Re comments arising from Slight movement today:
http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/t...-replaced.html published 25 April 2014.
I went searching and found this - Train Passengers in Merseyside are more sociable -
http://www.merseytravel.gov.uk/abou...engers-in-Merseyside-are-more-sociable.-.aspx. (The whole text is at the end of this post).
It links to a 92 page document -
http://www.merseytravel.gov.uk/abou... stock what passengers want - April 2014.pdf
It is a very thorough consultation and I recommend you read the 92 page document - it has a 3 page summary near the front.
A summary:
- consultation performed with focus groups include many different types of travelers, Southport route, West Kirby route, experience of travel on other TOCs (inc Manchester Trams, Glasgow and LU), visually impaired, disabled, pushchairs, etc.
- 50% approx like the seats facing as per current (and used to be on classes 502 and 503)
- 33% approx like airline seating provided enough leg room
- 11% approx like longitudinal - this was concluded as an almost unanimous no go - it was accepted in London where that is the only way to get a lot of people on trains but deemed not acceptable outside of London.
- existing vestibules cause problem - some solutions offered which also consider what to do about pushchairs, wheelchairs and bicycles.
From which gives rise the question - is Merseyrail going to follow what the consultation concluded.
I have commuted on the LU A stock and travelled on the LU S stock and consider the S stock seating is a retrograde step for the longer Met line journies.
I think as the platform lengths/infrastructure, the stock should be 3 car units with walk through cabs/full gangway at each and the wide intercar gangways as per the S stock. 3 car units provides greater flexibility in train capacity.
From the various capacity comments over the years, I think the number of units available for service should be greater than current. This comment based upon the number of times that peak overloading has appeared, the impact of Open Golf and the Grand National. As newer units are being stated as being more reliable, then I am not sure how you achieve the ‘more reliable’ in practice if Merseytravel/Merseyrail own the units. I have seen statement elsewhere about new stock being maintained by the manufacture (the IEP?)(and also I think Pendolinos) and thus contractual clauses regarding availability can be more easily included and enforced if the supplier is the maintainer. I would hope any ITT and contract would include future options to purchase more units at a favourable price and also to ensure availability.
Re DOO and dual voltage. From a manufacturer's point of view, to simplify overall product I would expect any new emu to be designed for DOO and for dual voltage – thus you only produce one design. Up to the TOC then as to how many train crew are employed and if you don’t need the 25kv bits then build without but with passive provision.
Does having part of the new fleet just DC and part dual voltage make sense or is it better for the whole fleet to be the same? And if the same is it best supplied as dual already or add later – guess that depends upon delivery date.
==== text here from
http://www.merseytravel.gov.uk/abou...engers-in-Merseyside-are-more-sociable.-.aspx ====
Train Passengers in Merseyside are more sociable.
Published on 25/04/2014
Rail users on Merseyside are more sociable than those in London and the south east according to new research, which reveals that passengers like to face each other during journeys.
The findings comes from a study carried out by independent passenger watchdog Passenger Focus to provide an insight into what customers would like to see in a modernisation of the Merseyrail fleet.
In picking out seats, 50 percent chose to sit in the existing pod-style seats, facing each other in twos, in direct contrast to the preferences of those who make regular journeys by train in London and the south east. The reasons given were that it allowed them to sit as a group and talk to family and friends. Even those travelling on their own felt it gave them an opportunity to make conversation with strangers.
The railway has seen strong growth in passenger numbers over the last ten years and this looks set to continue at a rate of over 2% per annum. As a result, researchers recommend that a mix of seating including the pod-style, airline and possibly longitudinal, like on the Tube, would best address capacity demands.
Other improvements passengers suggested were making trains more spacious and ‘open plan’ with areas for bikes. wheelchairs and pushchairs. Security issues were also of paramount importance to passengers, including increased visibility of CCTV cameras and the installation of help points. Calls were also made for Wi-Fi and bins on the trains.
The current Merseyrail fleet is approaching 40 years old and is one of the oldest operating in the UK. All options, which include a new fleet or extensive re-work of the existing stock, are being considered.
Passengers’ feedback and ideas will feed into the specification and design for any new or modernised trains where practical and cost-effective.
David Powell, Merseytravel’s Project Director for Rolling Stock, said:
“We are looking at a number of options regarding the current Merseyrail fleet but, whatever the outcome, Merseytravel is committed to ensuring that passengers’ opinions are fully understood and their ideas are incorporated where possible. By listening to passengers we can deliver a scheme that the whole of the City Region can be proud of.
“It’s interesting to know that our passengers like to face each other, although it doesn’t surprise me that we’re a sociable bunch because we have a strong reputation for being a friendly part of the world. I’m glad that security is also top of the customers’ agenda as it is also a priority for us for any future decisions we make.”
David Sidebottom, Acting Chief Executive for Passenger Focus, added:
“We consider it vital for passengers to be involved in the design of new trains at the earliest opportunity. Without proper consultation, passengers could end up travelling on trains that fail to meet both their existing and future needs. Therefore, we were delighted to be able to work with Merseytravel on this joint research.”
Maarten Spaargaren, Managing Director at Merseyrail, added:
“Customers are at the heart of everything we at Merseyrail do, and we know from the string of accolades that we have recently secured – the Customer First accreditation, topping the National Rail Passenger Survey and being the highest performing rail operator in the Which? survey – that passengers like our trains, stations and the services we provide. We refuse to become complacent and will continue listening to their views and enhancing our offering to the city region’s travelling public.”
In the meantime, a new look for the Merseyrail fleet has been unveiled with designs that reflect what the Liverpool City Region has to offer in terms of sights, shopping and sport. The train ‘wraps’ are part of an £8.5 million investment that will see essential work carried out on the stock to keep it in good working order, as well as enhancements inside and out.
The long term modernisation of the Merseyrail fleet is being considered as part of a broad rail strategy for the Liverpool City Region. It is about ensuring that the overarching vision for improved capacity and connectivity in the Liverpool City Region is shared across all rail projects.
The report can be found here.
Merseytravel manages the Merseyrail concession locally after taking it over from the Department of Transport in 2003.
The concession is a 50-50 joint venture between shareholders, Abellio, the international subsidiary of Dutch Railways (NS/Nederlandse Spoorwegen) and Serco, the global services provider.