This is the News blog for the Manningtree Rail Users Association - www.mrua.org
Wednesday 30 December 2009
Stratford - Holiday Disruption
Car Park Disturbances
Tuesday 29 December 2009
NCP Pressed To Take Action Against Youths In Car Park
Wednesday 23 December 2009
Merry Christmas!
Tuesday 22 December 2009
Open Letter To NXEA Regarding NCP
"I would just like to put in a formal complaint about the mis-management of the car park and surrounding road and pavements at Manningtree station. Not one person has even attempted to lay any grit/salt and now the car park, road and pavement is like an ice rink. You are very quick to increase the charges for use and are there in a second to issue a penalty ticket but when we have snow/ice there is nobody to be seen. I think it is absolutely disgraceful at the way NCP have ignored the situation there and I am surprised that somebody has not seriously injured themselves.
I would be very interested to know more about your health & safety policy for the maintenance of your car parks.
I look forward to hearing from you."
Christmas Services
A normal weekday timetable will operate but with an earlier closedown to most services during the evening.
Christmas Day and Boxing Day
No Service
Sunday 27th and Monday 28th December
Amended Sunday timetable will operate.
Services between Norwich and London will terminate / start at Ingatestone where a connecting direct coach service will operate to / from Liverpool Street.
Passengers on Great Eastern mainline should change at Romford where a connecting bus service will operate to / from Newbury Park, for connections with London Underground Central Line services to / from Liverpool Street.
Tuesday 29 December to Thursday 31 December inclusive
Services between Norwich and London and all Great Eastern mainline train services will terminate / start at Stratford, for connections with London Underground Central Line services to / from Liverpool Street.
Friday 1 January to Sunday 3 January inclusive
On Friday 1 January most NXEA services will operate to an amended Sunday timetable.
Services between Norwich and London will terminate / start at Ingatestone where a connecting direct coach service will operate to / from Liverpool Street.
Passengers on Great Eastern mainline and Southend Victoria services should change at Romford where a connecting bus service will operate to / from Newbury Park, for connections with London Underground Central Line services to / from Liverpool Street.
Monday 4 January
A normal weekday timetable will operate.
Saturday 19 December 2009
Christmas Eve Services
Wednesday 16 December 2009
National Express Announces New Chief Exec
Monday 14 December 2009
Vandalism Causes Spares Worry
Thursday 10 December 2009
Ticket Machines In The Car Park
Tuesday 8 December 2009
Cycle Storage Developments At Manningtree - Update
Lighting Failure At Manningtree Station
Monday 7 December 2009
NXEA Season Ticket Promotion
MRUA Manifesto for NXEA Replacement
- New trains for the London - Norwich route
- Improved cleaning and servicing regime
- The reintroduction of later 'last' trains
- Retention of the fast service between London and Manningtree
- Regulation of all fares and car parking charges
- Amendment to the restrictions in evening peak travel
- Introduction of more up to date station information systems
- New franchisee to press for improvements to the indicator boards at Liverpool Street
- Reduction in the cost of parking
- An end to the relationship with NCP
- An improvement in staff relations
- A return to basic, relevant information sharing rather than 'spin'
- The franchisee must be seen to be pressing for the significant infrastructure improvements that are required on the Great Eastern mainline
- The franchisee must be seen to be more robust with suppliers such as Network Rail
Manningtree Station Bicycle Facilities
Tuesday 1 December 2009
Seven Tonnes Of Fly Tipped Rubbish Taken Away
Saturday 28 November 2009
Manifesto For The Successor To NXEA
Friday 27 November 2009
Who Might Take Over From NXEA?
Thursday 26 November 2009
NXEA To Lose Franchise Early
Wednesday 25 November 2009
Dovercourt Station Revamp Plan Is Scrapped
Tuesday 24 November 2009
Online Plan Of Manningtree Station
Monday 23 November 2009
Oyster Pay As You Go To Be Extended
Sunday 22 November 2009
NXEA Vision For Rail Services Between London and Norwich
Thursday 19 November 2009
Government Changes Lead To Passengers Paying More
Tuesday 17 November 2009
NXEA Among The Worst For Customer Satisfaction
Monday 16 November 2009
National Express To Freeze Unregulated Fares
Adonis Critical Of NX Retaining Franchise
Unregulated Fares To Increase by Average of 1.1%
Thursday 12 November 2009
National Express To Lose NXEA Franchise Early?
Wednesday 11 November 2009
Rail Travel Too Expensive For Network Rail
National Express Announces £350m Rights Issue
Monday 9 November 2009
No Compensation For Recent Disruption
Friday 6 November 2009
Harwich Branch Now Fully Open
Thursday 5 November 2009
Cancellations On The Harwich Line
Monday 2 November 2009
Harwich Branch Line Services To Resume Early
Friday 30 October 2009
NXEA Punctuality Improvements
National Express To Hand Back NXEA?
