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Future plans: 3-4 trains an hour?
Future train services to Deal and Sandwich could be faster and more frequent, according to a new study by Network Rail, which looks at the economic benefits of providing a minimum 3 to 4 trains an hour and shorter journey times on lines across the South East region.
Network Rail’s director of network strategy and planning, Richard Eccles, said: “This is part of our new approach to planning, which looks at how the rail network should develop to achieve economic growth, help reduce carbon emissions from transport and improve quality of life for people. This approach allows greater freedom of thought and is not constrained by current service patterns or cost and deliverability, though of course we will look at these issues in subsequent planning stages.”
Network Rail’s director of network strategy and planning, Richard Eccles, said: “This is part of our new approach to planning, which looks at how the rail network should develop to achieve economic growth, help reduce carbon emissions from transport and improve quality of life for people. This approach allows greater freedom of thought and is not constrained by current service patterns or cost and deliverability, though of course we will look at these issues in subsequent planning stages.”
40-100 minute journey target
The study concludes that great economic impacts can be made by reducing journey lengths to between 100 and 40 minutes. Currently Deal's direct High Speed trains reach the capital in about 85 mins, but the average during the day and at weekends is 125 mins - or 103 mins if you change at Ashford, giving great scope to increase interactions between businesses in London and the Kent Coast. More frequent trains would also reduce average waiting times (Deal now has a basic one train an hour).
The Study predicts continued growth in commuting into central London, up 27 per cent by 2031 – mirroring London's strength as a dynamic international centre with far higher salaries but also property costs than the outer parts of the region.
The Study predicts continued growth in commuting into central London, up 27 per cent by 2031 – mirroring London's strength as a dynamic international centre with far higher salaries but also property costs than the outer parts of the region.
Local commuting?
Looking 10 to 30 years into the future, it also points to even faster growth in off-peak leisure travel and in commuting to other employment centres like Canterbury, Ashford and North Kent. Researchers suggest inter-town rail journeys require a shorter journey time of between 20-60 minutes, which for Deal would require better connections at local interchange junctions like Dover and Ramsgate.
Campaigners from the local rail users group, Trains4deal, will probe rail bosses' future plans at next week's County Hall "Rail Summit" in Maidstone, where Network Rail will join Southeastern and Dept. for Transport officials to present their current plans for developing rail services in Kent.
"It all sounds great in 10 years' time, but coastal towns like Deal and Sandwich have been left out in the cold for too long and we need to see some urgent improvements now," said Ian Killbery. "We'd like to hear what rail improvements would be top of the list for other local people, including those who don't now travel by rail."
Campaigners from the local rail users group, Trains4deal, will probe rail bosses' future plans at next week's County Hall "Rail Summit" in Maidstone, where Network Rail will join Southeastern and Dept. for Transport officials to present their current plans for developing rail services in Kent.
"It all sounds great in 10 years' time, but coastal towns like Deal and Sandwich have been left out in the cold for too long and we need to see some urgent improvements now," said Ian Killbery. "We'd like to hear what rail improvements would be top of the list for other local people, including those who don't now travel by rail."