Connect Tees Valley Page 1 Rail Report - 2015/16 Quarter 3 Introduction The Connect Tees Valley Rail Report provides an up to date summary of patronage data at all Tees Valley stations, performance data for train operating companies that serve the Tees Valley and the results from regular station audits. The report is produced by Connect Tees Valley (CTV) on a quarterly basis, in line with rail industry operating periods. There are 13 operating periods covering the year, starting in April. This report covers Quarter 3 for 2015/16 (20 Sept ‘15 - 12 Dec ‘15), comprising operating Periods 7, 8 & 9. Patronage Data (see table 2) Patronage data for all stations in the Tees Valley is supplied to CTV every month by the Office of Rail & Road (ORR) and Northern Rail. Table 2 (see page 7), shows the level of patronage at all stations within the Tees Valley for Periods 7, 8 & 9 of the 2015/16 operating year alongside figures from the corresponding periods in 2014/15. PERCENTAGE CHANGE AGAINST QUARTER 3 OF 2014/15 ….. +0.5% Commentary Tees Valley rail patronage saw a marginal increase of +0.5% against the same quarter for 2014/15, which equates to 7,570 additional passenger journeys. Following on from last year’s (2014/15) record breaking figures, the grand total for Quarter 3 of 1,599,480 passenger journeys (annoyingly just 520 shy of 1.6m) is once again the best ever for a regular 12 week quarter (Quarter 4 at 16 weeks, is not on the proverbial level playing field) since the collation of Tees Valley Rail data commenced in 2007/2008! Whilst the net effect for the Quarter was positive, per period the totals were a mixed bag. With the exception of an unnaturally elongated Period 1 (32 days), Period 7 was the first time that in excess of 550,000 passengers have been recorded in one period however on the flip side, both Periods 8 & 9 suffered identical negativity of -2%. An impressive 10 stations showed year on year growth in each period of the Quarter (including 6 with double digit positivity throughout), whilst only 2 stations (Redcar Central & South Bank) were negative throughout. Of the consistently good, Marton jointly shared the biggest margin of improvement (36% - P8) and whilst Period 9 dropped below 1,000 passengers for the first time in the last six periods, it was still up by 20% year on year. There was delight at Dinsdale when patronage topped 5,000 in a period for the first time (P7) - jointly with Marton it also notched the largest period percentage year on year increase (36% - P7) in Quarter 3. At Yarm numbers exceeded 11,000 in each period of a quarter for the first time with Period 8’s 11,651 being the second highest figure recorded. Thornaby was the only one of the major stations to record growth in each period with Darlington, Hartlepool and Middlesbrough all returning mixed results. At the other end of the spectrum, Redcar Central was one of only two stations to show negativity throughout, continuing an unhappy sequence of five consecutive periods of year on year decline. The Tees Valley Line stations to the east of Middlesbrough continue to give cause for concern. Following on from the introduction of the much improved hourly frequency timetable (from May 2013), South Bank’s Rail Report 2015/16 - QUARTER 3
Introduction The Connect Tees Valley Rail Report provides an up to date summary of patronage data at all Tees Valley stations, performance data for train operating companies that serve the Tees Valley and the results from regular station audits. The report is produced by Connect Tees Valley (CTV) on a quarterly basis, in line with rail industry operating periods. There are 13 operating periods covering the year, starting in April.
This report covers Quarter 3 for 2015/16 (20 Sept ‘15 - 12 Dec ‘15), comprising operating Periods 7, 8 & 9.
Patronage Data (see table 2)
Patronage data for all stations in the Tees Valley is supplied to CTV every month by the Office of Rail & Road (ORR) and Northern Rail. Table 2 (see page 7), shows the level of patronage at all stations within the Tees Valley for Periods 7, 8 & 9 of the 2015/16 operating year alongside figures from the corresponding periods in 2014/15.
PERCENTAGE CHANGE AGAINST QUARTER 3 OF 2014/15 ….. +0.5%
Commentary
Tees Valley rail patronage saw a marginal increase of +0.5% against the same quarter for 2014/15, which equates to 7,570 additional passenger journeys. Following on from last year’s (2014/15) record breaking figures, the grand total for Quarter 3 of 1,599,480 passenger journeys (annoyingly just 520 shy of 1.6m) is once again the best ever for a regular 12 week quarter (Quarter 4 at 16 weeks, is not on the proverbial level playing field) since the collation of Tees Valley Rail data commenced in 2007/2008! Whilst the net effect for the Quarter was positive, per period the totals were a mixed bag. With the exception of an unnaturally elongated Period 1 (32 days), Period 7 was the first time that in excess of 550,000 passengers have been recorded in one period however on the flip side, both Periods 8 & 9 suffered identical negativity of -2%.
