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SERUG is a lobby group focused on the improving the passenger experience on the railway between Salisbury and Exeter, through investment in better infrastructure and more trains. Until recently this line was operated by South Western Railway (owned by First Group plc). It is now nationalised and is the first franchise to become part of Great British Railways.
We enlist the support of rail users, MP’s, County and local Councils, and other communities. We lobby Train Operators, Network Rail, DfT and other Government departments to improve the line’s service, timetable resilience, capacity, and the introduction of new trains to replace the current 35+ year diesel trains.
We cover the stations of Tisbury, Gillingham, Templecombe, Sherborne, Yeovil Junction, Crewkerne, Axminster, Honiton, Feniton, Whimple, Cranbrook, Pinhoe and Exeter Central. On this route, the current old infrastructure and ageing rolling stock, severely restricts performance.
SERUG is not funded by any commercial rail operators or rail-based organisations. We lobby independently for all improvements that will benefit the travelling public. We are affiliated to Railfuture, a non-political, not for profit organisation which campaigns for a bigger and better railway in Britain.
Current priorities:
Across the country our railways face many challenges, including capacity and resilience, changing travel habits and an over complex fare structure. We have three existential issues which must be addressed.
• Rail infrastructure. Limited passing places on the mostly single track route leads to persistent delays. Network Rail has a detailed plan to resolve this, but it is not currently funded.
• Replacement trains. Our trains are diesel multiple units dating from the late 1980’s, some of the oldest trains still in use on a main line. The route is electrified from London to Basingstoke only and there are a number of possible ways forward. One (favoured) proposal is to modify redundant suburban electric units into bi-mode electric / battery power. At stations and certain other key locations, short electrified sections would be used to top-up the batteries. A way forward has to be chosen and funding to make it possible.
• Geological weakness. Loss of moisture in formation below track leads to potential collapse in embankments and subsidence in cuttings. It is especially prominent during dry summer periods. This leads to speed restrictions and closures which can last for weeks. Network Rail has taken steps to repair and rebuild sections, however this blight lacks funding and therefore cannot be fully resolved.
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