the Tees Valley Combined Authority - as the area’s statutory transport authority - have been liaising with Northern to find a way to secure the future of the office.

In a nutshell, there were 3 options on the table:

1) Paul Duck, a current (and very popular) member of the existing team at Eaglescliffe to continue as a separate business.

2) Paul to be employed by Northern in a different customer service role, no over the counter sales.

3) Northern and Grand Central to provide staff but covering less hours than now (7:00am-2:45pm has been suggested).

Northern didn’t seem willing to support 1), as they don’t feel there is a sufficient business case and they will still need to grant Paul a licence.

Paul does not appear happy with the role Northern are offering – less scope to offer the service he feels passengers want.

This points to Option 3), which is a bit of an unknown and would mean losing the staff member highly valued locally.

OUTCOME

While there is more work to be done, Northern have now said they will be staffing the station themselves from 1 April, given the level of passenger numbers both they and Grand Central have there.

Northern are also working with my officials on future plans to upgrade the station, and its surrounding area, including improved accessibility.

Northern have also agreed to install two ticket vending machines in the coming weeks which will offer the full range of tickets from July/August - and staff to assist.

What are your thoughts?

 

[yorkie]

This sounds promising. I hope the final solution is good for passengers and I hope everything works out for @Paul Duck too

 

[alistairlees]

Post on Facebook from the Tees Valley Mayor, Ben Houchen.

What are your thoughts?

In principle I would like to see stations like Eaglescliffe staffed for all of the day; I think it's only with the presence of staff that stations in locations like Eaglescliffe can be welcoming places, and provide the facilities (waiting rooms, personal touch etc.) that get people out of cars and on to trains (so the main beneficiary, I expect, is Grand Central). Even if the person's role is changing from selling tickets, to more of a support and assistance role, I think it's the right approach.

Whilst there is a cost I think there needs be a strategic plan at a network level for what is trying to be achieved here. That said, if every station with over 200,000 entries and exits (Eaglescliffe had 206,000 in 2016/17 according to ORR) were to be staffed, then almost 1,400 stations (>50%) would need to be staffed.

On a different matter, Ben Houchen refers in his Facebook post to Northern installing new TVMs in July / August. It could be quite easily inferred by the casual reader that this is because of Ben's intervention (which it might be), but I suspect this is part of the general Northern rollout of new TVMs that was scheduled to happen anyway. If there is anybody who knows either way, it would be useful to hear.

 

[mildertduck]

I would have thought that the first action would have been to put the stations and business on the market to see if anyone else could manage them, perhaps on slightly different basis - I haven't seen any evidence of this. However, having some staff is certainly better than no staff, so this does sound promising.

 

[DarloRich]

sounds promising for the station but not the man working there already. No chance of a TUPE?

Eaglescliffe is a much nicer station than it was in the past because it has staff

 

[AlterEgo]

I have dealt with Paul before when I worked for XC (and by extension Grand Central), though he wouldn’t know who I was. I’m pleased to read he’ll still be involved at Eaglescliffe. He always provided a lot of added value and initiative.

 

[whhistle]

Northern have also agreed to install two ticket vending machines in the coming weeks which will offer the full range of tickets from July/August - and staff to assist.

The beginning of the end.
The machines will take over the work, the staff member will work there for a while, then be moved and it'll go unstaffed.

There are many stations near me that the Ticket Office is only open part time (mornings only). Seems to work pretty well as the afternoons see very few passengers.

I wonder who pays the current salary and how it works.

 

[a_c_skinner]

Eaglescliffe was always well run and helpful when I was there (I'm in the west now, lamenting the end of Carnforth) and it would be a shame if it lapsed for ever. Could it do Chester-le-Track like business? Not sure. Is there work for someone to keep them busy through the day? Perhaps not. Would stopping Transpennine there make it a better station? Will Middlesbrough - London stop there? The whole station should be more of a resource locally. Whatever it was a well run ticket office, like Carnforth was.