An impressive 10 stations showed year on year growth in each period of the Quarter (including 6 with double digit positivity throughout), whilst only 2 stations (Redcar Central & South Bank) were negative throughout.
Of the consistently good, Marton jointly shared the biggest margin of improvement (36% - P8) and whilst Period 9 dropped below 1,000 passengers for the first time in the last six periods, it was still up by 20% year on year. There was delight at Dinsdale when patronage topped 5,000 in a period for the first time (P7) - jointly with Marton it also notched the largest period percentage year on year increase (36% - P7) in Quarter 3. At Yarm numbers exceeded 11,000 in each period of a quarter for the first time with Period 8’s 11,651 being the second highest figure recorded.
Thornaby was the only one of the major stations to record growth in each period with Darlington, Hartlepool and Middlesbrough all returning mixed results. At the other end of the spectrum, Redcar Central was one of only two stations to show negativity throughout, continuing an unhappy sequence of five consecutive periods of year on year decline.
The Tees Valley Line stations to the east of Middlesbrough continue to give cause for concern. Following on from the introduction of the much improved hourly frequency timetable (from May 2013), South Bank’s
percentage growth was skewed impressively and consistently upwards. However it transpired that some of that growth was attributable to a ticketing anomaly, whereby it was significantly cheaper for passengers requiring a period return from Middlesbrough to Newcastle to book their ticket as if they were starting out from South Bank. Northern removed that anomaly in May 2015, so some of the year on year decline showing at South Bank (the first since Period 2 in 2012/13!) is down to the figures settling to reflect actual (rather than pseudo) usage. Marske’s Period 9 figure (5,438) was its lowest for almost two years however Longbeck bucked the trend, with growth throughout the Quarter with Period 8 (3,638) being its best figure for 17 periods.
National Performance Data
Table 1 indicates the recent performance of all passenger train operating companies that serve the Tees Valley. This data is published by the ORR for each operator in the country in a quarterly report, which is approximately 3 months in arrears. Public Performance Measure (PPM) is the industry standard means of measuring the percentage of passenger trains that are run on time. Comparative data, where available, is provided for the previous quarter and the corresponding quarter in the previous year.
The figures for the operators categorised by the ORR as long distance, indicates the percentage of trains arriving within 10 minutes of the timetabled arrival at their final destination - for the regional operators, it is the percentage of trains arriving within 5 minutes. It should also be noted that these are franchise-wide figures that do not relate specifically to any routes or services.
TABLE 1: PPM PUNCTUALITY DATA for TEES VALLEY RAIL OPERATORS - QUARTER 2 (2015/2016)
With the exception of Virgin Trains East Coast, all the operators showed year on year improvement when compared against Quarter 2 (2014/15). Virgin Trains East Coast was the poorest performer in Quarter 2 and the only operator to slip back year on year (-1.8%), though last year’s 88.6% was still under East Coast’s jurisdiction. First TransPennine Express was both the best of the long distance operators and the only one to break through the 90% ceiling - it also recorded the biggest margin of improvement, up 2.6% year on year. Arriva Cross Country, after recording back to back PPM Quarters exceeding 90% for the first time since 2011/12, just failed to make it a hat trick by a measly 0.1%! Grand Central, similarly missed out on a hat trick, having just recorded its first ever consecutive PPM Quarters in excess of 90%, it dropped back to 88.5% this time round. Northern Rail was once again the king (or queen) of the castle, this time by 1.4% from its nearest challenger (FTPE) and was the best overall performer for the seventh consecutive quarter - it was last deposed in Quarter 3 2013/14.
In advance of the publication of industry-wide data by the ORR, Northern Rail, the operator of the majority of services within the Tees Valley, kindly supplies CTV with up to date monthly Public Performance Measure (PPM) figures. These figures have been disaggregated by route to give a clearer picture of performance. As these services are classed as regional by the ORR, the percentages shown for Northern Rail relate to arrivals within 5 minutes of timetable at their final destination. Table 3 contains this performance information for periods 7, 8 & 9 of 2015/16. The table also shows the Moving Annual Average (MAA) and the appropriate target for each period set by Northern Rail for routes in its AD North Area.
