‘We need to put right Stratford rail services’
THERE are rumblings – only very quiet tremors at the moment – that Stratford’s railway service could be looked at with a view for some improvements.
Two weeks ago Chris Bryant MP, the arts and tourism minister, told a major tourism conference that there are infrastructure issues holding back tourism in the UK.
About Stratford, he said: “Why on earth is it so difficult to get to Stratford-upon-Avon? Shakes-peare is one of our icons. His birthplace and Anne Hathaway’s house are magnets for tourists, as is the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre. Yet the train service to Stratford is shockingly terrible. That’s something we need to put right.”
The reference was, in particular, about getting tourists out of London and giving them the opportunity to reach Stratford with ease by rail and without spending hours doing so.
It is something which Stratford MP Manuela Perteghella, who is herself a commuter to the capital, has been working on. She has met with Mr Bryant and Chiltern Railways, the company which runs services to London, urging them to reinstate direct trains between Stratford and London.
Dr Perteghella has also raised the issue in written and oral questions in parliament, including with the former secretary of state for transport, Louise Haigh.
“The town of Stratford-upon-Avon is one of the most visited locations in the UK, yet for many years we have not had a direct train to the capital,” Dr Perteghella said. “What steps is the secretary of state taking to fix the lack of capacity in Chiltern Railways so that my constituents and visitors can travel directly and sustainably to and from London?”
The response was: “That sort of service and provision is exactly what the reforms around Great British Railways are designed to address. Decisions around infrastructure and operations will be made together so that we can deliver services that make sense for the honourable lady’s constituents, for visitors and for the economy as a whole.”
Labour has pledged to bring all train services in England into public ownership, creating Great British Railways, a new public sector body, to oversee the network.
This, they have promised, would take over services as contracts with current operators expire or by ending agreements early in cases of poor performance.
The first three rail companies being brought under public ownership were revealed this week. South Western Railway’s services will be the first to transfer next year, followed by c2c and Greater Anglia.
Change, whether from Labour or Chiltern Railways, cannot come soon enough for Dr Perteghella. She told the Herald: “Stratford has a strong tourist economy but with an improved rail service we can increase footfall in local businesses and welcome more visitors to our wonderful town.
“The UK needs to become more connected, locally that means services linking Stratford to the capital, but nationally the government must not just increase services but improve services.
“It is not normal for passengers to have to factor in such a high likelihood of a delay to their journeys. The Liberal Democrats are focused on a plan for rail that works for passengers, a plan to get rail back on track as a reliable, affordable, convenient and clean form of transport.”
The solution may not be that easy for the Stratford line, as the rail companies have pointed out.
West Midlands Trains (WMT), which along with Chiltern runs local services to and from Stratford, explained that a lot of infrastructure work would be needed to allow more direct services to London. This would not be limited to upgrades on the line to Stratford and the provision for additional rolling stock for somebody to operate the service.
“The overall lack of direct services is a symptom of the geography of the network around Stratford,” a spokesperson explained. “The immediate section between Stratford and Bearley junction is effectively one block in each direction which leads onto a five-mile stretch of single line between Bearley and Hatton. It’s also relatively low-speed – those sections only allow for running between 10mph-60mph.
“All of this is quite inhibiting from a capacity point of view and, ultimately, dictates the level of service train operators are able to provide.”
There is also a financial factor. Trains running between Birmingham and London will have more demand than a Stratford route.
What we currently have is one direct weekday service from Stratford to London, which departs Stratford at 9.33pm. This is operated by Chiltern.
Anyone wanting to get back from London to Stratford using the trains has to leave on the 8.36pm service – there is no connection between Leamington and Stratford for later trains. The last service to Stratford from Leamington leaves at 10.26pm, getting in at 11pm.
Chiltern provides a two-hourly shuttle service between Stratford and Leamington, which is designed to link passengers with the mainline Birmingham-London services. Can passengers and tourists hope for anything more? Possibly.
A Chiltern Railways spokesperson told the Herald: “We recognise the need for improved connections between Stratford and other key locations on the Chiltern network, and London.
“We continue to refine and enhance our timetable at each opportunity and we continue to work with government to secure its approval to acquire newer and additional trains. This will enable us to provide a significant step up in capacity and journey opportunities where we can show compelling cases to do so.
“Subject to Department for Transport approval, we would be able to increase capacity and grow our timetables from destinations including Stratford from 2026.
“As part of our 2030 vision, we are determined to provide an easier, greener and better experience for our customers. Part of our vision involves replacing our 47-year-old carriages to meet the growing demand and improve connectivity across our network by rail.”
