November 2011
Period |
2007 |
2008 |
2009 |
2010 |
2011 |
% 09 - |
% 10- |
1 (10 Jan - |
17952 |
21340 |
22253 |
26780 |
30921 |
38.9 |
15.5 |
2 (7 Feb - |
18924 |
26461 |
26146 |
30455 |
35498 |
35.8 |
16.6 |
3 (7 Mar - |
18207 |
20931 |
25793 |
24343 |
29751 |
15.3 |
22.2 |
4 (4 Apr - |
22564 |
24560 |
32967 |
38849 |
41439 |
25.7 |
6.7 |
5 (2 May - |
22741 |
25442 |
28857 |
32218 |
36708 |
27.2 |
13.9 |
6 (30 May - |
26004 |
27892 |
29916 |
35818 |
42405 |
41.7 |
18.4 |
7 (27 Jun - |
25320 |
30271 |
33042 |
37203 |
43456 |
31.5 |
16.8 |
8 (25 Jul - |
29400 |
34216 |
38558 |
44356 |
49539 |
28.5 |
11.7 |
9 (22 Aug - |
27633 |
32735 |
34296 |
39708 |
44980 |
31.2 |
13.3 |
10 (19 Sep - |
24481 |
27920 |
30414 |
34917 |
40716 |
33.9 |
16.6 |
11 (17 Oct - |
26658 |
29220 |
29649 |
36588 |
39955 |
34.8 |
9.2 |
12 (14 Nov - |
20218 |
21229 |
28342 |
34194 |
40253 |
42 |
17.7 |
13 (12 Dec - |
21028 |
25676 |
26782 |
31336 |
36470 |
36.2 |
16.3 |
Total |
301131 |
347893 |
387015 |
446795 |
512091 |
32.3 |
14.6 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
% 10 - |
% 11 - |
Period |
2008 |
2009 |
2010 |
2011 |
2012 |
|
|
1 (4 Jan - |
21,340 |
22,253 |
26,780 |
30,921 |
34,507 |
15.5 |
11.6 |
2 (1 Feb - |
26,461 |
26,146 |
30,455 |
35,498 |
40,095 |
16.6 |
13.0 |
3 (1 Mar - |
20,931 |
25,793 |
24,343 |
29,751 |
38,031 |
22.2 |
27.8 |
4 (1 Apr - |
24,560 |
32,967 |
38,849 |
41,439 |
44,540 |
6.7 |
7.5 |
5 (3 May - |
25,442 |
28,857 |
32,218 |
36,708 |
42,250 |
13.9 |
15.1 |
6 (31 May - |
27,892 |
29,916 |
35,818 |
42,405 |
45,849 |
18.4 |
8.1 |
7 (28 Jun - |
30,271 |
33,042 |
37,203 |
43,456 |
45,082 |
16.8 |
3.7 |
8 (26 Jul - |
34,216 |
38,558 |
44,356 |
49,539 |
48,273 |
11.7 |
- |
9 (23 Aug - |
32,735 |
34,296 |
39,708 |
44,980 |
48,484 |
13.3 |
7.8 |
10 (20 Sep - |
27,920 |
30,414 |
34,917 |
40716 |
46,153 |
16.6 |
13.4 |
11 (18 Oct - |
29,220 |
29,649 |
36,588 |
39,955 |
51,486 |
9.2 |
28.9 |
12 (15 Nov - |
21,229 |
28,342 |
34,194 |
40,253 |
31,748 |
17.7 |
- |
13 (13 Dec - |
25,676 |
26,782 |
31,366 |
36,470 |
27,021 |
16.3 |
- |
Total |
347,893 |
387,015 |
446,795 |
512,091 |
543,519 |
14.6 |
6.1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
% 11 - |
% 12 - |
Period |
2009 |
2010 |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
|
|
1 (4 Jan - |
22.253 |
26.780 |
30.921 |
34.507 |
36.909 |
11.6 |
7.0 |
2 (1 Feb - |
26.146 |
30.455 |
35.498 |
40.095 |
45.043 |
13.0 |
12.3 |
3 (1 Mar - |
25.793 |
24.343 |
29.751 |
38.031 |
41.982 |
27.8 |
10.4 |
4 (1 Apr - |
32.967 |
38.849 |
41.439 |
44.540 |
43.617 |
7.5 |
- |
5 (3 May - |
28.857 |
32.218 |
36.708 |
42.25 |
43.983 |
15.1 |
4.1 |
6 (31 May - |
29.916 |
35.818 |
42.405 |
45.849 |
49.151 |
8.1 |
7.2 |
7 (28 Jun - |
33.042 |
37.203 |
43.456 |
45.082 |
46.388 |
3.7 |
2.9 |
8 (26 Jul - |
38.558 |
44.356 |
49.539 |
48.273 |
50.458 |
- |
4.5 |
9 (23 Aug - |
34.296 |
39.708 |
44.980 |
48.484 |
51.158 |
7.8 |
5.5 |
10 (20 Sep - |
30.414 |
34.917 |
40.716 |
46.153 |
49.435 |
13.4 |
7.1 |
11 (18 Oct - |
29.649 |
36.588 |
39.955 |
51.486 |
47.107 |
28.9 |
- |
12 (15 Nov - |
28.342 |
34.194 |
40.253 |
31.748 |
51.353 |
- |
61.8 |
13 (13 Dec - |
26.782 |
31.366 |
36.470 |
27.021 |
40.578 |
- |
50.2 |
Total |
387.015 |
446.795 |
512.091 |
543.519 |
597.162 |
6.1 |
9.9 |
First Great Western (FGW), working in partnership with the Tarka Rail Association
(TRA) and Devon & Cornwall Rail Partnership, has just announced a “Shoppers’ Special”
fare saving off-
Available from November 1, the fare will enable passengers joining morning northbound
Tarka Line trains to Barnstaple to travel for half the regular off-
The offer is available from Exeter Central, St. David’s and St. Thomas, Polsloe Bridge,
Digby & Sowton and all Tarka Line Stations. The adult off-
Dan Okey, FGW’s Regional Development Manager (West), said: “First Great Western is proud to support the communities we serve. Train services are vital to the local economy, which is why we are working with the local community to improve services and to offer greater value to our customers. We are delighted to announce this offer, helping those who fancy a trip to Barnstaple for the pannier market or to the many pubs and walks accessible from the line.”