Thursday 29 October 2009
National Express Calls Off Merger Talks
Tuesday 27 October 2009
Cycle Storage Developments At Manningtree
NXEA have some new stands to replace the 'toast rack' types that have been damaged as it seems to be the case that the racks are being vandalised to gain access to cycles. They hope to have these installed by the end of the November at the latest. This will also prevent motorbikes from parking under the cycle shelters.
Unfortunately it was not possible to extend the cycle area this year due to budget constraints but NXEA have ensured it is included in next year's cycle improvements so the storage area can be extended.
NXEA did have a cycle initiative planned for Manningtree (to hand out free bike transponders and advice with BTP) but sadly this was cancelled due to the recent planned driver industrial action. They do still plan to hold this event but need to coordinate the BTP and others to ensure it can go ahead.
Sunday 25 October 2009
Stagecoach Prepares Bid For National Express
Friday 23 October 2009
Manningtree - Harwich Service Update
Thursday 22 October 2009
** Update ** Manningtree - Harwich Line
Manningtree - Harwich Trains Suspended Until 9th November
Bus Replacement Service
National Express Issues Profits Warning
Has Your Bicycle Been Stolen Or Vandalised?
Wednesday 21 October 2009
Harwich Branch Line Services Suspended
Stagecoach Get Cosmen Support
Additional Carriages In The Winter Timetable
The ongoing introduction of additional carriages to the NXEA fleet now means that a number of trains can be lengthened. The introduction of the winter timetable on 13th December will see a number of changes implemented and those of interest to Manningtree and Harwich branch passengers are:
Trains increased to 12 carriages
- 18.32 Liverpool Street to Ipswich
Trains increased to 8 carriages
- 08.00 Harwich Town to Liverpool Street, (8 carriages from Colchester)
- 16.15 Liverpool Street to Harwich Town, (8 carriages to Colchester)
Other changes being introduced include:
- 16.30 (Mon-Fri) Ipswich to Colchester re-timed to depart at 16.32 and is extended to run through as an additional service to London Liverpool Street
- 19.00 (Sundays) Liverpool Street to Norwich will call additionally at Chelmsford, Colchester and Manningtree
Monday 19 October 2009
'Leaves On The Line' Delays Reduced
Stagecoach Make Another Offer For National Express
Saturday 17 October 2009
FirstGroup To Consider National Express Takeover?
Friday 16 October 2009
Stagecoach Still Interested In NXEA
CVC & Cosmen Family Withdraw From Takeover Bid
Tuesday 13 October 2009
Train Refurbishment
Monday 12 October 2009
Stagecoach Set To Take Over NXEA 'Within Weeks'
Monday 5 October 2009
Emails to MRUA - Update
Emails to MRUA
Thursday 1 October 2009
Harwich Branch - 30 Comments Received
Tuesday 29 September 2009
Mistley - 800 object to timetable changes
Monday 28 September 2009
Current Campaigns
- Reducing the cost of parking at Manningtree station.
- Representing the interests of Manningtree and Harwich branch line passengers in the current timetable consultation process being carried out by NXEA.
- Getting a later last train from London.
Saturday 26 September 2009
CVC Deadline Extended To 16th Oct
Friday 25 September 2009
CVC Deadline Extended
Wednesday 23 September 2009
CVC Group May Request More Time On NX Due Diligence
Monday 21 September 2009
Ever Considered The Actual Cost Of Commuting?
An annual car park ticket at Manningtree costs £960 which would require you to earn £1,600 before tax to pay for it.
So if a couple commute to London, require a Travelcard and park at Manningtree they have to earn £18,400 between them just to cover the cost of travelling!
The numbers for those paying 20% tax are as follows:
Season ticket - £4,400 (£5,040)
Needs to earn £5,500 (£6,300)
Car Park - £960
Needs to earn £1,200
When taking into account that people on 20% tax are earning less than £34,800 that is quite a sizeable chunk of income going on the cost of travel.
Of course, it should be mentioned that all the above assumes that individuals can fork out for an annual ticket. Monthly, weekly and daily tickets obviously cost more over a 12 month period.
Friday 18 September 2009
Strike Refunds - Deadline 23rd September
Buses Replacing Trains Between Manningtree And Harwich
Wednesday 16 September 2009
Severe Delays This Evening
A137 Parking Restrictions
Threatened Strike Called Off
TUC Conference To Vote On Franchise Future
Hopes Rise Over Planned Rail Strike
Hopes are rising that the planned strike by train drivers at National Express East Anglia (NXEA) will be called off.
