Crossposted from the Bath to Oxford forum on http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop

Mandy is seriously considering giving up her current job, and Sam has already made dramatic changes to hers - all due to the timtable changes introduced by First Great Western last December. 

Mandy and Sam are - or rather were - regular commuters from Bath to Oxford. Five years ago, they used the regular, direct train service for their commute. That service was withdrawn about 3 years ago, and then they had to change at Didcot on each journey. Now the timetables have changed, and the 4 minute "connection" at Didcot often fails. Compounding that, new patterns in the trains that stop at Didcot mean an hour's delay in getting home if the connection fails.

Are the train operators aware of the problems their new timetable has created?  Yes, they are; they have received more than enough feedback from these, and other, unhappy customers to make it crystal clear to them. But their loyalty is to the profit they can make for their shareholders, and to the contract laid down for the franchise, both ahead of their customer's needs.

"You can't make an ommlette without breaking eggs".  I know this, and timetables need to be overhauled; services that are moribund need to be rejuvenated or replaced, extra convenience and capacity provided for growing routes, and that might be to the detriment of other services.  But here we have an example of far more eggs being broken than was really necessary.

Why was the direct train withdrawn?  Was it really because it got in the way of others, or was it because the First group took over the other operator (Thames Trains) then used its monopoly position to make the change?  Why do we now have the strange stopping pattern at Didcot - is it really in order to provide an equal slowing of the Bristol and Cardiff trains with the "extra" stop, or is it because more stops at Didcot would mean many more people buying much cheaper regulated tickets (Bath to Didcot + Didcot to London is MUCH cheaper than Bath to London!)

This has ceased to be amusing in any way. This is serious. This is a monopoly playing at social engineering and changing people's lives - a service provider who seems to be less and less aware of that role, and showing little interest in it.

Sam used to commute every working day. Now she makes just one journey a week. "It's cheaper and less stressful for me to stay over in Oxford for a night or two" she told me - maybe, but it must be tough on your young kids. Then she works from home for the rest of the week.   So she's looked and made a choice beyond First's monopoly - their income from her has been cut, as has her travel.  Possibly it's even a good solution.

I've not been in touch with Mandy for a few weeks.  I must catch up and see how her problems are doing - where she's headed.

The blame for this (as well as the lack of a station at Corsham) can be laid at the door of the SRA. From the Great Western Main Line Route Utilisation Strategy (link below.) :
http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/rail/strategyfinance/strategy/greatwesternmainlinerouteuti3510

Aspiration - Re-introduction of through services between Oxford and Bristol.

Current SRA view - Services were withdrawn in 2003 due to low levels of demand and to improve performance on the heavily utilised routes over which they operated. No justification has been found to warrant reversal of that decision.

The SRA provided RPP funding for a new station at Corsham , with a planned opening date of 2003. However , they then proceeded to withdraw the Oxford - Bristol service that would have called there.

The SRA took the following view of the Corsham station proposal in the Great Western Main Line Route Utilisation Strategy :

"Scheme design and development was previously undertaken. The business case for the station is currently poor due to cost escalation as a result of unforeseen ground conditions and the withdrawal of the Oxford - Bristol trains which were to have provided the service (the SRA were the ones who withdrew the service.)

Unlikely to proceed at the present time."

As has been noted elsewhere on this site , campaigners continue to fight for a new station at Corsham.

The fact that First appear to have included re-routing the 232 Bath - Corsham - Chippenham bus service via Chippenham railway station as part of their bid for the Greater Western Franchise seems to indicate that they see the bus , not the train , as the future provider of public transport for Corsham. The fact that First won the franchise based on that bid appears to indicate that the DfT share that view.

I also feel that an Oxford - Bristol service is unlikely to be re - introduced in the near future , despite the fact that Jacobs recommended that it should be (pages 40 & 41 of the link below.)
http://www.dft.gov.uk/foi/responses/2006/september06/swindonwestburytrainsservice/greaterwesternoutlinebusines1103

That , of course , is only my assessment. If First or the DfT were to announce that a new station was to open at Corsham , to be served by a Bristol - Oxford service , then I would happily admit to being proved wrong.