|
Pages: [1]
|
 |
|
 Author
|
Topic: A First Monopoly? (Read 2946 times)
|
|
Graham Ellis
|
I understand that there's to be some sort of enquiry / investigation into the running of nearly all the public transport services - road AND rail - in certain areas by the First Group. .... source, "Points West" the other night. I wasn't around to catch the item myself (and I'm still not around) but, yes, I have had some concern about the same commercial-motivated company running both the trains and the buses; perhaps it would be just too convenient for them to find (any) excuse to withdraw - say - all the trains and tell people to use the less convenient buses. And that's not giving consideration to the inconveninence to the (ex) train users - just a natural attempt to gain maximum income for minimum cost.
Was does surprise me is that it's taken until now for this to emerge. Surely someone noticed the monopolistic effect it would have if the franchise went to First, and considered safeguards??
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Mark Scott
|
First's bus service in Melksham leaves a lot to be desired but again it could be a lot worse than it is now.
We get an hourly service to Bath, Chippenham and Devizes (more often to Trowbridge). This would be better as a more frequent service, especially to Bath. Also, until very recently, the busses have been uncomfortable and very old (L or N reg) but now they havebeen updated to Y and 55 reg vehicles which give a nicer journey especially for those with longer than average legs!!!
Now that Frist have the railways as well, they have missed a trick or 2 to try and give people of Melksham a decent service: how about London - Southampton, Cardiff - Southampton with the trains coming off the GWR via the melksham branch and onto the wessex line?
I can see that First will try and say that because we can get to Bath and Chippenham we can use the bus and transfer onto the main line there, however, it costs £4.65 to get to Bath on the bus and £7 to get to Swindon on the train. The train is better value for money but the bus can generate more profit....
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Graham Ellis
|
I may not be hugely popular by suggesting this, but I do think that people would be happy to pay - say - a 20% increase in real terms in rail fares to provide a better and more reliable service and to make it cost effective for First. Looking at the new prices that come in in a couple of days, that would put the new 7.30 fare to Swindon up to about 8.90.
However, if the fares rose to the same rate that First charge on routes such as Swindon to London (50p per mile), that would put Melksham to Swindon up to 24 pounds return which I think would cause outrage and would loose them most of their traffic.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Nick Field
|
I think thats another nail hit on the head. People are happy to pay a bit more IF the service is regular and reliable
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
|
Pages: [1]
|
|
|
 |