 

[FQTV]

I would have thought that the first action would have been to put the stations and business on the market to see if anyone else could manage them, perhaps on slightly different basis - I haven't seen any evidence of this. However, having some staff is certainly better than no staff, so this does sound promising.

This is what's been nagging at the back of my mind, too. Setting aside other discussions about the specific Chester-le-Track business, the premises at both Chester le Street and Eaglescliffe Stations are leasehold, rented from (presumably) the relevant train operating company/ies under a sub lease from Network Rail.

Again, setting aside whether Chester-le-Track is or was in a position to try and market their business as a going concern, there doesn't seem to be anything to suggest that the premises themselves have been or are being marketed by the leaseholder, for the purposes of providing ticket purchase facilities or indeed anything else.

Despite what the Tees Valley Mayor says about Eaglescliffe, the whole thing seems to be rather fait accompli.

I do agree that Eaglescliffe having some staffing is better than nothing, but I wonder if something else is stopping it just being better full-stop.

 

[ainsworth74]

I'm glad to see that hopefully something is going to come together to keep it open. Eaglescliffe station has gone through a real renaissance in the last tenish years. From being unmanned with no significant passenger facilities and not even every local service calling to an expanded car park, a nice modern waiting room, ticket office, passenger information screens, all local services calling and Grand Central services as well. It would be a real shame if it backslid now.

Plus I really hope @Paul Duck manages to sort something for himself whether it be continuing at Eaglescliffe or elsewhere.

Is there work for someone to keep them busy through the day? Perhaps not. Would stopping Transpennine there make it a better station? Will Middlesbrough - London stop there? The whole station should be more of a resource locally.

Oh I'd say there was enough work to keep someone busy through most of the day. Grand Central services always seem to attract a good crowd (with plenty making connections off of Northern services) and even when Grand Central aren't running there is always a number of people getting on and off. Remember Eaglescliffe has 4tph both ways provided by Northern now.

As for TPE calling I think there is a case but I'm not wholly convinced. Yarm serves basically the same conurbation as Eaglescliffe and is only a few minutes away by rail and maybe ten minutes by road (well depending on traffic anyway). Then again I imagine similar argument were had about Allens West which is even closer to Eaglescliffe station than Yarm! Certainly Eaglescliffe would have better facilities for TPE passengers than Yarm and the time penalty would be a few minuets at most. I don't think there would be any particular pathing issues either.

I'm going off the top of my head here but I don't think the VTEC services to/from London were proposed to stop at Eaglescliffe. But that could be my memory failing me. That being said the public plans for that always seemed a bit thin with more detail presumably to follow. Though with the uncertainty around the entire franchise who knows when or if they'll happen or what they'll look like!

 

[a_c_skinner]

I don't think there would be any particular pathing issues either.

Having done the trip repeatedly I suspect modest improvements between Eaglescliffe and Northallerton would solve any loss of time with an extra stop. Eaglescliffe is, as you say, a better station.

 

[FQTV]

I'm glad to see that hopefully something is going to come together to keep it open. Eaglescliffe station has gone through a real renaissance in the last tenish years. From being unmanned with no significant passenger facilities and not even every local service calling to an expanded car park, a nice modern waiting room, ticket office, passenger information screens, all local services calling and Grand Central services as well. It would be a real shame if it backslid now.

Plus I really hope @Paul Duck manages to sort something for himself whether it be continuing at Eaglescliffe or elsewhere.



Oh I'd say there was enough work to keep someone busy through most of the day. Grand Central services always seem to attract a good crowd (with plenty making connections off of Northern services) and even when Grand Central aren't running there is always a number of people getting on and off. Remember Eaglescliffe has 4tph both ways provided by Northern now.

As for TPE calling I think there is a case but I'm not wholly convinced. Yarm serves basically the same conurbation as Eaglescliffe and is only a few minutes away by rail and maybe ten minutes by road (well depending on traffic anyway). Then again I imagine similar argument were had about Allens West which is even closer to Eaglescliffe station than Yarm! Certainly Eaglescliffe would have better facilities for TPE passengers than Yarm and the time penalty would be a few minuets at most. I don't think there would be any particular pathing issues either.

