Where do you live?
Alton in north-east Hampshire.
What is your profession?
I am self-employed, working from home. I tell people that I’m a graphic designer, although I also do a lot of CAD drafting and site measurement. I have tinkered with web design and have produced a newsletter for Surrey Business Club for a number of years.
Are you a fan of train travel?
Yes, I like trains and train travel, but I class myself as a railway advocate rather than a trainspotter. I don’t hold a driver’s licence, which was a decision based upon wanting to save money and my dislike of cars. I use my bike to travel locally and the train for longer journeys. While trains often take longer than an equivalent car journey, I try to lead a life that doesn’t count on rushing. And working from home tends to mean that train travel is only an occasional activity. However, sometimes my work requires me to travel during the rush hour, but more often than not, I go off-peak. It means I am well placed to comment on the services available at different periods of the day, even if I don’t make these journeys very often.
Do you have a favourite train journey?
Many railways in the UK pass through fantastic landscapes. The Settle-Carlisle Railway in the Peak District is a fine example of this. On South West Trains, there are also many pleasant routes—including the line between Aldershot and Alton. I also love travelling by train in Switzerland, where the commitment by the government and private railway companies has led to its sustained long-term development.
Do you think train travel has improved?
Yes. Despite what some would have us think, we are living in a period of railway renaissance. The trouble is that the years of decay have meant there’s a lot of catching-up to do. New trains, new routes and new stations have sprung up all over the country. In Alton, we now have a half-hourly service to London, and there is even talk of re-doubling the track to Farnham. There is a lot to do before we can boast a railway that is equal to, say, Switzerland, but we have gone a long way in a short time towards that goal.Yes, you might end up standing on your journey to work and it might take 10 minutes longer, but these are the inevitable growing pains of a system trying to catch-up with demand, while trying to improve services.
Why did you join the Passengers’ Panel?
I joined in May 2005 because I strongly believe in the viability and purpose of railways, and I wanted to see what I could do to contribute.
What areas are the Panel concerned with now?
Encouraging “joined-up thinking” by making better connections between different forms of transport. We’d also like to see more routes and timetable variations, as well as station improvements and renovations, access to stations for all, and encouraging the use of cycles in conjunction with train journeys.
What do you like most about South West Trains?
The company has really turned the service around in its tenure, particularly in terms of delivering trains that run on time. Some passengers complain that the extended journey times are some kind of con in order to get trains that run on time. If that’s what it takes to get punctual trains, then I’m prepared to accept the longer journeys. I also like the investment in rolling stock, both in terms of new trains and the re-fitting of older vehicles.
What do you like least about South West Trains?
The service is generally very good in my experience. My real gripe though is the condition of the stations. After a long period of neglect, they need lots of investment. While the company is probably not to blame, and the ownership is that of Network Rail, one can’t help looking poorly on South West Trains when you have 20 minutes to kill at a station. For cyclists who travel off-peak using the new blue Desiro trains, South West Trains’ provision is reasonable (for the UK). However, the current ban on cycles in rush hour rather defeats the object of providing for them. Overcrowding puts space at a premium, so one solution might be to have special bike vans that are coupled-up with the trains or to have a number of hire centres at popular destinations. The only way round all this at present is to use a folding cycle, which I would like to see South West Trains promoting and selling.
What should South West Trains’ priorities be over the next 10 years?
A continued programme of train renewal and introduction is essential. Station improvements should also be on the agenda, whether it is cleaning buildings and resurfacing platforms or providing platform canopies and other facilities. Another priority must be route development and providing more connecting routes around London and the South East. In some cases, I would like to see some railway lines reinstated or built anew in areas that are heavily populated.