Journey Purpose Survey

This took place throughout the EMR network to basically find out how travel patterns have changed post covid. There has been a dramatic change in travel patterns, so this survey was to help better understand demand by journey purpose and what products are being used. Volunteers were required so I ‘jumped’ at the chance as I often wonder where people are travelling. Some tell me and in the past I have had a person going to Paris and another to China!

There were 4 questions. 1) origin station, which was usually Carlton or Netherfield, but I came across an interchange passenger from Radcliffe to Netherfield, walk to Carlton and then to Lincoln. 2) final destination station. 3) ticket type and 4) Reason for travelling (i.e leisure, commuting (work) or (education), business, other).

Over the 15 days I saw 58 trains at different times of day at Carlton and 13 at Netherfield. Carlton had 290 responses and Netherfield 29. About 97% of those joining trains were happy to give me the information, but those alighting were reluctant, and as everyone alights at the same time I was lucky to get 1 or 2. Also when a dozen people turn up at the last minute for· the 08.04 Crewe there is no chance of getting all these. Additional information was given by some passengers, or questions were asked and I passed on this to EMR. What did surprise me was how many pre-booked ticket? and only 16 were using the Robin Hood ticket. One person did say he has stopped booking in advance and buys his ticket on the train in case his train has been cancelled. Most ‘popular’ destinations, Nottingham 95, Newark 47 and Derby 25.

Some will remember pre covid when the 08.08 Matlock train had as many as 52 joining (Tue. 3rd March 2020) and we also had a train from Netherfield at 08.33 which no lon?er calls there (9 on and 3 off on 3/3/20). We still have 4 trains missing on Mondays to Saturdays at Carlton, and these were at times that suited a number of regular travellers. ?ope we get these back in December. Only last week a person turned up at 11.00 wantin? to travel to Rugby. He knew there was a train at 10.04 and assumed there would be one at 11.00. He had to wait for the 12.04.

Not everyone gets the correct ticket. For example a person travelling to Newark was not sure at what time they would be returning so booked an anytime ticket,  whereas they could have purchased the cheaper off peak return (after 09.00). Buying from a ticket machine you have to specify train times. Many would like to use the train on a regular basis, but the 08.04 to Crewe is too early and the next at 09.03 too late. One person said he had stopped taking his car into Nottingham, as in car parks your car was sometimes scratched when others opened their car doors. He said the bus was too ‘bouncy’ (state of the roads partly),  whilst the train is so smooth.

Evening trains sometimes get delayed which is not good for commuters travelling home after work. As there are so many job opportunities in the area (see next item), people travel from Derby, Mansfield, Leicester and even South Wigston, but it  ould make them reconsider if the travelling is worth it. Leisure travellers were going to such places as Bristol, Edinburgh, Grimsby, London St. Pancras, ij?wcastle and Trimley (Suffolk). Also on the 20.03 to Wigan (change at Crewe). The only trains I did not see were the 22.43 to Lincoln and the last 3 into Nottingham, although the last was replaced by a bus on the last week owing to engineering work. Also 8 Sunday trains. 9th May was the day after the ASLEF strike, so not so many early travellers, although 1 person did join the 05.49 to Newark.

At Netherfield I saw all the weekday trains and 2 on Sunday. Many make local journeys down the line to Grantham, but Norwich, Burton on Trent and Retford also featured.

Even though in the evening there are trains to Carlton and Netherfield within 10 minutes of each other,  some prefer Netherfield trains as the station is nearer to where they live and starting from Nottingham are more likely to be on time. So it will be interesting to see if any changes are made to train  services after the survey has been analysed. Hopefully for the better!

Timetable changes

No changes at Carlton or Netherfield apart from the odd minute or two. The 08.43 to Lincoln does leave 3 minutes earlier at 08.40.

EMR news

New Aurora trains for London services. Testing is now taking place on the Midland Main Line and East Coast Main Line. This includes visits to our stations to verify alignment for doors, wheelchair ramps, stop boards (these are on platforms to help the driver to stop at the correct point. At Carlton 7 and 5- car stop boards are at the end of the platforms). Testing of these trains continues into early 2025, with the first trains due to be accepted by EMR around that time so that train crew training can begin. As mentioned last time, trains used on local routes are also being refurbished.
Deep Clean Strike Days have taken place at a number of stations and more are planned at Netherfield, Burton Joyce, Fiskerton and Bingham in our immediate area.

Brief encounters

• The pronunciation of Sileby has been corrected on station announcements. It is now Sileby as in tile and not Sillerby as before.
• The promotion ticket to celebrate the return of train services to the Bedford to Bletchley line of £1 single fare be­tween any 2 stations (50p children) has been extended until August
• Work is due to take place at Leicester in a major project to transform access to the station.
• ScotRail has extended its trial of having off-peak tickets valid all day until 27th September-
• Newark Book Festival 11th to 14th July. Stalls in the Market place. I wiJl be assisting on a stall on 13th a week after we have a book sale at 5 Station Rd.
• Engineering work at weekends. Check before you travel. Some on weekdays.