I'm going off the top of my head here but I don't think the VTEC services to/from London were proposed to stop at Eaglescliffe. But that could be my memory failing me. That being said the public plans for that always seemed a bit thin with more detail presumably to follow. Though with the uncertainty around the entire franchise who knows when or if they'll happen or what they'll look like!

Yarm High Street really is a significant barrier, perceived or real, to anyone living on the Stockton (Durham) side of the river. The 'walk zone' around Eaglescliffe Station is significantly more populous and varied in socioeconomic terms than around Yarm Station, too. Eaglescliffe also used to have lower levels of car ownership, and although I don't know the current statistics, I suspect that hasn't changed, relatively.

I agree that there's potentially enough, and more than enough potential, to keep a staffed facility busy; others such as Bishop Auckland seem to work hard to diversify into offering other services, as well.

 

[DarloRich]

As for TPE calling I think there is a case but I'm not wholly convinced. Yarm serves basically the same conurbation as Eaglescliffe and is only a few minutes away by rail and maybe ten minutes by road (well depending on traffic anyway)

Yarm High Street really is a significant barrier, perceived or real, to anyone living on the Stockton (Durham) side of the river.

Yes !0 minutes seems like a really good run. Yarm High Street is a right pita at times ( or it was when i lived up that way) decent pubs mind.

Having done the trip repeatedly I suspect modest improvements between Eaglescliffe and Northallerton would solve any loss of time with an extra stop. Eaglescliffe is, as you say, a better station.

But would Yarm have any other services if the TPE was withdrawn?

 

[ainsworth74]

Yarm High Street really is a significant barrier, perceived or real, to anyone living on the Stockton (Durham) side of the river. The 'walk zone' around Eaglescliffe Station is significantly more populous and varied in socioeconomic terms than around Yarm Station, too. Eaglescliffe also used to have lower levels of car ownership, and although I don't know the current statistics, I suspect that hasn't changed, relatively.

Yes !0 minutes seems like a really good run. Yarm High Street is a right pita at times ( or it was when i lived up that way) decent pubs mind.

Yes to be fair 10 minuets is probably an under estimate. Certainly at rush hour! I once had the misfortune of needing to drive through there are rush hour. I've not done it since...

 

[ainsworth74]

But would Yarm have any other services if the TPE was withdrawn?

If TPE were withdrawn from Yarm then it would have no other services and no easy way of gaining other services as it's only TPE and Grand Central that go that way! I suppose you could go for the worst of all worlds and alternate TPE calling between Yarm and Eaglescliffe. But that seems far from ideal.

I'm also not sure that it would be all that easy to raise line speeds (at least enough to make a difference). There's a lot of level crossings down there which I'm lead to believe is the main cause of the speed issues.

 

[DarloRich]

If TPE were withdrawn from Yarm then it would have no other services and no easy way of gaining other services as it's only TPE and Grand Central that go that way! I suppose you could go for the worst of all worlds and alternate TPE calling between Yarm and Eaglescliffe. But that seems far from ideal.

I'm also not sure that it would be all that easy to raise line speeds (at least enough to make a difference). There's a lot of level crossings down there which I'm lead to believe is the main cause of the speed issues.

The line to Northallerton is slow and crisscrossed by level crossings. It is an area i know well

 

[mde]

What ended up happening at Eaglescliffe? Grand Central have suggested they are staffing it (rather than Northern), but, given they are both owned by Arriva is that perhaps just semantics?

 

[Paul Duck]

Hi there. The ticket office is open 5 days a week again but only staffed by 1 person and employed by grand central. I still sell all the tickets I use to, I.e,all operators and split tickets but in a gc uniform.
Carlisle Support services have another member of staff providing customer service on the platform Monday to Saturdays 7 till 3:30pm.