Job Track Scheme Launched

Greater Anglia has launched a new 'Job Track' scheme - a free rail ticket scheme for job seekers in the region. The scheme will help the unemployed by offering free train tickets to travel to job interviews and, when successful in gaining employment, further help is available - with a free season ticket for their first two months in work. 

It is a new initiative, aimed at helping the unemployed find work and enabling them to broaden their horizons to consider employment opportunities outside of their immediate local area, but within reasonable commuting distances.  

Greater Anglia will offer those joining the scheme a maximum of six day return tickets to attend job interviews at locations within the train operator’s network and, on securing work, eligible applicants can apply for an initial two-month season ticket free-of-charge. This will provide those successful in securing employment with a month to establish themselves in their new job, followed by a second month of free travel to assist them in putting their finances on a firm footing. 

The scheme is being promoted and publicised at Job Centres and applicants meeting the required criteria to qualify for the scheme, will be able to apply for tickets through the Greater Anglia website.

ERUF To Lobby The ORR For Investment In Local Rail

Following on from the East Anglian Rail prospectus published last year, Greater Anglia has asked over 200 interested parties to lobby the government for greater investment in the region's railways.  The prospectus was prepared with input from county and district councils, user groups and Greater Anglia themselves and is possibly the first time all interested parties have been calling for the same thing!

Specifically, interested parties are being asked to look for investment in three particular areas:

1. Improvements to infrastructure to allow for faster journey times on the Great Eastern Mainline and West Anglia routes
2. Additional track to the north of Chelmsford - ideally long passing loops parallel to the existing tracks in the vicinity of the proposed Beaulieu Park station
3. Extension of the third track from Stratford to at least Angel Road and ideally Brimsdown on the West Anglia Route

As a contributor to the original prospectus ERUF will be lobbying the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) for the necessary investment to achieve these aims.

To view an ITV Anglia news item on this please click here.

Weekly Seasons - Advanced Purchase

There is a strange ATOC (Association of Train Operating Companies of which Greater Anglia is a member) ruling that says Weekly Season tickets cannot be purchased in advance - something you are able to do with other types of ticket.  However it seems that in certain cases staff can override this restriction.  Have you ever been refused such a ticket when trying to purchase one in advance?  Perhaps you could let us know please at info@eruf.org

Thanks.

Discount Ticket For Couples

Greater Anglia has launched the Duo ticket to mark the end of regular weekend engineering work, which has seen bus replacement services operating on The Great Eastern line on Saturdays and Sundays for some years.

The Duo is available from all mainline stations south of Manningtree, including Colchester, Clacton, Harwich, Braintree and Chelmsford.

It can be used when two adults buy a super off peak day return. The second adult’s ticket is charged at half the usual price.

Car Parking Charges Set To Increase

Greater Anglia have announced that car parking charges are to increase in February by an average of 6.2%.

You may remember that GA's predecessor, NXEA, outsourced parking at Manningtree, and other car parks, to NCP.  This ludicrous arrangement continues with Greater Anglia and made worse by the fact that NCP use yet another company - RingGo - to do the ticketing for them.  Such an inefficient way to run any organisation will inevitably lead to greater charges with at least three companies trying to make money on the deal.

Greater Anglia have said that they continue to invest in their stations and services for the benefit of their customers.  It is not clear that many customers will have seen these alleged benefits with their trains looking tattier by the day and performance statistics apparently taking priority over providing an actual service to their customers.

It is sad to report that Greater Anglia really seem to be no better than their predecessors and we really didn't think it could get much worse than NXEA.

Car Parking Charges

Greater Anglia has increased the cost of parking at Marks Tey by almost 9%.  ERUF would like to know if parking has gone up in your area - please let us know at info@eruf.org

The one Show Would Like To Hear From You!

The BBC one Show would like to hear from anybody who has taken up alternate measures to combat the ever increasing cost of travelling by train.  Walking or cycling perhaps? Buying strange ticket combinations to reduce cost?  Anything at all to get round the price increases.

If you are interested in talking to them please contact Phil Holmes at The one Show on phil.holmes@bbc.co.uk