Commentary
All Local Lines: some of the difficulties afflicting key locations and therefore potentially impacting upon the performance of all the routes under review are noted here. In an attempt to take the laughs out of leaf fall, Northern’s website (and associated social media) published a daily morning forecast throughout the autumn categorising the risk of service disruption due to poor railhead conditions. A link was also provided to Network Rail’s site highlighting the strenuous efforts they made to combat the problem, as they strove to keep lines operating without seasonal delay. Lineside evidence is also in abundance of NR’s ongoing programme of vegetation clearance from areas immediately adjacent to the trackbed, as they seek to reduce the potential for delay in future years. Locally the leaf fall effect was mixed, with performance on the Tees Valley line holding up well whilst the Esk Valley Line suffered worse. On Halloween at Middlesbrough, high passenger volumes were the stated contributory factor of 14 PPM failures/296 minutes delay & 4 cancellations. Whilst it was a Middlesbrough FC home game (attendance 20,943 - about average), the Rugby World Cup Final (at Twickenham) and Whitby Goth Weekend, the impact was still somewhat surprising. Middlesbrough to Newcastle (Durham Coast Line): one major incident dominated Quarter 3, when the Tyne & Wear Metro overhead wires were brought down at Brockley Whins by the aftermath of storm Desmond on 7th December. For 48 hours many Northern services were curtailed to operate between Middlesbrough and Newcastle only with bus replacement for local Nunthorpe services (Whitby trains were unaffected). The cumulative effect was a not insignificant 91 PPM failures/1,915 minutes delay & 41 cancellations and a Period 9 PPM figure of just 75.29%, the poorest for 12 months. Saltburn to Newcastle (2 trains via Darlington): the low level of service seemed to proof the route against the worse that autumn could throw at the Tees Valley, with Period 8’s 93.75% being the best of the bunch this time round and in so doing contributed to the MAA exceeding 90% for the first time in several years - just three years ago (period 8; 2012/2013) the MAA was a fairly dismal 81.69%. See the All Local Lines note above, for some incidents which may have impacted on the performance of this service. Middlesbrough to Whitby (Esk Valley Line): year on year, period 8 slumped by almost 10% to 71.67% (also the poorest figure of the Quarter) whilst in Period 9 the MAA declined to 84.71% (90.35% in 2014/15), a far cry from the heady days just 18 months ago when the MAA regularly topped 90%. In Quarter 3, three incidents, a unit brake fault at Whitby, a 20 mph emergency speed restriction between Middlesbrough and Nunthorpe and a signal token failure at Glaisdale caused a total of 45 PPM failures/963 minutes delay & 5 cancellations. Saltburn to Bishop Auckland (Tees Valley Line): despite the deciduous detritus the Tees Valley Line performed strongly with even its weakest period (P9) still showing a creditable 88.19% and the MAA crept up by 0.15%, indeed the figures even surpassed those of what had been a disappointing summer Quarter 2. During Period 7, a 20mph temporary speed restriction between Grangetown and Redcar Ore Terminal Junction contributed 10 PPM failures & 604 minutes delay whilst in October, points failures at Saltburn West Junction and Stockton Cut Junction caused disruption (31 PPM failures/556 minutes delay & 7 cancellations). Freight loco failures at Darlington (Nov 24th - reported as causing ‘60 minute delays in all directions’) and Eaglescliffe (Dec 8th - 21 PPM failures/430 minutes delay & 8 cancellations) also disrupted passengers plans.
As part of a Service Quality Agreement with Northern Rail, station inventory surveys are undertaken by CTV at all Northern Rail stations in the Tees Valley every two months. All faults (with photographs where applicable) are reported back to Northern Rail immediately for any appropriate action, in line with targets that the company has set. Surveys at Darlington, Thornaby, Middlesbrough and Yarm stations, which are the responsibility of Virgin Trains East Coast or First Transpennine Express, are undertaken every three months.
Commentary
An unwelcome anniversary occurred in mid-February, it now being two years since the temporary closure of the main entrance and station frontage car park at Middlesbrough. The good news is that at the end of February works were finally underway on the significant upgrade of Wood Street station car park (photo ), which provides direct pedestrian access via the eastern end of platform 1, which to date has been little better than a pay & display wasteland (with CCTV coverage).
The roll out of Customer Information Screens continues with Longbeck, Seaton Carew and South Bank the most recent recipients - at the time of going to press, only Marton and Nunthorpe stood in the way of 100% coverage of all Tees Valley stations (British Steel Redcar and Teesside Airport excluded).
