What Rail Users and Stratford Town Centre Businesses told us The - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

What Rail Users and Stratford Town Centre Businesses told us…

The Shakespeare Line Promotion Group (SLPG) carried out two online surveys in February and March 2018 to identify what the key issues for train users and businesses were and to enable SLPG to set its new Aims and Objectives as the Rail User Group for train services between Stratford upon Avon and Birmingham together and Stratford upon Avon and Leamington Spa/London. Since May 2018 until October we have been sharing the results from both surveys with all of the key stakeholders, including local authorities, train operators, key organisations and Nadhim Zahawi, Stratford’s Member of Parliament. We are now pleased to share the results with everyone and in doing so also set out SLPG’s Aims & Objectives which are based on what you have told us. We will now be campaigning for the things that train users, local communities and businesses have told us are important to them. We will engage with local authorities, train operators and other relevant

• rganisations’ and individuals to get our Aims and Objective brought to reality on the communities behalf.

We have already started by getting a Community Rail Partnership started in conjunction with Solihull & Leamington Spa Rail Users Association We are a Rail User Group that exists and is funded entirely by users of the line becoming members of SLPG. If you use the train on the lines we cover then please think about giving us your support and help us speak up on your behalf. Membership is just £5 a year. Scroll down to see the results of our online surveys and our Aims and Objectives…

Co Connectivity

Results, Aims & Objectives from 2018 Online Surveys

Shakespeare Line Promotion Group November 2018

Presented by Fraser Pithie – Secretary of SLPG

• Results from the Rail User Survey

held in Spring 2018

• Sample: 804 rail users and general public
• Results from the Stratford upon

Avon Town Centre Business Survey held in Spring 2018

• Sample: 82 Stratford upon Avon Town Centre

Businesses

• Aims & Objectives of the

Shakespeare Line Promotion Group

En Engagement

Rail Users & Stratford upon Avon Town Centre Businesses

• Online Rail User Survey
• Advertised by
• Social Media
• Hand delivery of flyer on train services
• Advertisement to community groups
• Specific Facebook community pages
• Coverage by local news media
• Online Stratford upon Avon Town Centre Business Survey
• Advertised by
• Social Media
• Hand delivery of flyer
• Endorsement by Stratforward BID
• Endorsement by #SUHour
• Coverage by local news media

Support for rail…

• There is high level of support (78%) for a

‘pedestrian’ leaflet/flyer that provides a guide to Stratford upon Avon and is designed to meet the needs of pedestrian visitors using rail

• Over 98% businesses stated they would use train

services if they were frequent and direct with London with 72% stating the same about direct rail services with Oxford

Sh Shakesp espea eare e Li Line e Us Usage

44.4% of rail users of the Shakespeare Line rely upon and use the service for work and business 49% use the line for leisure journeys such as shopping, a day out or visiting friends

Top Three Most Important issues Ra Rail User ers

• 66% of rail users chose Service

Frequency as important to them making it the highest priority

• Punctuality was the second most

important issue to rail users at 56.5%

• The third most important issue for

54.3% of Shakespeare Line rail users is Reliability

Top Three Priorities

Ra Rail U User ers w want t to s see… ee…

• More semi-fast train services between Stratford

upon Avon and Birmingham is supported by 52.4%

• f rail users making this the highest priority
• More seats available at peak times was chosen by

47.7% of rail users making it the second priority

• Greater frequency of rail services between

Stratford upon Avon and Whitlocks End is the third priority attracting 43.5% support from rail users

Station Adoption

Ra Rail U User ers

There is a general consensus among train operators, rail user groups and many local communities that station adoption can help to improve the standard, quality, appearance and facilities at individual stations. 87 87% of

• f ra

rail user sers su support rt st station ad adoptio ion 40 40% of

• f ra

rail user sers ar are prep epared ed to to offer er hel elp

86% of rail users support a regular scheduled steam service running on the Shakespeare Line 87% support the vision of Vintage Trains at Tyseley to improve and attract visitors to Stratford upon Avon by operating scheduled steam services from and to Birmingham Moor St linking with HS2 services at nearby Curzon Street and continuing with the popular Shakespeare Express steam services between Birmingham and Stratford on summer Sundays.

Key Results from Town Centre Business Survey

• Response split: 30% retail – 25% Hospitality - 30% Services

77%

• f businesses want much

greater emphasis placed on public transport, particularly rail, by local authorities to encourage usage and reduce traffic congestion*

94%

stated their support for the return of direct Stratford upon Avon>< London Paddington rail services

70%

Of businesses noticed a reduction in footfall after the 50% reduction in direct London train services from October 2015

71%

said fare incentives should be based on off-peak travel from 0930hrs onwards Monday to Friday and all day Saturday and Sundays

90%

• f businesses support

advertising and financial support from local authorities to incentivise visitors to/from Stratford upon Avon to use rail

Amenity & Sustainability

• Over half of businesses indicated that their core/local

customers are put off visiting because of traffic congestion when festival events are taking place SO…

• A significant 77% of businesses want much

greater emphasis placed on public transport, particularly rail, by local authorities to encourage usage and reduce traffic congestion especially when festivals are taking place

Aims & Objectives

• Consideration of joint partnership arrangements between SDC, WaCC , WCC, TfWM &

WM Rail Executive & West Midlands Trains to consider:

• Extending Whitlocks End services south to/from Stratford upon Avon to provide 20 minute

frequency service between Birmingham and Stratford upon Avon with:

