Representatives for South Western Railway will be attending the meeting to discuss their future service aspirations.
Minutes:
(NOTE: - Reference was made to Brookwood Cemetery and in accordance with Officer Procedure Rules, Douglas Spinks declared an interest in the item arising from his position as a Director of Woking Necropolis and Mausoleum Limited, Brookwood Park Limited and Brookwood Cemetery Limited. The interest was such that speaking was permissible.)
The Chairman welcomed Phil Dominey, Senior Regional Development Manager for South Western Railway, who gave a presentation on the future service aspirations of the Company. The presentation covered aspects of improvement including investment in the travel experience (increased seating, rest rooms, Wi-Fi, charging sockets and car parking), and the ticket process (smart cards, apps and barcodes). South Western Railway had an extensive apprenticeship programme in the UK and was focusing on social development at stations by using spare space for community purposes. The Company was seeking to ensure that, working in partnership with Network Rail, Woking Station would be improved with minimal disruption.
South Western Railway (SWR) was looking to implement a “delay repay” policy which would entitle passengers who had experienced more than a 15 minute delay to a refund. The issues faced by passengers when a train stopped between stations was raised and Phil Dominey advised that the policies had recently been changed to allow such trains to move forward to the nearest station to enable passengers to disembark. The company had invested heavily in smart phones for employees to be able to access the latest travel information and update the public on delays or incidents when required.
Local concerns over Brookwood Station were raised by Councillors, including the need improved accessibility, the increase in local traffic following improved parking facilities and the pedestrian subway which was prone to flooding. It was understood that barriers were being considered for the station, which had caused concerns amongst local residents seeking access to Brookwood Cemetery. It was agreed that David Wilby from South Western Railway would look into these matters with an update to follow.
Ward Councillor Davis would meet SWR to discuss the concerns at Brookwood Station as he was a regular user of this station himself. West Byfleet station was also brought to the attention of the Committee as the subway walls were deteriorating and accessibility between platforms was limited. The car park at West Byfleet Station was also mentioned, with the aspiration for a multi-storey car park being expressed.
It was noted that air pollution would not be a concern with the future developments, as companies mainly use electrical energy for a power source. JamesWaight noted that in 2013 Network Rail had purchased 1% of all electricity generated in the UK with ¾ of that being deemed as sustainable. The diesel fleet in South Western Railway had all been modified to reduce emissions and new trains would be built using environmentally friendly resources and be CO2 efficient.
Douglas Spinks, the Deputy Chief Executive thanked Phil Dominey for the presentation and praised the improved working relationships with Woking Borough Council. The Chairman thanked Councillor Mike Goodman from Surrey County Council for his input and attendance; and agreed with the comments in respect of the positive working relationship with South Western Railway.