Onward Travel Posters (OTP) are often out of date partly due to the frequency of bus service revisions, the worst example is at Stockton which is dated December 2012 (photo ) - several bus routes that were withdrawn up to two years ago still feature. At Thornaby almost as soon as the OTP was last updated (October 2015) it was inaccurate again, whilst the revised information supplied had been correct, at the eleventh hour Arriva changed a service number - granted, it’s hardly a seismic shift but given that the only information supplied is a destination and service number(s), that actually represents quite a high degree of inaccuracy! Similarly, following Arriva’s latest round of service changes (from 21st February 2016), the posters at James Cook, Gypsy Lane and Nunthorpe are now also out of date. Given that the Useful Information Posters already supply contact details for Traveline, it may be more useful (to the non-smart user) to also incorporate details of how to reach the nearest bus stop, where detailed timetable information is available and then just withdraw the fairly basic and often inaccurate OTP’s.
After dark, Stockton station is the gloomiest in the Tees Valley. Even when all the lights are working (some are currently long term casualties), there are still many shady areas some of which are caused by the overbearing presence of the centrally sited footbridge, with the unlit shelters actually situated underneath the switchback ramps (photo ). Having being built to support an overall roof (Darlington style) the high walls (Grade 2 listed) now serve only to increase the sense of remoteness and isolation. Given its open plan, modern building and superior train service, it’s not difficult to see why Thornaby is the station of choice for many Stockton residents. Meanwhile the neglected awkward edifice that is Stockton station remains - the least that its post sunset passengers deserve is well lit platforms and shelters. Following a significant and in some cases dramatic programme of station upgrades throughout the Tees Valley in recent years, this is one issue that appears to have slipped through the net - here’s hoping for a brighter future!
And finally it’s good news from Redcar Central where just before Christmas Britain’s first telescopic sliding level crossing barriers were installed (photo ), replacing their unreliable wind afflicted predecessors. To date they have survived the attentions of Eva, Frank, Gertrude and Henry without reported incident. Hopefully the apparently constant presence of two gate supervisors who marshal their movement across West Dyke Road (at not inconsiderable expense?) is not a cause for undue concern.
Information
It is anticipated that the last(?) Tees Valley Rail Report (Qtr 4 - 2015/16), will be published in late April 2016.
If you have any comments, queries, or wish to report any information please contact -
Middlesbrough - Whitby Day Return - anytime £10.10 £10.20 1.0
Middlesbrough - York
Anytime Return £40.70 £41.10 1.0 Via any permitted route
Day Return - off peak £13.00 £13.10 0.8 Direct route only (not valid via Darlington).
Off peak: after 0845 Mon - Fri (valid on 0828 ex M’bro); valid anytime Sat & Sun.
Hartlepool - Newcastle Day Return - anytime £10.00 £10.10 1.0
Day Return - off peak £9.30 £9.40 1.1 Off peak: after 0900 Mon - Fri; valid anytime Sat & Sun.
Saltburn - Middlesbrough Day Return - anytime £5.00 £5.10 2.0
South Bank - Redcar Central Day Return - anytime £3.40 £3.50 2.9
Local Note: fares shown, are the cheapest available (if bought immediately prior to travel from a ticket machine, ticket office or on the train) day returns
Off Peak Return £69.70 £70.10 0.6 Off peak: after 0929 Mon - Fri; valid anytime Sat & Sun.
Eaglescliffe - London Kings Cross Anytime Return £143.00 £147.10 2.9 Grand Central trains only
Off Peak Return £98.60 £101.40 2.8 Grand Central trains only (not valid on
0645 ex Sunderland or 1650 ex Kings Cross, Mon - Fri)
Thornaby - Leeds
Anytime Return £48.50 £49.00 1.0 Via any permitted route
Off Peak Return £35.80 £36.10 0.8 Via any permitted route.
Off peak: not valid for arrival in Leeds before 0930 Mon - Fri; valid anytime Sat & Sun.
Yarm - Manchester Airport Anytime Return £71.50 £72.20 1.0
Off Peak Return £60.30 £60.90 1.0 Off peak: not valid for arrival in Manchester
before 0930 Mon - Fri; valid anytime Sat & Sun.
Long Distance Note: 1) fares shown, are the cheapest available (if bought immediately prior to travel from a ticket machine, ticket office or on the train) period returns 2) booking in advance (usually for specific trains), may secure cheaper travel options
Source: www.nationalrail.co.uk (data provided in good faith for illustrative purposes only - Connect Tees Valley cannot be held responsible for any inaccuracies contained herein)
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