• 2 services per hour each way via Shirley and Henley in Arden
• 1 service per hour each way via Solihull and Dorridge
• Make the 2nd service per hour between Stratford upon Avon & Birmingham via Shirley semi-

fast calling at Henley in Arden and Wythall, Whitlocks End, Shirley, Yardley Wood, Hall Green & Spring Road

• This meets users priorities and needs:
• More frequent services between Stratford upon Avon & Wythall
• More frequent services for Henley in Arden
• More semi-fast services along between Birmingham and Stratford upon

Avon

• Extend the Birmingham-Solihull-Stratford upon Avon services to cover most of the daily

timetable beyond both morning and evening peaks

• Review rolling stock configurations and/or services to see if greater capacity on morning peak

and evening peak services and on Bank Holidays for Day Visitors to/from Stratford upon Avon

• Promote community rail with station adoption and Vintage Trains vision and form a

Community Rail Partnership

Stratford upon Avon >< Birmingham Turn Up & Go

Aims & Objectives

Stratford upon Avon Town Centre Businesses

• Consideration of joint partnership arrangements between SDC, WaCC ,TfWM,

VisitEngland, Stratforward BID, West Midlands Trains and SLPG to consider:

• Frequent direct train services between London and Stratford upon

Avon

• Restoration of direct Chiltern Railways Stratford upon Avon >< London

Marylebone

• Potential Great Western Stratford upon Avon><Oxford><London

Paddington

• Visitor Information facilities at Stratford upon Avon station
• Incentivised off peak rail travel for visitors
• Development of a pedestrian/public transport leaflet for visitors to

Stratford upon Avon

• Consideration and plan to encourage/incentivise greater use of rail for

‘Festival” events

• Community involvement with station adoption
• How we work with Great Western Railway and Shakespeare’s England if

the new franchise is extended to Stratford upon Avon so we can develop great visitor packages.

• Develop the Community Rail Partnership

• London Paddington
• 4 London Underground lines
• Bakerloo
• Circle
• District
• Hammersmith & City
• Crossrail
• Heathrow Express
• Heathrow Airport
• Direct West Rail Link by 2024/6
• Reading
• Rail service to Gatwick Airport
• Slough
• Windsor Castle
• Oxford
• University City
• Warwick
• Warwick Castle
• Stratford upon Avon
• Shakespeare’s Birthplace
• Royal Shakespeare Theatre

The “String of Pearls” Visitor Route

Restoration of Stratford upon Avon >< London Paddington Train Services

Stratford upon Avon

6% Visitors by rail

National Average

12% Visitors by rail

Achieving National Average

345,000 Visitors

Notional Economic Benefit

£23.5M

Stratford upon Avon District*

8,700 new homes

Shakespeare Line & South Warks

69,000 population

Garden Village & Long Marston

5,900 new homes

South Warks+ vehicle growth

37,500 vehicles

Stratford >< London Direct Rail

3 trains a day

Evesham & Long Marston to/from Birmingham

No Direct Rail connectivity

Stratford >< Birmingham

2 trains per hour in off peak

Stratford >< Cotswolds><Oxford >< Paddington >< Heathrow

No Direct Rail Connectivity

How can we service all these pressures in the future?

An orbital rail route serving the South & West Midlands could be provided if the railway was reopened between Stratford- upon-Avon and Honeybourne. This could link Birmingham, Shirley, Henley-in-Arden, Stratford-upon-Avon, Long Marston (new garden village & 6900 homes planned), Evesham, Worcester and Stourbridge. Rail connectivity with the Cotswolds, Oxford, Reading and London Paddington would also be possible.

94% of Town Centre Businesses and Rail Users believe

this scheme is worthy of a proper economic impact study to determine if pursuing such a scheme is worth further support and effort. Enables connectivity with the Cotswolds, Evesham, Worcester & South West 12 mile shorter route to and from London Paddington Puts Birmingham within 50 minutes

• f Long Marston

& 60 minutes of Evesham

Potential Economic Growth

If rail services were to be expanded over a reopened line, would you consider using them and, if so, what destinations would you be interested in ?

Ra Rail U User ers

• London Paddington

62%

• Oxford

59%

• Cotswolds

52%

• Heathrow Airport*

49%

• Worcester &

Worcestershire Parkway 38%

• Evesham

31%

• Key stakeholders are members
• i.e local authorities, StratforwardBID, Shakespeares

England

• Established by SLPG & SALRUA in July 2018
• Potential access to several different sources of

funding

• Ensures consultation with community and Train

Operators + DfT

• Encourages and supports educational projects and

involvement

• Provides for a combined local approach that

delivers key goals

• Promoted by the Department for Transport
• We see Shakespeare’s England, RSC and SBT as

potential members of the HOE CRP

Birmingham Moor Street Coventry Stratford upon Avon Leamington Spa Kenilworth

Warwick Wootton Wawen Warwick Parkway Hatton Claverdon Bearley Wilmcote Stratford upon Avon Parkway Henley in Arden Danzey Wood End The Lakes Earlswood Wythall Whitlocks End Shirley Yardley Wood Hall Green Spring Road Small Heath Tyseley Acocks Green Olton

Solihull

Widney Manor Dorridge Lapworth

Bedworth Nuneaton Birmingham Snow Hill

Heart of England Community Rail Partnership

Any Questions?