Monday 22 October 2012

Mums To Be - Did You Know?

If you are pregnant and in your last eight weeks of pregnancy before maternity leave, you may apply for an authority to travel which will allow you to sit in a First Class seat if there are no seats available in Standard Class.

To obtain this authority you must be in possession of a season ticket photo card.  If you do not hold such a card please take a recent passport size / style photograph to any Greater Anglia ticket office.  A photocard will created for you free of charge.

For more information, please click here


Friday 19 October 2012

Passenger Focus Disappointment For Greater Anglia

In Passenger Focus's Autumn Report Greater Anglia does not come out well in a couple of areas highlighted by the passenger watchdog.

Overall Satisfaction scores on individual routes in the country varied from 97% (Merseyrail - Wirral) down to 70% (First Capital Connect, Thameslink and Greater Anglia)

Value for Money satisfaction varies from 75% (ScotRail - rural) down to 23% for Greater Anglia Mainline.

Record Breaking Performance At Greater Anglia

Greater Anglia has issued the following press release which is self explanatory:

Greater Anglia - the region’s train operator – has reported further improvements in train service performance, recording its best train punctuality results yet for the four-week period ended 13 October, with a public performance measure (PPM) of 95.03%. This is the highest PPM figure recorded for any four-week period since the current franchise structure for East Anglia was introduced in 2004, and the first time that franchise-wide performance in excess of 95% has been achieved in a single period.

Greater Anglia has consistently delivered improvement in train punctuality since taking over the franchise in February and the moving annual average (MAA) punctuality - measuring performance over a 12 month average - has improved to a new-high of 91.7%, which is the best MAA figure for the East Anglia franchise area for at least 12 years.

The entire Greater Anglia network again performed well in the most recent period ended 13 October. Metro services between Liverpool Street and Shenfield / Southend Victoria achieved their highest-ever period punctuality of 97% and annual average punctuality of 94.3% is also at an all-time high. The Mainline route recorded 95% period punctuality and the MAA has improved to 90.8% - in both cases these are the best results recorded for the Mainline route in the past 12 years (and on a much more intensively-used route).

Elsewhere, services on the Rural routes network in Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire saw period punctuality of 94% and an improving annual average performance now standing at 92.2%. The West Anglia network also performed exceptionally well with punctuality of 94.7% and Stansted Express 92.2%.

The improvement in train service performance achieved by Greater Anglia since February reflects the ‘alliance’ the train operator has established with Network Rail as part of the current franchise. This is providing a real focus on improving performance and when problems do occur improved contingency plans are helping to ensure that the service can recover more quickly following any disruption. Greater Anglia’s train fleet is also operating more reliably and its Class 90 locomotives and Mk3 coaches on intercity services are currently the second most reliable intercity fleet in the rail industry.

Ruud Haket, Managing Director Greater Anglia said: “I am delighted that over 95% of Greater Anglia trains arrived on time for the past four weeks, achieving our best-ever levels of punctuality and improving still further on the excellent performance we delivered over the Olympics and Paralympics Games.

“Our alliance with Network Rail and excellent reliability of our fleet of trains has again helped to achieve the best four-week period of performance in this franchise so far. We are not complacent however, and there remains more work to do in delivering consistent levels of train service performance for our customers across London and East Anglia, and we will continue to work with our colleagues at Network Rail, focusing on further improvement.”

Wednesday 17 October 2012

No Change To Greater Anglia Franchise Timetable

Ben Gummer, MP for Ipswich, raised the question in parliament of whether the process to decide the next franchise currently run by Greater Anglia will be delayed by the recent West Coast Mainline franchise debacle.  The Minister for Transport, Patrick McLoughlin assured him that the process to determine the next franchise here should not slip.

The next franchise is due to run for fifteen years, starting in mid 2014, with consultation due to commence in 2013.

Monday 15 October 2012

Greater Anglia on BBC Essex

Greater Anglia are due to be on the Dave Monk show on BBC Essex this coming Friday, the 19th October.  If you would like to raise any issues with the company who run our trains then please contact BBC Essex on 01245 495050 or alternatively via email at: essex@bbc.co.uk

Wednesday 3 October 2012

Leaf Fall Timetbale In Operation

The annual Leaf Fall Timetable is now in operation and will continue until until 7th December 2012.  Details can be found here