The couple of times I've had the misfortune to need to catch the 8.58 it has been incredibly busy. I've avoided signing that petition because, while I probably agree with the off-peak part, it also mentions bicycles. And - probably a controversial opinion - no way should full-size bicycles be allowed on this extremely busy train, where there is only barely enough room for actual passengers.
If you'd asked me in isolation, I'd have agreed with you about the bikes. And I'd even have gone as far as saying that the 08:58 is so busy (as are the previous trains) that it
should be made peak, not off-peak. But in this instance, given that:
- The consultation timetables said that it would remain off-peak, so anybody now affected by the last-minute off-peak to peak change has had no chance to comment.
- The consultation timetables said that it would depart Ely at 08:46 (allowing bikes), not 08:45 (not allowing bikes), so anybody now affected by the last-minute change to ban bikes has had no chance to comment.
- The timing of the train only bans bikes from Ely, and not from Waterbeach or Cambridge North (where it will be even busier than it is at Ely), which is grossly unfair to cyclists from Ely.
...then I have to agree with the petition.
Acording to the Internal NRE Knowledgebase, the CDR Ely - Cambridge is changing to restriction code B3 (valid after 0900) in NFM30. The CDRs from stations between Kings Lynn and Littleport are remaining on code Y4.
Nice. So changing the restriction code, making it look like they've done something, but not actually affecting the issue people are complaining about
.
I've always wondered about the overcrowding on all trains from Ely to Cambridge between the current 08:26 and 08:58 (inclusive), particularly as the route is very well served until 08:58, and then there's a half-hour gap in the timetable. Is there no scope for slotting an extra shuttle running from Ely to Cambridge only sometime between (the current) 08:58 and 09:28 (or the 08:45 and 09:17 in the new timetable)? They could have even moved the current 08:58 to 08:45 and made it peak (giving more peak capacity), and added in an extra off-peak shuttle sometime just after 09:00 (keeping the off-peak commuters happy).
I particularly worry about what will happen to Greater Anglia's peak 08:38 from Ely to Cambridge in the new timetable. Given that it allows bikes (Greater Anglia's bike restriction is based on arriving into Cambridge, not departing Ely, before 08:45), then many bike commuters who use the current 08:58, and who will now be forced to buy a season ticket anyway, because of the Y4/B3 off-peak timing change, will probably switch to that train. And add in the fact that Greater Anglia are introducing cheaper "Greater Anglia only" fares on the Ely to Cambridge route, and there could well be capacity problems on that train.
