About us


About us

The Cumbrian coast Rail Users’ Group represents the interests of rail users in West Cumbria and particularly on the Cumbrian coast line from Carlisle to Barrow together with connected services at Carlisle, Barrow and Lancaster.

Our current campaign is to get better toilets at Sellafield station. There is a single unisex toilet with urinals and cubicles which is totally unsuitable. The National Rail website lists it as a gents toilet only and Northern says there isn’t a toilet. What we need are as a minimum a refurbished unisex toilet with cubicles only and daily cleaning but preferably a refurbished gents and a new ladies toilet.

Our manifesto has a list of wants, some of which have now been achieved. The following are current:

CRUG Manifesto November 2018

Objectives 

Stations

Maintain and where necessary extend platform lengths Needed for four coach trains

Raise platform heights at additional stations Harrington humps provided at some stations but need to be extended in most cases

Passenger information systems These have been installed at some stations but need to be more reliable and accurate, listing trains in the next two hours

Protect and improve parking facilities Needed at additional stations eg Foxfield

Promote facilities for cyclists More secure storage needed at stations
Improve platform access for cyclists and people with disabilities Gates particularly need modifying or where possible removing

Ensure signage to/at stations Particularly for pedestrians and at a distance from stations

Monitor and improve environment (buildings, cleanliness, gardens etc) Whitehaven needs extensive improvement and extension with transport hub provision; Sellafield toilets are being replaced

Improve servicing of West Cumbria bay area at Carlisle Still needs better cleaning

Services

Complete evenly spread daytime timetable Further improvements due May 2019 – should remove gaps from hourly timetable and reinstate early morning Whitehaven-Carlisle train

Full evening services south of Whitehaven Need later evening trains
Sunday services Need earlier trains between Whitehaven and Carlisle and fill gaps in hourly service

Remove missed stops wherever possible 2019 timetables

Improve West coast main line connections at Lancaster and Carlisle Try to provide 15/20 minute connections with London trains

Improve connections/through services within franchise Particularly to Newcastle, Lancaster and Preston in 2019

Make Nethertown and Braystones request stops on all services

Investigate providing refreshments on trains

Rolling stock

Abandon 142 Pacer usage Going in 2019

Monitor internal and external cleanliness Improved but more work needed

Improve provision for cyclists and luggage Better when all four coach trains
Promote provision for newer/better stock (should gauging allow)

Try running newer stock than refurbished class 156s

Ensure stock capacity on peak services with minimum of two coaches and move to four coach standard Should be in January 2019

Infrastructure

Dual track whole line except for tunnel As a minimum reinstate double track at Parton Brows and passing loop at Nethertown

Renew signalling throughout, investigate removal of manual token-block sections and remove at least non-signalbox staffed crossings (Kirksanton (2) and Saltcoats) Resignalling is be a priority irrespective of Moorside and other developments

Promote improved rails such as continuous welded rail

Maintain/improve gauging and loading (rail tours, freight, newer rolling stock) Clearances north of Maryport must be increased

Maintain critical structures (viaducts, sea defences, Whitehaven tunnel) Considerable work done on defences

Safeguard adjacent land and track beds

Maintain crossovers at Millom, Silecroft, Bootle and Drigg

Maintain loop at St Bees

Maintain infrastructure for rail tours and reinstate turning facility

Promote usage of Sellafield-Drigg nuclear traffic

Promotion

Circulate and improve timetable leaflets

Maintain group website

Ticketing and revenue

Ensure fullest possible revenue collection

Promote special and/or cheap travel options Introduce advance tickets on line

Ensure full range of ticket availability on train and at staffed stations eg rangers and Ratty through tickets

Press for a local area network card where cardholders get a percentage reduction on off-peak fares

Extend the Lakes Day Ranger ticket’s northern limit from Workington to Carlisle

Promote rangers and rovers

Commuting, tourism and trade

Engage with local employment, tourism and business stakeholders

Promote line as a rail tour/steam excursion destination

Promote integration with other transport providers, cross ticketing etc