Passengers may travel on any northbound morning train up to and including the 11:27 departure from Exeter St. David’s, Mondays to Saturdays (dep. Crediton 11:38; Yeoford 11:44; Copplestone 11:49; Morchard Road 11:52; Eggesford 12:08; Umberleigh 12:23.)
Return by any scheduled southbound train leaving Barnstaple on the same day.
On Sundays all northbound trains up to and including the 12:10 departure from Exeter St. David’s are also included in the offer.
Children (5-
John Phillips, TRA Chairman noted that “two of TRA’s goals are to encourage better use of lightly loaded services, hence today’s announcement, while tackling overcrowding on heavily used trains. In a few weeks’ time, I hope to address the second issue with details of additional rolling stock being assigned to two of the line's most overcrowded services.”
Like the idea of travelling half-
October 2014
In view of the many problems faced by passengers and prospective passengers on the
Tarka Line during the half term holiday (27th -
Subject: HALF TERM PERFORMANCE ON THE TARKA LINE
Firstly can I say that the Tarka Rail Association (TRA) are fully aware of the shortage of rolling stock and we greatly appreciate the efforts that have gone into the SX strengthening of the 0700 and 1657 trains from December and for the rolling stock allocations at weekends in an effort to resolve some of the worst overcrowding problems.
However, the recent half term week was a catalogue of poor or non-
A) Been diverted onto coaches or taxis
B) Been standing all the way from Barnstaple to Exeter – ie for over an hour and on one occasion there were observed to be in excess of 80 persons standing from Crediton on a Class 143 Pacer
C) Decided not to travel or travel by car instead.
Furthermore, people have expressed concern at the safety implications of the overcrowding as well as very strongly worded general dissatisfaction with such travelling conditions, especially on those occasions when not even an apology was given. The fact that the conductor was not able to get through the train to issue tickets gave rise to even greater anger for those travelling to the City centre who were faced with queues at the barriers to purchase tickets. Indeed on one occasion there was only one person present to do this.
Whilst 70% of journeys on the line are to and from Barnstaple, the remainder are from intermediate stations. If a train leaves Barnstaple full and standing, it means that passengers from these stations stand little chance of boarding, let alone getting a seat. This is a real problem for older or less mobile passengers.
We are also concerned for those passengers who have connections to make at St Davids, especially train specific reservations on SWT and XC services as well as FGW.
This situation generates bad publicity for the line and puts people off. It arises to a greater or lesser degree in all school holidays.
As stated above, we are fully aware that at present there are no additional diesel multiple units available for FGW to lease, but we do consider that resources should be temporarily reallocated during school holiday periods to enable key trains to be strengthened. After all Barnstaple Station is the railhead for the whole of rapidly growing North Devon where there is clear evidence of year round heavy demand during school holidays, whether from local people or from the very many visitors who come in what has become a year round tourist season.
We look forward to this matter being given careful consideration and look forward to, hopefully, a positive response. In the meantime, we will be putting this representation on our website.
John Phillips
Chairman
The government has been seeking views on what organisations and individuals would like to see in the Autumn Statement 2014, which will take place on 3 December. This is the response from the Tarka Rail Association.
The Tarka Rail Association is a long established body representing users of the Exeter – Barnstaple Railway Line. It’s president is Mel Stride MP and vice presidents are Sir Nick Harvey MP and Dr Ian Harrison.
We wish to ask for the following in the forthcoming Autumn Statement:
1 Commitment to the next phase of Railway Electrification to include Newbury and Bristol to Plymouth with associated line speed enhancements.
2 Commitment to the next phase of electrification to include Basingstoke to Exeter, in both cases to improve the quality of service, provide greater capacity and to release good quality diesel rolling stock for use elsewhere.
3 Commitment to the construction of a dynamic passing loop between Exeter and Honiton in order to provide paths for two trains per hour between Exeter and Axminster and also to better facilitate use of the line as a diversionary route.
4 In furtherance of the Prime Minister’s undertaking that “money will be no
object” to agree to the re-
We hope very much that the Chancellor of the Exchequer will be able to accommodate these improvements as part of the Government’s commitment to enhancing the infrastructure of the nation
On Thursday, 27 November, First Great Western (FGW) named a train to mark the twenty-
The train, one of the branch’s regular two coach Class 150s, was named “The Tarka
Line, the first 25 years 1989 -
As part of the project, the working group came up with a brand name for the local railway service and the Tarka Line was born, launched at Barnstaple station in October 1989.
Devon County Council and British Rail were the prime movers behind the line development
project, which was so successful that it was quickly expanded to cover other rural
branch lines in the far South West, creating the Devon & Cornwall Rail Partnership,
a non-
As well as the County Council and First Great Western, North Devon Council, Barnstaple Town Council and the Tarka Rail Association are among those represented on the Tarka Line Forum.
November 2014
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