Meeting with EMR at Market Harborough

Newly decorated ‘feature wall’ in the main waiting room on Platform 1.
Photo: Steve Jones

An informal meeting was held in Market Harborough on 24th March between Laura Etheridge, EMR Stakeholder Manager, George Selby, EMR Lead Business Development Manager (on secondment to Stakeholder Engagement Team), and Steve Jones, Chair of Harborough Rail Users and Secretary of Railfuture East Midlands, and Phil Thomas, Chair of Railfuture East Midlands.  The aim was a general catch-up on current topics for EMR, including those of particular relevance to Market Harborough.
Among many matters discussed were:

• The recent management buy-out of EMR’s parent company Abellio UK, to form Transport UK (TUK).  This comprises the rail ex-franchises for EMR, WMT, Greater Anglia, Merseyrail (joint with Serco) plus some London bus routes.  
• The replacement of the previous EMR franchise with a National Rail Contract, starting in October 2022 and running for four years with a further four years at the option of the Department for Transport.  Though highly prescriptive, it does provide for annual business planning rather than the multi-year ‘lock-in’ that was a feature of franchising.
• The new ‘T-3’ performance target, which measures % of departures within three minutes of booked time at all stations.  EMR is currently at just under 78% overall, and is reviewing locations where performance can be most notably improved.  EMR Intercity and Connect are generally performing well; EMR Regional less so.
• Rolling stock, including the withdrawal in May of the four Class 180 trains on the Intercity route.  This will mean more intensive use of the Class 222 Meridians, which are the main Intercity fleet.  The new bi-mode (diesel + electric) Class 810 Aurora Intercity trains will enter service in 2024, with a phased introduction, eventually replacing all the Meridians.  On the Regional routes, the full replacement of ex-British Rail Sprinter trains by newer Class 170 Turbostars will be completed by the end of the year.  However, the withdrawal of the Class 180s means that summer weekend services to Skegness may be supplemented by buses at peak holiday times.
• The May 2023 timetable sees a further restoration of Regional services temporarily withdrawn during the Covid pandemic.  On the Intercity route, including Market Harborough, there is little change.  The two early morning replacement buses from Market Harborough (04:46, 04:59) to Kettering are withdrawn; and the St Pancras – Lincoln through services will start or terminate at Nottingham.  Also, sadly, the 09:45 St Pancras – Melton Mowbray via Corby and 14:43 return will no longer run north of Corby.  If you fancy a trip over Harringworth Viaduct around lunchtime, do it while you can!
• Various station improvements are either in hand or planned.  Leicester station is due to receive a major enhancement at street level, including a new entrance that faces towards the city centre, and better use of the handsome glazed porte cochere structure along the London Road frontage.  
• For Market Harborough specifically, we are hopeful that the booking hall café may soon reopen.  The station forecourt is due to be improved (see next item).  We also asked that connections at Leicester between our trains and those to Birmingham be improved; EMR noted this for future timetable planning.

We are grateful to EMR for being willing to discuss a wide range of matters.  It is clear that they are seeking to provide the best service they can within the stringent financial and other constraints within which they operate.