Leaders of the drivers' union Aslef are meeting to decide whether to accept a new pay and conditions deal put forward by NXEA in a bid to avert the threatened action.
Tuesday 15 September 2009
Industrial Action Altered Timetables 21 - 26 September
Shuttle Service Between Harwich and Manningtree
Monday 14 September 2009
Cosmen Family Given Two Weeks To Complete Takeover of National Express
70% 'back rail re-nationalisation'
Thursday 10 September 2009
ASLEF Rejects 4% Pay Deal Whilst RMT & TSSA Members Overwhelmingly Accept
Wednesday 9 September 2009
National Express Set To Accept £765m Cosmen - CVC Bid
ASLEF Rejects 4% Pay Deal
Calling all ASLEF Members!
Talks To Avert Strike
Tuesday 8 September 2009
ASLEF Members Vote To Strike
NX Looking At Alternatives To Cosmen / CVC Takeover
Train Ballot Due
Sunday 6 September 2009
Stagecoach To Pay £100m In Rail Deal
Friday 4 September 2009
The Winton Train
Thursday 3 September 2009
Franchise Extension To Be Confirmed?
Offer For National Express Raised
Wednesday 2 September 2009
Cancellations last Saturday - Clarification
The Winton Train
Saturday 29 August 2009
Cancellations Caused By Staff Not Turning Up For Work
Increased Offer For National Express
Tuesday 18 August 2009
Train Fares Set To Fall in 2010
Extra Services for V Festival
Bank Holiday Service Disruption
Saturday 15 August 2009
Tickets - Strike Refund Details
Friday 14 August 2009
Strike Action Over
Thursday 13 August 2009
Aslef Call Off Strike
Week Long Strikes Threatened
Wednesday 12 August 2009
Strike Action Confirmed
Assistance Needed....
Strike Talks Continue
Monday 10 August 2009
Apologies....
Strike Talks To Continue
Thursday 6 August 2009
NXEA Strike Update
Wednesday 5 August 2009
Planned Strike To Go Ahead
Tuesday 4 August 2009
A Third Union To Join Strike?
Monday 3 August 2009
Strike Action - Ticket Refunds
Talks To End Strikes
Thursday 30 July 2009
National Express Announce Half Yearly Results
Wednesday 29 July 2009
Strike Action - Union Requirements
Poll Results Over Strike
Tuesday 28 July 2009
NXEA Strike Update
NX Takeover - 'Put Up Or Shut Up'
Sunday 26 July 2009
Stagecoach Joins NX Takeover Race
Saturday 25 July 2009
NXEA Strike Action
Friday 24 July 2009
Spanish Join National Express Bid
Thursday 23 July 2009
New Suitor for National Express
Wednesday 22 July 2009
Platform Work Continues
Saturday 18 July 2009
European Funding for Midlands Link
Wednesday 15 July 2009
NXEA Staff To Strike
Wednesday 8 July 2009
NXEA Staff To Be Balloted On Strike Action
Wednesday 1 July 2009
NX Lose East Coast Franchise. Bowker Resigns
Tuesday 30 June 2009
NXEA Second Lowest in Satisfaction Poll
Monday 29 June 2009
National Express Reject Takeover Bid
Sunday 28 June 2009
Hot Weather Forecast
Friday 26 June 2009
Manningtree Car Park - Official Opening
Thursday 25 June 2009
Cruise Ships At Harwich
Tuesday 23 June 2009
Improved Punctuality
Friday 19 June 2009
Potentially Significant Changes To Train Services
- Longer peak time trains
- Two additional morning peak trains
- Two Inter City arrivals in London before 07:00
- More peak services to call at Stratford
Thursday 18 June 2009
Resurfacing Work At The Station
Monday 8 June 2009
Manningtree Buffet In The Top Ten!
Thursday 21 May 2009
Additional London to Ipswich Service
Peak Trains Fully Booked For Holiday Weekend
Tuesday 19 May 2009
MRUA AGM Elections
Monday 18 May 2009
Tuesday 12 May 2009
Commuters Finding Alternative Parking Arrangements
Seat Reservations Charges To Be Introduced
Starting with effect from Sunday 17th May – the day the new summer timetable starts - National Express East Anglia will start charging for seat reservations on their London to Norwich services. A charge of £2.50 will be levied for each journey. However it is noted that these charges will not apply to any advance purchase tickets, first class tickets, season tickets, customers with a disabled railcard or assisted passengers.
It has been apparent for many years that a significant proportion of passengers do not take up their seat reservations, leading to reserved seats left empty while people stand. It is hoped that by charging for this facility the instance of seats left empty will be reduced.