WREXHAM INDEPENDENT ELECTION VICTORY

RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: may/june 2012 :: RMTnews 19 In the May local elections in Wales the Wrexham Independent Group increased its representation on the council by winning ten seats. As our group of members increases we will continue to work with other councillors in Wrexham and across North Wales to support more improvements to the rail network. First elected in 2004, I am currently deputy leader of the council and vice chair of the executive board, a key decision making body for the council. I also deal with environment and transport issues and represent the Wrexham Council on the North Wales regional leadership board, looking at how we can work collaboratively across the region to improve services. I am a rail working group member and a member of the Board on North Wales Transport Consortium (TAITH). Since setting up the rail group we have lobbied for rail improvements both locally, regionally and nationally. The figures produced by the ORR (see below) show that passenger numbers continue to grow. I know that members in North Wales have questioned, and rightly so at times, why we are now ‘all Wales’, but the level of investment by the Welsh government is significant. We must support the aim of bringing more investment to Wales which will see more passengers using rail. One on the major improvements we have lobbied for both as a council, TAITH and the local RMT branch is the redoubling of the line between Wrexham and Chester at the cost of £45.4 million. Singled in 1980, the recent announcement by the Welsh government to support journey time improvements between north and south Wales will ensure that seven of the 9.5 miles of single track are doubled together with line speed enhancements of up to 90mph between Gobowen and Shrewsbury and from Chester to Saltney. This will allow for the rerouting of the original north to south express train from Holyhead to Cardiff to operate via Wrexham and enable us to campaign for more frequent services to and from Wrexham, North Wales and the North West. We have also looked at improvements on the Wrexham Bidston line, working with TAITH and the Mersey Dee Alliance on cross-border issues to improve the frequency of the services together with line-speed enhancements. Currently work is being carried out to increase the line speed with the ultimate aim to have a 30-minute service operating from Wrexham to Bidston. Although the current franchise agreement does not allow for more services, I hope the Welsh government will be looking at a new franchise agreement in Wales to support growth. Some of the other projects we have been working on include lobbying for improved timetabling between Chester, Wrexham and Shrewsbury which currently has an hourly service pattern with trains between Holyhead, Cardiff, Holyhead and Birmingham International Airport via Wrexham General. A lot of work has gone into support investment at stations and significant improvements have been at Ruabon and Chirk as well as an access lift installed on Platform 4 at Wrexham General. A continued investment programme has been ongoing throughout Wrexham County Borough including bus, rail interchanges and car park extensions at Chirk, Ruabon and Wrexham General. There are also CCTV and customer information scheme projects at all stations and Chirk station will shortly benefit from funding to improve disabled access via a new Department for Transport programme at a cost of £1.2million, this will include some match funding from the consortia. WREXHAM INDEPENDENT ELECTION VICTORY RMT Wrexham branch secretary and Wrexham Independent Group chair David Bithell explains how his group has increased the number of seats in local elections Data from the ORR (Office of the Rail Regulator) shows consistent increases in passenger numbers on this line of route as follows: Year Station Journeys Growth % 2002/3 Wrexham General 364267 - - 2004/5 Wrexham General 391693 27426 7.53% 2005/6 Wrexham General 401242 9549 2.44% 2006/7 Wrexham General 436468 35226 8.78% 2007/8 Wrexham General 487713 51245 11.74% 2008/9 Wrexham General 534256 46543 9.54% 2009/10 Wrexham General 584176 49920 9.34% Total Growth 219909 Wrexham General Growth 2003 to 2010 219909 60.37% 2002/3 Ruabon 28470 - - 2004/5 Ruabon 32414 3944 13.85% 2005/6 Ruabon 39854 7440 22.95% 2006/7 Ruabon 46623 6769 16.98% 2007/8 Ruabon 54369 7746 16.61% 2008/9 Ruabon 61578 7209 13.26% 2009/10 Ruabon 71346 9768 15.86% Total Growth 42876 Ruabon Growth 2003 to 2010 42876 150.60% 2002/3 Chirk 31532 - - 2004/5 Chirk 32094 562 1.78% 2005/6 Chirk 36295 4201 13.09% 2006/7 Chirk 42762 6467 17.82% 2007/8 Chirk 50688 7926 18.54% 2008/9 Chirk 54988 4300 8.48% 2009/10 Chirk 56310 1322 2.40% Total Growth 24778 Chirk Growth 2003 to 2010 24778 78.58%