Chris Quirk from the Keep Island Line in Franchise (KILF) campaign group last week wrote to Claire Perry, Undersecretary of State at Department of Transport, setting out the group’s concerns about the future of Island Line trains.
The eight-page letter responded to the press release issued by the Department for Transport (DfT) last month.
In the eight-page letter, KILF urge the minister and her team to give the group’s observations serious consideration before the invitation to tender is drawn up.
Treated differently
The DfT press release had suggested the next Franchise operator should be looking to secure “an investment partner” or work “with the community and stakeholders to set up a social enterprise to take over the running of the line”.
Members of KILF are perplexed as to why Island Line is being treated differently to other lines in the country.
Chris said,
“We are at a loss to understand why … the DfT considers that our local service should be treated completely differently to the rest of the South Western rail franchise area; or indeed other similar rail services elsewhere in the country.”
He goes on to state the DfT has not promoted this concept in the case of the Lymington-Brockenhurst line, “despite the usage of these stations being considerably less than those for Island Line”.
“Unsubstantiated” running costs
Further concerns were raised with the minister over public policy decisions about the future of Island Line being made on the basis of “unsubstantiated figures provided by the incumbent operator” in relation to cost of running the line.
The KILF letter states,
“It does not appear that any other branch lines within a wider franchise operation have had their supposed operating costs and revenue separated out from the overall franchise finances in this distinct manner.”
Transfer of Island Line
As covered last week, included in the letter is Isle of Wight MP Andrew Turner’s pre-election letter to Claire Perry asking for support to set up a Transport Taskforce to,
“… transfer Island Line to an Island-owned community enterprise partnership.”
Andrew Turner’s office told OnTheWight they didn’t understand how that statement and a subsequent one about the franchise could been seen as contradictory.
Maintenance of track proposal welcomed
KILF’s feedback to the minister also includes praise for the proposal that Network Rail takes on the full cost of maintaining the line’s infrastructure.
Chris says,
“We therefore consider that the DfT’s proposal to regularise the situation with the infrastructure costs is not only a welcome step, but it also strengthens the case for Island Line remaining as a full, integral part of a regional franchise.”
Public perception
KILF’s letter finishes by raising concerns about the how the public’s view of what’s happening with Island Line is being conveyed by the MP.
They believe say that the MP’s comments that “… this will welcomed by the whole Island community” reflects little more than his personal view and that of his transport adviser, Nick Finney and not the wider public.
See more
The full unedited letter from KILF is embedded below for your convenience. Click on the full screen icon to see larger version.
Image: Train photos under CC BY 2.0
