CAMPAIGNERS CALL FOR INVESTMENT IN 'DECREPIT' RAIL ROLLING STOCK
RAIL RollingStock
Oct 28, 2015 1:14:08 PM
By Neil Lancefield, Alan Jones and Ian Jones, Press Association Embargoed to
0001 Thursday October 29
Page 1
Rail campaigners have called for investment in trains that are "fit for this
century" after figures showed Britain's rolling stock is at its oldest in 14
years.
The average age of trains is 20.2 years across the country and is even older
outside the South East, according to data from the Office of Rail and Road
(ORR).
The Rail Delivery Group (RDG), which represents train operators and Network
Rail, said thousands of new carriages will be introduced in the next few
years.
ORR statistics show that average rolling stock in London and the South East is
18.1 years old. The figure for the rest of the country is 22.6 years, the
highest since current records began in April 2000.
Merseyrail has the oldest trains of any operator, averaging 36.3 years.
Ed Cox, director at think-tank IPPR (Institute for Public Policy
Research) North, said: "Some of the North's outdated train rolling stock could
be considered more of a laughing stock, with carriages and overcrowding not
fit for purpose for a burgeoning northern economy.
"Decades of chronic underinvestment in the North's transport infrastructure
has held back the region, with commuters and business frustrated by the poor
service on offer."
Passenger groups called for a new strategy to improve trains across the
country.
Martin Abrams of the Campaign for Better Transport said: "These figures are
not particularly surprising as we know thousands of passengers are travelling
on trains simply not fit for purpose.
"In the North of England, for instance, passengers are still having to endure
the decrepit old Pacer trains.
"The problem is there's no national rolling stock strategy from the Government
and that's what needs to change.
"The Government needs to come up with a plan to replace outdated rolling stock
and ensure passengers have trains fit for the 21st century."
A spokesman for independent watchdog Transport Focus said modern trains were
"urgently needed" in some areas.
Bruce Williamson, of campaign group Rail Future, said: "We need a very longterm, steady stream of investment, without the stop-start feast or famine
we've seen in the past decades which isn't good for the rail industry."
He added: "We have a desperate shortage of rail stock across the network so we
can't afford to get rid of any of it."
Trade unions urged the Government to "get a grip" on reducing the age of
rolling stock.
Mick Cash, general secretary of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union,
said: "The lack of planning on Britain's fragmented and privatised railways
has left growing numbers of passengers travelling in clapped-out, overcrowded
trains while the rip-off rail companies are laughing all the way to the bank."
Transport Salaried Staffs Association leader Manuel Cortes said:
"Passengers deserve so much better from the rail companies than to be shunted
around in old, outdated and uncomfortable carriages.
"This Government should get a grip and start investing in a railway and
rolling stock fit for this century not the last one."
Mick Whelan, general secretary of Aslef, the train drivers' union, claimed
"the failure to introduce enough modern trains that treat the travelling
public better than cattle" was one of the major failings of privatisation of
the network.
He added: "Those passengers in the regions will always be disadvantaged by the
cascading system of newer trains for the South East and intercity services,
and hand-me-downs for everyone else."
The RDG insisted the private sector has invested billions of pounds in new
trains over the past 20 years.
The organisation added that trains which have already been ordered will reduce
the average age of the national fleet.
A spokesman said: "Train companies work closely with the Department for
Transport (DfT) to buy new rolling stock. In the next few years, thousands of
new carriages will be introduced with more seats, giving passengers faster and
more comfortable journeys."
The DfT claimed it was committed to introducing modern trains and called on
the rail industry to "come up with further innovative proposals" to improve
rolling stock.
A spokesman said: "We're already making massive improvements through
franchising - such as removing Pacer trains from the North of England and
introducing new state-of-the-art trains on the East Coast, Great Western and
Thameslink lines.
"By the end of 2019 there will be more than 3,700 extra carriages on the
network compared to 2010."
The figures released by the ORR show the average age of rolling stock between
January and March.
They are at the oldest level since the same period in 2001, when the average
was 20.3 years.
Long distance stock is an average of 23.7 years old.
ends