From AlexN ...


The FGW customer panel is a group of regular travellers appointed by FGW to represent passengers on their line / in their area.  So it would be hard torefute a suggestion that these peopel are somewhat the representatiives of the company to the traveller and not the traveller's representatives tothe company.  A difficult path to tread for them. And I suspect that some of them may get biased in the direction of FGW's viewpoint, with things like depot trips to see the train simulators and days out on the company.

The Swindon to Westbury service is NOT represented on the panel.

I asked FGW about it, but they tell me there's no vacancy ... we do have a representative who covers the area from Bradford on Avon to Bruton, and also take in Melksham.   When I asked the gentleman in question when he had last used the TransWilts / Mlekshm line, he spluttered a bit .... and said it probably hadn't been for a while.  He also promised to get back with me when the heard any good news about our service.  But as there hasn't been any such good news,  I haven't heard a dickybird.

A useful conduit, yes but a strong representation of us the customer - no

It's arranged by groups of stations rather than by services - typically groups of stations in the same area rather than groups served by the same trains.

Ed Saunders covers Chippenham, Bath, Oldfield Park and Keynsham.

Quentin Stanton covers Swindon (and no other stations)

Roger Newman covers Bruton, Frome, Dilton Marsh, Warminster, Westbury, Trowbridge, Bradford-on-Avon, Avoncliff, Freshford, Melksham

I appreciate the need to keep the panel size within bounds - although I'm sure that the splitting into 3 panels which are "East", "Central" and "West" has helped - but I do wonder if, with the best will in the world, the members can provide the knowledgable attention to the travellers from stations served only by trains they don't even travel on.

P.S. Peter Reader covers Salisbury and stations to Southampton and Cosham, and John Scott who sits on a different panel (East) covers Stations beyond Cosham to Brighton, including those on Portsmouth Island.  Chris Corbin, who sits on the West panel, covers Castle Cary to Weymouth.