BRIGG TRAIN FARE REVIEW

BRIGG RAILWAY LINE REPORT FOR SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 19 BY PAUL JOHNSON

For the 4th week in a row, some of the Brigg line passenger trains suffered from rail head problems (leaves).
2H03 - the 0803 Sheffield to Cleethorpes via Brigg - was the first train to travel up the line on Saturday. Very little grip between Bonsall Lane crossing and Brigg meant track speed could not be obtained. The train managed to crawl into Barnetby with a few minutes to spare to connect with 2T30 - the 0939 to Market Rasen & Lincoln. 
2H00 - the 1114 Cleethorpes to Sheffield via Brigg, which struggles to keep time on a good day between Barnetby and Gainsborough Trent Junction, was even more late due to the track conditions.
These issues have been reported to Network Rail many times,  flagging up the need for trees to be cut down, including at Brigg station.

For some reason the Brigg platforms were not gritted for  Saturday's services. This caused problems on the Sheffield platform where a large section of water had frozen due to the unevenness of the surface (pictured above).
Away from the saturation of investment in Leeds and Manchester, we were delighted to see that, only a few weeks after our request, the Sheffield platform at Brigg now has a litter bin  fitted - the first time this platform has had one since, we think, around 1992 (pictured below). 

In a few weeks' time we will get to work on a Brigg Station Guide. This has been funded personally by myself and will be a step-by-step leaflet  posted around Brigg to educate customers  how to use Brigg station, where they can go on a Saturday. And the ticket prices. As around 95% of customers using the Brigg line are first-time travellers, highlighting the total importance of leaflets like this.    
   
KIRTON IN LINDSEY OR BRIGG TO SCUNTHORPE FARE
David Horne, MD of Virgin East Coast, has kindly asked his pricing department to look at this fare which is set by them.
At present, a day return from Kirton or Brigg to Scunthorpe is over £20. Yet Doncaster to Kirton Lindsey/Brigg is £11.50 return, despite been further away!